Review Summary: Ice cold baby.
I'm uncool. And it's not hard for me to admit that. Sure, I've had my moments, but nothing about me is
cool. As much as I yearned to be cool in twelve years of schooling, the world was just stacked against me. Or at least that's what I like to believe. A poor relationship decision here, a lapse of common sense there, whatever led to it, I learned to accept it. But with
Sound of Silver playing in my ears, I am the fucking
pinnacle of cool. I dance, groove, trip over and continue dancing like a fucking moron. Because I'm
feeling it, man. That thumping electronic beat of opener 'Get Innocuous!' continues to stay omnipresent even as the song bobs and weaves its way through James Murphy, the man that showcases the epitome of cool without
trying. His delivery is somehow a blend of sarcastic and authentic that holds the album by the hand and leads it through eight-minute behemoths as well as its five-minute cuts. Always supported by an 80's dance beat and a subtle bass/keys line, tracks don't lose their glow, regardless of the amount of times I've grinned along to the delivery of "To think I used to pity you" from 'Time To Get Away' or really
felt the repetitiveness of "Us, v them, over and over again" from 'Us v Them'. I'm not just cool anymore, I'm fucking
ice cold. And no one can stop me.
'Sound of Silver' is a perfect album. It represents so many sounds whilst being unabashedly its own. It takes from the best dance acts such as Daft Punk and forms this perfect blend of build-up and pay-off. It makes seven minutes feel like a blissful eternity. Always backed by a roller-derby-esque drum line that never overpowers, it consistently nails the tone of each track without ever straying too far from just a few 'basic' beats. The way I sway between each snare and bass hit makes me feel
ice cold, and Murphy and co. know it. Songs such as 'Us v Them' and 'Watch the Tapes' don't entirely rely on one entity; sure, each member steals the show, but honestly,
who fucking cares. They steal it with such a sly grin that you immediately display that same exact grin. You scream along to 'All My Friends', what I consider to be one of the greatest songs ever made. With its slightly awkward piano intro that maintains that awkwardness throughout, the track blossoms into an incredible display of patience. James Murphy builds an unmatched sense of compassion that permeates through every listener. "Where are your friends tonight?" he bellows along with every passionate listener, begging for you to really consider just
where they are. I know damn well where they are, and I fucking love all of them. Because I'm cool, just like James Murphy, just like LCD Soundsystem. All my friends are cool, and I don't care what anyone else says.
Never have seven tracks been able to convey such a true sense of
coolness. From the wry delivery of 'North American Scum' to the cheeky smile that resonates through 'Watch the Tapes', everything feels so full of colour and just pure fun. From the outset, 'Sound of Silver' strives to get your attention, and not only does it wholeheartedly succeed, it does it with such a lack of finesse or care for anything that at times it's hard not to get sucked into the sarcasm or the irony prevalent throughout. This is a thirty year old man complaining about being uncool. And you know what? That's exactly what makes it succeed so unequivocally. Each song continues to build regardless of the length, but instead of a big crescendo and a slow descent, it just lets it end. It keeps you on your feet, swinging back and forth until you're so into it you forget the album has ended long ago. You're too lost in how fucking
cool you are. I am the
pinnacle of cool. No one can touch me. I'll continue to dance like no one is watching, because let them think whatever the fuck they
want. I'll keep grooving to the very end, and I'll sure as hell keep smiling and thinking I'm ice cold.
