DFA/CAPITOL/EMI
New York went through a musical boom in the early 2000s as several indie bands emerged from the hysteria of Y2K. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, and of course, The Strokes all achieved critical acclaim and commercial success, particularly thriving across the Atlantic. LCD Soundsytem were a bit later on the scene, formed by James Murphy in 2002. Murphy was well acquainted with New York’s music scene at the time, throwing parties in the Lower East Side alongside Tim Goldsworthy; formally of the British electronic group UNKLE.
The two formed DFA records in 2001 alongside Jonathon Galkin, who was instrumental in turning DFA from a production duo into a fully-fledged label. The label achieved early success with The Rapture’s single ‘House of Jealous Lovers’, a track that perfectly blended punk and electronic music, a sound that LCD Soundsystem went on to pioneer. LCD gained early notoriety with their debut single, ‘Losing My Edge’, a humorous dance-punk anthem where Murphy sings about losing his newly acquired “coolness”.
LCD released their eponymous debut album in 2005, a joyous cocktail of indie rock, dance-punk, and electronica. The album received considerable critical acclaim, being nominated for the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance album. The record’s hit single, ‘Daft Punk Is Playing at My House’, blew up significantly, featuring on a string of popular video games. Between their debut and Sound of Silver, they released Introns, a remix/b-side collection, before releasing 45:33, a Nike-commissioned composition for their Nike+ Orignal Run series, a megamix designed for joggers.
James Murphy recorded Sound of Silver in 2006 at Long View Farm in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. Murphy famously draped the studio in silver fabric and tin foil, inspiring the album’s title. Murphy desired to create a “shinier” sound, believing their first record was “a little beige”, the record perfectly marries his 70s/80s rock influences with modern electronic music. The result was the perfect hybrid album, brimming with dance energy and full of emotional resonance, the slick production matched by Murphy’s raw, emotive delivery. Sound of Silver is intricate but spacious, joyful, and contemplative.
The album opens with the outstanding ‘Get Innocuous!’, a track that brings new wave into the 21st century. The song has an infectious groove, building and rising until the drums kick in, and Murphy starts swooning over the top. It’s intensely hypnotic, with its repeating chords and Nancy Wong’s repetitive refrain of “You can normalize, don’t it make you feel alive”. ‘Time To Get Away‘ is a funk-filled affair, with its slick bassline, understated riffs, and shimmering electro-patterns. ‘North American Scum’ is a dance-punk classic, sharp and rhythmic as hell, Murphy, at his sarcastic, sardonic best. Murphy tackles continental divide with biting humour; “And for those of you who still think we’re from England/We’re not no”. The whole track sees Murphy tackling stereotypes with his unique brand of cynism, vocally channeling the deadpan funk of David Byrne.
What follows is arguably one of the greatest double salvos in musical history. ‘Someone Great‘ is a beautiful encapsulation of grief; Murphy’s monotonic croon is subtly fragile, the sound of someone trying to keep it together. The track is reportedly about the death of Murphy’s therapist, Dr. George Kamen, to whom the album is dedicated. Murphy tackles death with immensely powerful realism, despairing at the “lovely weather” and wondering why “The coffee isn’t even bitter”, demonstrating the momentarily horrible realisation that the world continues as one person grieves. ‘All My Friends‘ sees Murphy shift from melancholy to nostalgic, driven by one metronomic keyboard note, which gives the track a restless energy. The song sees Murphy reminiscing on past times, looking at past friendships and parties, reflecting on past decisions, and accepting he wouldn’t change anything. The song is paradoxically euphoric and sorrowful, Murphy’s voice full of yearnful acceptance.
Both tracks serve as a beautiful comedown in the middle of the record before Murphy gets you dancing again on ‘Us V Them‘, which features some fantastic percussion to go along with the chiming cowbell, creating a surging rhythm throughout. ‘Watch the Tapes‘ is the shortest track on the record, a condensed ball of electro-energy, with its reverbing basslines and Murphy’s yelped “Ah-woo’s!”, reflecting the hectic rock & roll lifestyle of someone in their 20s, which whizzes by in a chaotic blur. ‘Sound of Silver‘ tackles nostalgia, a pertinent theme of the album, with Murphy debating on whether the repeating verse whether it’s worth it or not going back. The track has a rumbling groove before Murphy turns the track into a playful jam, throwing some synths, pianos, and kalimbas over the top.
The final track, ‘New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down‘, sees Murphy flex his emotional muscles again. It’s a piano ballad that builds to a powerful crescendo, with Murphy showcasing an impressive vocal range for a confessed reluctant singer. The track sees Murphy lamenting the gentrification of the city he loves, Murphy’s weary voice perfectly matching his words. He yearns for the New York he grew up in: “New York you’re safer but you’re wasting my time/Our records all show that you were filthy but fine”, as he weighs up whether to stay or go. It all builds to a seismic chorus, where some dramatic strings flood in, and Murphy reasons, “Maybe I’m wrong and maybe you’re right”.
Sound of Silver is a twenty-first-century masterpiece, enriching the sound of their debut while the emotional expansion elevates it to a seminal level. An album that can make you dance, laugh, and cry, it’s a stone-cold classic.