Album review: LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening

Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Title: This is Happening
Release Date: May 18
Label: DFA

Last we heard from James Murphy, he was brooding about New York bringing him down and pontificating on the “Us vs. Them” mentality of the world. 2007’s Sound of Silver was a breakthrough record for LCD Soundsystem, an indie dance smash with arguably the best song of the past decade, “All My Friends,” a sprawling piano epic about desperately trying to hold onto something great.

Three years later and Murphy’s back with This is Happening, an intimately deeper and personal record. Where Sound of Silver was intense in its breakneck beats (“Time To Get Away”) and political commentary (“North American Scum”), This is Happening gives us Murphy’s thoughts on moving on (“Dance Yrself Clean”), living up to expectations (“You Wanted A Hit”) and finding a place to feel comfortable (“Home”).

Those beats, synths, and in-your-face dance bass lines that dominated Sound of Silver and the band’s 2005 self-titled debut are here again, though more scattered than expected. Murphy waits until three minutes deep into the album’s opener, “Dance Yrself Clean,” to let the beat drop. Rest assured, though, that when he lets it drop, he lets it drop hard. The last six minutes of the song are indie dancehall heaven, with raging drum machines paired with Murphy’s wailing about aging and escaping failed relationships (“Every night’s a different story/It’s a thirty care pile-up with you/Everybody’s getting younger/It’s the end of an era, it’s true.”).

That excellent opener leads into “Drunk Girls,” Murphy’s ode to nightclub love. It’s the record’s lead single and weakest song, and therein lies the problem with This is Happening: littered amongst its gems are weak songs that don’t pull their weight to keep the record afloat. Some of these songs that feel like they must be slogged through (“Drunk Girls,” “One Touch,” “Somebody’s Calling Me”) don’t do enough to inspire repeat listens. A record that feels like a collection of a few strong singles mixed with tracks better served as tossed-aside b-sides is never a good thing, and that’s what makes This is Happening frustratingly inconsistent.

This is Happening is not a bad record. Even Murphy’s worst work manages to rise above the fray of mediocrity. And when This is Happening shines, it shines brightly. Take, for example, “All I Want,” a nearly-seven-minute-long emotional ballad of yearning. It’s guitar driven, with a persistent, slow-jam riff blended with Murphy’s beats. Murphy’s lyrics are at their strongest here, decrying the pain of waiting and begging for pity (“Wait for the day you come home from the lonely park/Look for the girl who has put up with all of your shit/You’ve never needed anyone for so long.”).

Then there’s album closer “Home.” This is Murphy’s real anthem on moving on (he has stated that This is Happening will likely be LCD Soundsystem’s final record). It’s a moody and brooding eight-minute look into the soul of a seemingly lost James Murphy, complete with relentless bass and ‘70s-disco synths. But again, the song’s strongest suit is Murphy’s words. “If you’re afraid of what you need/Look around you/It won’t get any better,” he warns after wondering aloud, “And this is what you waited for/But under lights we’re all unsure/So tell me/What would make you feel better?”

This song, this record, can’t help but give off the vibe that Murphy’s unhappy and longing for something new. This is Happening may not be the end of LCD Soundsystem. But there’s a lingering feeling of closure at the end of the record, like Murphy has said his piece and is ready to move on. It just would have been nice if the good-bye had been a little sweeter.

Rating: 7.9/10