Sound of Silver

I admit it took me a little while to come around to what James Murphy was doing with his first release as LCD Soundsystem. That self-titled record, as it turns out, is still perhaps the most full-realized and well done blend of dance music and indie rock, or disco-punk, or whatever you want to call it.

The droll humor and self-mocking of Losing My Edge plays nicely against the hushed late-night skulkery of Too Much Love and the outrageous fun of Daft Punk is Playing at My House. But the more you listen, the more you realize there isn't a weak moment on the whole thing. It's actually a great record.

I think the same will be true of Sound of Silver, the new one by LCD Soundsystem. I just got it this week, and so far I'm having a hard time listening to anything else. The persistent beat of opener Get Innocuous! builds steam over time but never explodes, serving as foyer to the rest of the album. Us v. Them is a fantastic tune, and North American Scum works well with or without the humor. But the humor's always there, just below the surface or popping its head through, informing the music without turning it into a joke.

The closer, a tuneful ballad about NYC, changes the mood a bit but seems as if it will stand on its own, separate from the rest, as a capturing of a moment in time, where we see that what's touted as good isn't always for the best.

If you haven't let LCD in yet, give it a shot. There are many rewards under the killer beats.