ALBUM REVIEW: LCD Soundsystem - American Dream
Article by Justine Decker LCD Soundsystem’s latest album is both reminiscent and relevant, with their classic low-voltage electric sound combined with a politically-charged message inspired by our countries current state of political turmoil. The sound of American Dream sounds like the LCD Soundsystem we all know and love: minimalist beats and riffs punctuated by sudden outbursts of sound and topped with vocals so candid that they sound more like spoken word than singing.
The essence of the message of American Dream is embodied by the album’s title track. The lyrics tell the ever-so-relatable tale of lost American youth and the fruitlessness of soul-searching through drugs and promiscuity. Of course, this is LCD we’re talking about so the message is much deeper than just sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll in the USA. The illusion of the “American Dream” and the fast-paced materialistic lifestyle it entails has us all dreaming in technicolor, convinced that this picturesque future awaits us and will eventually save us from the inevitable loneliness that characterizes the human condition. These grandiose ideas prohibit us from living in the here and now, and enjoying the seamless experience that is life. “So you kiss and clutch, but you can’t fight that feeling that your one true love is just awaiting your big meeting, so you never even asked for names, you just run right through ‘em as if you already came”; both literally and metaphorically, LCD Soundsystem awakens us to the ways in which we press fast-forward on our own already short lives, and miss the potentially meaningful moments.
The message of “Emotional Haircut” is equally as universal; if you’ve ever gone through a break-up or some other traumatic transition and responded with an extreme change in hair-style (ladies listen up), this track is for you. The lyrics aim to shed light on the constant struggle of establishing an individual identity, and the ways in which our attempts to express ourselves externally fall short of gaining us any deeper understanding from others.
Overall, LCD Soundystem successfully captures the irony of the “American Dream” through anti-patriotic satire and negates the facade of freedom that is typically associated with the United States. american dream “exposes [our] cage”, and resonates in our minds with lyrics like “find the place where you can be boring, where you don’t need to explain that you’re sick in the head, and you wish you were dead … you feel drained and insane.” The monotone message and muted ambiance of “black screen” questions our intentions of love, asking whether we seek true love or are merely attempting to escape reality through the soul of another person. The tried and true sound of LCD Soundsystem combined with the relevance of their lyrics makes american dream the band’s fourth pressed jewel.
The band is currently on tour in Europe, and will be returning to the US to play at the Anthem in D.C. on October 17th. Check out their tour dates and score some tickets to the show nearest you on the band’s website https://lcdsoundsystem.com/ https://www.facebook.com/lcdsoundsystem/ https://twitter.com/lcdsoundsystem https://www.youtube.com/user/lcdsoundsystem
