Net Music Review

This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem, essentially James Murphy, have spent the best part of the last decade serving up some of the finest electronic music, but to say that would be a disservice because its always been far more than that. 2007's "Sound of Silver" is one of the finest albums I have ever heard and possess and serves as a case in point, while yes it was an electronic album, it was also punk, and indie, and whatever else you wanted it to be. It was a classic that worked on almost every level. So, fast forward three years and we find ourselves with the follow up "This Is Happening", which has been touted as the last LCD outing. Personally I would have been tempted to call it a day after "Sound of Silver" and end on an undeniably high note, such would be the enormity of matching it, let alone surpassing it. So how has he faired?

Opening track "Dance yrself Clean" starts off with a minimal, but hypnotic beat with Murphy uttering his musings over what initially seems to be a rather quiet opener. This however changes after three minutes when it explodes into life, just as you're about to reach for the stereo volume control! (It's the musical equivalent of the scene in the Andy Kaufman biopic "Man on the Moon" when Kaufman wants to include a section of static into a show to fool viewers into thinking their TV isn't working.) When it does explode into life the listener is left with an immense satisfaction and a barely resistible urge to jump up there and then and dance! Lead single "Drunk Girls", described by Murphy as dumb is reminiscent of "North American Scum" and is sure to be widely misinterpreted by an entire generation of young uni students! Although not reaching the same heights of the aforementioned song, it is still guaranteed to get a house party kick started.

"One Touch" picks up the mantle exactly where "Drunk Girls" left off with a mish mash of electronic beeps before again exploding with an immensely dirty bassline, at this point I'm still trying to keep my body from moving an write this review. "All I Want" steps the level up again once more, while many have said that it echoes David Bowie's "Heroes" and Berlin era releases, my initial thoughts were, damn it, this sounds like The Strokes. I guess The Stroke ripped Bowie anyway, so the quibble is academic anyway and distracts from what is a mighty fine track. While "All My Friends" or "Someone Great" it may not be, it deserves praise of the highest order. While "Sound Of Silver" and debut "LCD Soundsystem" focussed on Murphy turning a midlife crises into an album here the emphasis is much more on personal relationships. This theme is continued on album highlight "I Can Change", the closest thing to "Sound of Silver's" classics, it also shows how Murphy has developed into a vocalist of some note. Driving beats and straining strings combine to great effect. "You Wanted a Hit" starts off in a low key manner with a simple beat, bouncing synths before turning into what can only be described as an ironic, nine minute monologue about his inability to write a hit tune driven by repetitive guitars riffs, and if anything overstays its welcome.

"Pow Pow" starts off the final section of the album and possibly LCD Soundsystem as we know it and comes across as an acid induced stream of consciousness that is completing absorbing and almost has you feeling as if you are floating way above life observing everything that happens. "Somebody's Calling Me" is massively influenced by Iggy Pop's "Nightclubbing" and seems as if it would happily at home on the soundtrack to mid nineties film "Trainspotting". Maybe the influences are a bit too up front but it serves to slow the pace of everything down, its almost as of the album has been constructed as a night and that this is the comedown. "Home" then, in that context is the dawning realisation of how awesome a night out you just had. The opening instrumental seems fittingly full of hope for what could be the last LCD Soundsystem track with synths swirling around to create a sound that only James Murphy can. Little guitar inserts serve nicely to lift into another stratosphere.

If "This Is Happening" is to be the last LCD Soundsystem album then Murphy is still going out on a high, while maybe not quite scaling the heights of "Sound Of Silver" this is pretty damn close, pretty damn close indeed. Its guaranteed to be one of the records you reach when you back in from a night out with friends for those few extra drinks to keep the party going. Its that kind of record, just like all of the LCD back catalogue, it brings the dance floor into your living room with something there for everyone.