LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem is the musical project of producer James Murphy, co-founder of dance-punk label DFA Records. The music of LCD Soundsystem is a mix of dance music and punk, along with elements of disco and other styles. LCD Soundsystem is particularly popular in Britain, with two albums reaching the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart.

Band members

James Murphy – vocals, instruments

When performing live, Murphy is accompanied by the following band members:

Al Doyle – guitar, percussion (also of Hot Chip)
J.D. Mark – guitar
Phil Skarich – bass
Nancy Whang – keyboards, synthesizer (also of The Juan Maclean)
Pat Mahoney – drums

Former live members include:

Tyler Pope – bass (also in !!! and the now-defunct Out Hud)
Phil Mossman – guitar, percussion

History

Early singles and self-titled album (2002–2005)

LCD Soundsystem gained attention with its first single, "Losing My Edge". Described as "an eight-minute, laugh-out-loud funny dissection of cool over a dirty electronic beat" the single became an underground dance favourite. This was followed by other well received singles "Give It Up" and "Yeah".

LCD Soundsystem released a double disc set simply titled LCD Soundsystem in February 2005 to critical acclaim. The first disc contains the album and the second contains re-releases of previous singles. The opening track "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" quickly gained popularity and entered the UK Top 40 in March 2005 and was later featured on several video game soundtracks like SSX on Tour, Forza Motorsport 2, Burnout Revenge, and FIFA 06

. The band toured with M.I.A..

LCD Soundsystems's song "Get Innocuous" is featured on Grand Theft Auto IV and can be heard on the games in game radio station Radio Broker

In June 2005, the band covered a Siouxsie & the Banshees song, "Slowdive" for the B-side of "Disco Infiltrator".

On December 8, 2005 the group received nominations for two Grammy awards in the Electronica category for their self-titled album and in the Dance category for "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House"EMI Music earns 54 Grammy nominations including honors in key categories "Album of the Year", "Record of the Year", "Song of the Year" and "Producer of the Year". This album was also chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005Amazon.com Message.

45:33 and Sound of Silver (2006–2008)

In October, 2006 James Murphy released a track entitled "45:33" as part of a promotion with Nike for download from iTunes. The track is, strangely, 45 minutes and 58 seconds long, and was claimed to "reward and push at good intervals of a run"LCD Soundsystem Makes 45-Minute Track for Nike | Pitchfork. However it was later revealed that this was not the case, but that Murphy merely wanted the opportunity to create a long piece of music, akin to E2-E4 by Manuel Göttsching.

LCD Soundsystem's second album, Sound of Silver, was released on March 12, 2007, to near universal critical acclaim. Praise included Mixmag awarding it the title Album of the Month, a 9.2 score from Pitchfork Media and a 5-star review from The Guardian. The album release was preceded by the single "North American Scum".

LCD Soundsystem's subsequent single "All My Friends" included a cover of the song by both Franz Ferdinand and former Velvet Underground member John Cale. The digital download "All My Friends" EP also includes a cover of the early Joy Division song "No Love Lost". In September 2007 the "A Bunch of Stuff" EP was released and the band went on tour with Arcade Fire. Late in 2007 the band released "Someone Great" as the third single off of Sound of Silver and re-released 45:33 on CD and vinyl through DFA Records. In December 2007 there was a release of a 12-inch record containing b-sides from European singles for the North American market entitled "Confuse the Marketplace".

Also in December 2007 the band received a nomination for the Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance Album. The album was also named the best album of 2007 by publications such as The Guardian, Uncut and Drowned in Sound.

Time magazine named "All My Friends" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007, ranking it at #4. Writer Josh Tyrangiel praised the “magic” in the song, saying that the song’s “straightforward repetition of the same guitar, keyboard and bass lines, combined with lyrics about life without regret, and life with all kinds of regrets pays off with a punch about what we lose as we get older." The album was also nominated for the 2007 Shortlist Prize, where it lost out to The Reminder by Feist.

After finishing touring for Sound of Silver the band recorded and released a song entitled "Big Ideas" on the soundtrack of the film 21. This song was ranked number 63 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008."The 100 Best Songs of 2008". Rolling Stone (December 25, 2008). Retrieved 2009-01-12

Third album (2009–)

On 18 November 2008 Al Doyle seemed to suggest in an interview with 6 Music that the band would soon be discontinued. However the following day both Doyle and James Murphy quashed this rumour, with Murphy indicating a new LCD Soundsystem album was on the way.

Murphy began recording in the summer of 2009 in Los Angeles. Possible song titles mentioned include "Why Do You Hate Music?" and "Love in LA". For the 2009 Record Store Day the band will release a cover of Suicide member Alan Vega's song "Bye Bye Bayou".

Discography

Studio albums

LCD Soundsystem (January 24, 2005) DFA #20 (UK)
Sound of Silver (March 12, 2007) (UK) March 20, 2007 (USA) DFA #28 (UK)#46 (USA) #2 (CMJ Radio 200)

Other releases

Introns remix album (March 13, 2006) DFA
45:33 Nike+ Original Run (October 17, 2006) Nike (re-released November 12, 2007) DFA
A Bunch of Stuff EP (September 18, 2007) DFA
45:33 Remixes (September 14, 2009) DFA

Singles

"Losing My Edge" – (July 8, 2002) #115 UK
"Give It Up" – (July 28, 2003)
"Yeah" – (January 12, 2004) #77 UK
"Movement" – (November 8, 2004) #52 UK
"Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" – (February 28, 2005) #29 UK
"Disco Infiltrator" – (June 6, 2005) #49 UK
"Tribulations" – (September 26, 2005) #59 UK
"North American Scum" – (February 26, 2007) #40 UK
"All My Friends" – (May 28, 2007) #41 UK
"No Love Lost" (Joy Division cover) / "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" (cover of a France Gall song penned by Serge Gainsbourg) – (September 17, 2007) Split 7" with Arcade Fire
"Someone Great" – (October 22, 2007)
"Confuse the Marketplace" – (December 11, 2007) EP
"Time to Get Away" – (February 25, 2008)
"Big Ideas" – (August 11, 2008)
"Bye Bye Bayou" (Alan Vega cover) – (November 7, 2009)

Compilations

DFA Compilation, Vol. 1 (2003 · DFA)
DFA Compilation, Vol. 2 (2004 · DFA)
Music from the OC: Mix 5 (2005 · Warner Bros./Wea)
DFA Holiday Mix 2005 (2005 · DFA)
FabricLive.36 (2007 · Fabric)
21 Soundtrack (2008 · Columbia Records)

Award nominations

Grammys 2006

Best Electronic/Dance Album – LCD Soundsystem
Best Dance Recording – "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House"

Grammys 2008

Best Electronic/Dance Album – Sound of Silver

Signed Music Artists

Band members

History