LCD Soundsystem

About LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem started as James Murphy's middle finger to everything that was supposed to matter in the early 2000s. He was a producer and DJ in his thirties who decided to make dance-punk tracks that were too long for radio and too referential for casual listeners. The first single, "Losing My Edge," dropped in 2002 and was basically Murphy listing every cool band he'd ever heard of while complaining about younger kids with better record collections. It shouldn't have worked, but it did.

The self-titled debut album came out in 2005 and made it clear this wasn't just a joke project. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" got them onto MTV2, while "Tribulations" and "Movement" proved Murphy could write actual songs between all the drum machines and Eno worship. The sound was New York underground crossed with motorik beats and Murphy's deadpan delivery about being old, anxious, and probably drinking too much coffee.

Sound of Silver in 2007 is where things got serious. "Someone Great" turned a breakup into a nine-minute Bowie-esque meditation that still worked on dancefloors. "All My Friends" became their signature track, building from a piano loop into something that felt both celebratory and deeply sad. "North American Scum" made fun of American cluelessness abroad. The album turned Murphy from a cult figure into something approaching an indie rock institution, which he'd probably hate reading.

This Is Happening arrived in 2010 and felt like Murphy working through his influences one more time. "Dance Yrself Clean" became a festival staple with its quiet-loud dynamics. "I Can Change" borrowed from Bowie's Berlin period without shame. "Home" stretched past eight minutes because who was going to stop him. The album was great, and Murphy knew it, which is maybe why he immediately announced the band was breaking up.

The farewell show at Madison Square Garden in 2011 was documented thoroughly. Murphy went off to work on other projects, make coffee equipment, produce records, and generally avoid being the guy from LCD Soundsystem. That lasted until 2016 when they announced reunion shows at Coachella. Everyone rolled their eyes. Then they released American Dream in 2017 and it was good enough that most people forgave the whole thing.

American Dream dealt with getting older, selling out, and whether coming back was a mistake. "Tonite" was self-aware about recycling your past. "How Do You Sleep?" took shots at someone, probably Murphy himself. They've kept touring since then, playing festivals and their own shows, still sounding vital even if the whole thing is now a legacy act. Murphy's in his fifties now, still making the same kind of music about anxiety and dancing through it. The band works because he never pretended otherwise.

Shows are loud and physical. Murphy seems genuinely irritated half the time on stage, which somehow works. People actually dance instead of standing with their phones out. The band locks into rhythms that feel metronomic but aren't robotic. Crowds get sweaty and packed. Songs hit different live because of how much space the band gives them.

Known for All My Friends, Daft Punk Is Playing at My House, Someone Great, New York I Love You, Dance Yrself Clean

See LCD Soundsystem Live