LCD Soundsystem – American Dream Review

Millions said their long goodbye to LCD Soundsystem – and so for the band to return just a few years later, controversy was bound to filter through. A cash-grab? Burnout? What was it which had caused the comedown of James Murphy and his high-flying group of out-there indietronica legends? Who knows. All fans can do is seethe or accept American Dream for what it is – more LCD Soundsystem. Who would not want more of the group which brought us all-time great This is Happening? So too, does this. This has happened. A return to the fold just five years on from their at-the-time permanent departure. Nothing lasts forever, not even death. Assured by David Bowie and moved by new sounds, Murphy reunites the All My Friends hitmakers for an album which takes a swing at old imagery, new fundamentals and the lack of cultural change since their first outing.  

Title track American Dream appears dismayed at the lack of action around them. LCD Soundsystem has venom to them, relentless as ever but easier to uncover than previous instalments. Clunky electronics are the forte of LCD Soundsystem, whose opener Oh Baby brings pangs of pain through to the forefront. Bad dreams and remorse filter through those first few songs. Murphy is not sorry they left, nor is it an apology for returning. Wake up to the David Byrne-inspired I Wake Up, the slick guitar solo a stretch of instrumentation LCD Soundsystem were previously not interested in using. But backed into the corner as they are on this one, with a hell of a lot to prove, sparks of innovation and wild new opportunities for the band come through – and they must be championed. 

Time and time again, returning bands stick to what they and their listeners know. Pushing for something fresh and exciting is rare, and rarer still is it for a band like LCD Soundsystem to confirm their style but add layer after layer to it. Layered with inspiration from Bowie’s Station to Station and the funk of post-2000s David Byrne brings on the exceptional first side. Give change yr mind a listen for clarity on those comparisons. Black Screen may be a tribute to the late British legend but the earlier works on American Dream are not so much about LCD Soundsystem. With that comes a sense of urgency on the chants of how do you sleep?, the distorted repetition clawing at memories long gone. LCD Soundsystem makes enough changes to secure and warrant a comeback – even if the finality of their big blowout is permanently undone.  

LCD Soundsystem presents new styles and bolder, darker themes not through choice but through necessity. They had to mark their return a monumental one, and as Murphy alleged at the time, such a heroic effort would see them compared to half the band they used to be. American Dream does have this effect – be it through the longevity of their previous works or through the notoriety once held by the group, the expectations are astronomical and even years on from the initial release, it is hard to give much room for American Dream to grow. Perfect pieces like Call the Police, Tonite and American Dream are worth salvaging amid a flurry of slower-styled songs and impressive flourishes. Still at the heart of this is the achievement Murphy set out for on This is Happening – an avoidance of broken-hearted pitfalls and monumental success. Their active choice keeps them fresh, it keeps their American dreams alive.  

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