LCD Soundsystem : This Is Happening :: Review
On LCD Soundsystem’s final album, “This Is Happening,” James Murphy has crafted a definitive statement of everything that has influenced him and all of his side groups. Every little nuance that you have come to enjoy from LCD Soundsystem is here; from Murphy’s trademarked deadpan cool lyrics, post punk rhythms, and Bowie & Iggy pastiche to his activism in rescuing dated synth technology. Murphy pulls “This Is Happening” off with such finesse that the naysayers may not have anything derogatory to say about it. Murphy has created an album that will ultimately find itself placed on many of the best of the year lists but will this phase the erstwhile dance man or will he shrug it off and declare it was simply bound to happen because as the title of this album presently states, “This Is Happening.”
“This Is Happening” offers some of the best IDM for miles as evidenced by the loud and quiet dynamic of eight-minute opener “Dance Yrself Clean” which at times recalls Underworld. Just as “Dance Yrself Clean” fades into the aforementioned Bowie & Iggy inspired track “Drunk Girls” which would also neatly fit into a Berlin period all of its own. The frozen call and response vocals of “One Touch” can be a bit precocious for the uninitiated but thankfully the song does not dwell on that aspect as it spends its denouement unraveling itself from the clamorous trap that it had set. The blistering guitar work highlights “All I Want,” which finds Murphy crooning a litany of items while backup vocalists “tra-la-laing” over an addictive keyboard melody as it seemingly sways back and forth to its own rhythms. Murphy does allow the listener into his world for a moment on the soul baring “I Can Change” but retreats into the guise of a snarky music business satirist on “You Wanted A Hit.”
The polyrhythmic “Pow Pow” begins the slow fade of the album and although its dismissive to point out that it’s a weak track, it fares much better than the staccato and sour “Somebody’s Calling Me” which goes on about four minutes too long. “Home” closes the album succinctly as a somber disco bidding this LCD Soundsystem thing goodbye, for now.
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