Who would’ve thought that a once impossible record would be one of the best of the year? After a breakup, reunion, and a few delays, LCD Soundsystem’s fourth record is a triumphant return for James Murphy and company. With more live instrumentation, attitude and sonic diversity than any of their previous releases, this is one that won’t disappoint fans or even new listeners.
‘American Dream’ delivers, point by point, on everything you could want from an LCD Soundsystem album.
American Dream feels like Murphy's darkest record to date, and like previous LCD records, only gets better with repeat listens. In short, it's fucking glorious.
American Dream represents a high point for Murphy, not only as a songwriter, but also as a meticulous sonic architect and an exuberant performer.
As gratifyingly familiar as much of American Dream will be to longtime fans, it also feels like exactly the album 2017 needs — urgent, angry, achingly self-aware.
As far as American Dream being better than that estimable trilogy that preceded it, well, it depends mightily on how you define “better.” It’s a beautifully produced, masterfully realized album, but it’s also a bit of a downer and an unusually slow burn.
American Dream looks both back and forward. These are the songs we dance ourselves clean to while we watch the world burn – then rise from the ashes.
American Dream is a triumph, then, and possibly LCD Soundsystem's finest album so far.
Throughout American Dream Murphy is looking inward more than ever, it’s just that age allows him to apply hard won wisdom to his fears.
American Dream is the upshot of a darker, older, wiser LCD Soundsystem.
James Murphy and his band of collaborating friends have yet to make a wrong turn over the course of three previous records and American Dream doesn’t blow the perfect game, taking a low-key approach to underscore why people love LCD Soundsystem in the first place.
Pop stares down the abyss, Murphy seems to be saying, so carpe diem – except, this being LCD Soundsystem, it’s more about seizing the night, where three minutes can unfurl into for ever.
‘American Dream’ rocks, rolls, pops, fizzes and snaps. The energy is still there, no two songs sound the same and the ambition is somehow even more future-retro than before.
No matter the style or mood of the songs, Murphy's vocals are the main attraction, delivering snaky asides, heartfelt emotion, and insistent chatter in his trademark fashion. The years off haven't quite mellowed him or made him a crooner; he still mixes the tart with the bittersweet like a master chef. The years haven't made LCD Soundsystem any less relevant or important, either.
It’s not that American Dream is subdued, but it certainly lacks straightforward party rippers like “Drunk Girls” and “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House”. That’s not an accident, either; this is, by a long distance, the most introspective work that Murphy has yet turned out.
For now, American Dream does exactly what a new LCD Soundsystem album should do: it brings back the rush that listening to the band always has, and adds a compelling new dimension to the band's sound — a mature, realist darkness that they'd only hinted at previously — that suggests Murphy might have been temporarily out of motivation, but he was never out of ideas.
Making synths and guitars, songwriting and motorik rhythms all work together so well has always been at the heart of LCD Soundsystem. And thankfully, they still do their thing magnificently well. Age be damned.
James Murphy and his wrecking crew of New York punk-disco marauders don't waste a moment on the superb American Dream – it's a relentless, expansive, maddeningly funny set of songs asking how a lifetime of good intentions and hard work can blow up into such a mess.
While its 1970s and ‘80s influences, whizz-bang synths, and froggy vocals are entirely recognizable, American Dream finds Murphy pushing his compatriots and his own psyche into new, unfamiliar, and often uncomfortable territory. Which is exactly why, as far as reunion albums by aging bands go, this one is about as gratifyingly unpredictable as anyone could have hoped for.
American Dream feels like a strong re-statement of what they do, and what they can mean, a record that, despite its fear of death, feels very much alive.
Capped off by a great ballad in “Black Screen,” American Dream ends on far surer footing than it begins, and if at first blush this is clearly the least impressive and urgent LCD album, its second half suggests depths that demand repeated listening and point the way at new avenues the band can explore.
To be honest, American Dream is probably the only way LCD Soundsystem could’ve come back. The youthful energy is gone and air of experimentation is a bit stale, but the band is still connected and full of grooves.
American Dream ... undoes what would’ve been an incredibly mediocre way to go out with something that is still flawed, but avoids the pitfalls of its predecessor with material that shows a band revitalized and coming ever closer to returning to their Sound of Silver-era prime. May it last long.
American Dream does offer a lot from a songwriting standpoint, and why wouldn’t it? Murphy is a skilled producer with a deft ear for melody. But he’s somehow disrupted that valuable balance of humor and thoughtfulness found in LCD Soundsystem’s past with a more sedate offering that is riddled with mixed messages.
american dream is a great reconciliation of the two sides of LCD Soundsystem: the post-punk side that wants to rock us to hell and the post-disco/new wave side that wants to get fucked up and dance. american dream draws out good reflections on the monotony of daily life and the sadness it often brings.
New York indietronic legends LCD Soundsystem return with a tepid set of songs with washed out mixes and lackluster lyrics.
Murphy’s too good a producer for American Dream to lack punch and momentum, but the most affecting thing about it is this spectacle of James Murphy - or someone who closely resembles him – crooning and spinning favourite records at the wake of his own youth.
American Dream ... is effectively a straight continuation of its predecessor’s amalgam of electropop, new wave and krautrock, in varying proportions, with varying success.
I let my 5 year old son listen to this album because he sad he liked music and want very much so I buy album for him but little later he come to me and say "daddy. this album scary!!!@" I listen to album and he say; "PANIC AT THE DISCO!!!!" and me was shock. how can this album be allowed for childs? This album has blood and violins. lcd Soundsystem eat your vegetables!! lcd Soundsystem may no eat vegetable, my son eat vegetable!!
He is now life shock and he have to take ... read more
OUTDATED
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM DISCOGRAPHY DEEP DIVE #4
I assumed this album would be the worst one, seeing that it's the consensus weakest project as far as the ratings go, but this is honestly much better than it's given credit for. It's their most personal project with surprisingly dark production and lyrics. It's also a unique entry into their discography, because while it still has the elements of an LCD Soundsystem LP, it doesn't feel like anything they have ever done before. Is it as good as ... read more
Fuck it, yeah this thing has moments where you can tell this isn't LCD's best work, but I still found myself enjoying pretty much every song on here. The lows might be the lowest, although still not bad by any means, but the highs are still there for anyone to enjoy. I guess I stan these guys too much lol, I should eventually do actual reviews for their other albums and get my thoughts out there. Until then, "american dream" concludes the notorious Soundsystem's spectacular run in a ... read more
not gonna lie after blown away by the opening track I was along 4 this ride, it dwindles at the mid point but I think the last 5 tracks not including haircut r fuckin rad. a lot of the lyrics cook too. I think darker, slower style can resonate with me listening in me room instead of more all out albums that I feel I need 2 pretend im at some sort of 2007 rave.
I couldn't b happier I dived into this discography I found some songs that r gonna stay w me literally forever. next stop is donating a ... read more
1 | oh baby 5:49 | 92 |
2 | other voices 6:43 | 81 |
3 | i used to 5:32 | 88 |
4 | change yr mind 4:57 | 80 |
5 | how do you sleep? 9:12 | 85 |
6 | tonite 5:47 | 87 |
7 | call the police 6:58 | 90 |
8 | american dream 6:06 | 90 |
9 | emotional haircut 5:29 | 81 |
10 | black screen 12:05 | 83 |
#1 | / | Diffuser |
#1 | / | Fopp |
#1 | / | MOJO |
#1 | / | Northern Transmissions |
#1 | / | OOR |
#1 | / | Uncut |
#2 | / | Piccadilly Records |
#2 | / | Q Magazine |
#2 | / | Spectrum Culture |
#2 | / | State |