Friday, April 06, 2007

We Got Issues

There's just something about Sweden that I love. From happy children's literature, H&M and Ikea, the music scene is a cut from the same cloth. To be more specific, Irene. Part of what makes Irene so catchy and charming is their love of '80s and '90s guitar pop. It is easy to fall in love with their cheery lyrical goodness sung to effortless and delicate melodies that never becomes saccharine. Their album, Apple Bay, is out now on Popfrenzy Records.

Irene Little Things (That Tear Us Apart)


I recently got my hands on Sound of Silver, the sophomore release from DFA Records co-founder James Murhpy's musical project, LCD Soundsystem. A tight and streamlined effort, Sound of Silver is a consolidation of rock values and dance music dynamics, while blending in a touch of pop aesthetics. I wouldn't expect much lyrical poignancy from him but surprisingly, emotion is alive in his rich songwriting. With the opening track Get Innocuous, Murphy exercises his appreciation for Brian Eno. He reaches new ground with Someone Great. It holds profound sadness in a meticulously set electro pastiche, about loss. Such a contemplative memory is blasted out by the lyrical polar opposites of the record. In no way patriotic, North American Scum is a part sardonic funk-punk reflection about the degenerate image of his country. All My Friends is an asseverate realisation about the cusp of adulthood, kicked back with pianos which soon rolls into a climatic explosion of earnestness and tightly knit energy. New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down echoes The Velvet Underground, while plotting Murphy's love of the currently dirty ranks of the city.

Murphy has grown, as a lyricist and perfected his production sound with his second record. Sound of Silver is deep and coalesces euphoric production values and lyrical sorrow which acquiesce with each other to work on the previous template of LCD Soundsystem's previous record. Thus, bringing a potential contender of the Album of 2007.

LCD Soundsystem Get Innocuous
LCD Soundsystem North American Scum

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| 11:21 am | 3 Comments |

3 Comments:

  • I Love what you're listening to Grace. Casiotone for the painfully alone are great, I love the song 'scattered pearls'. The new LCD is damn fime also, James Murphy's song writing is top class.

    By Blogger Nick Fulton, at 7:44 pm, April 08, 2007  

  • Thank you Nick! What a coincidence, because Scattered Pearls is also my favourite song off Etiquette. I hope Murhpy visits the southern hemisphere sometime.

    -Grace

    By Blogger Off The Record, at 4:03 am, April 09, 2007  

  • Lets hope so. Owen Ashworth visited NZ last year but I missed the show.

    By Blogger Nick Fulton, at 7:46 pm, April 09, 2007  

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