Dance Yrself Clean

Song: Dance Yrself Clean
Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Album: This is Happening






One of my most anticipated albums of the summer by far is LCD Soundsytem's latest, "This is Happening," due out in May. 2007's album "Sound of Silver" was one of my favorites of the year and one of my favorite dance records of all time. I couldn't get enough of it... it was modern, yet retro, a great mix of guitars, punk spirit, and beats. Song after song, lead james Murphy wrote one killer after another. If you don't have it... RUN OUT NOW.

So when I heard first single "Drunk Girls" and sort of shrugged... I was worried. Would this be the sophomore slump on his third record? (and can that even work?) After getting into the album a bit, I now see that "Drunk Girls" is sort of his standard first single, the punk attitude, brash guitar work, and short and sweet. Just like "Daft Punk is Playing at My House," and "North American Scum." But that's where the simularities end...

On "This is Happening," "Drunk Girls is the shortest track, with only one other track, "I Can Change," that clock in at under six minutes. Most of the tracks run from seven to eight minutes with style shifts, building of mood, and crazy song structures. I found this to be a little offputting at first, but the songs are starting to take shape for me... and some are downright mind-blowing.

Take album starter "Dance Yrself Clean," which starts quiet and slow and pretty meloncholy... and that goes on for THREE MINUTES. But, there are over five more where that came from... but when the song kicks in, it's a revelation... you wake up. I can't stop listening to it. (Do yourself a favor and give it a full, headphones if possible, listen for the first time. It will rock you.)

I'm not adverse to a long song... it just needs to really work in all those alloted minutes. So like an onion, these tracks need to peel new layers as the counter rolls on, and for many they do. I'm in the middle with this album though... I'm past my initial questioning reaction, and now seeing more layers, and realizing there are more to come. I was a little worried that the magnitude of following up such a stellar album may have resulted in some arty bullshit just to come accross as better than I can understand... and yet, when these songs hit, the visceral reaction is pretty evident.

I'm still digging into this one...

Enjoy.

Dance Yrself Clean


Drunk Girls