THE BOOK LA: So James, what’s going on in your life at this moment ?

James Murphy:: I’m at home and I got my dog and my wife is here.  It’s pretty good.

BKLA: Let’s talk a little bit about your new album “Sounds of Silver”. It feels more polished than your debut. How did you approach making this album vs. the first one ?

JM : Well, I wanted to make it sorta similar, but I wanted to improve on the first record, which I thought was a little beige and I don’t think I did as much post production as I could have.  So I went to the studio on a farm where I made the first one, spent 5 weeks recording it, then came back to DFA for 5 more weeks to mix it, add more layers, which made me happy.

BKLA: LCD is both music and lyrics.  What comes first in making a song ?

JM : Well, they usually kinda come together I guess.  Like a hook of sorts, that has the idea and it comes in at the same time as the music.  But, I don’t really finish the lyrics till the day I record them usually. There’s usually something that comes together with the music that has to make some sense with it. No chicken, no egg.

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Faithless “To All New Arrivals” [IMPORT] (Sony/Bmg). 10 years in their history, Faithless has moved well beyond the perception that their big club sound is designed for hedonistic weekend activities and mass distraction. That their lyrics often  don’t shy away from condemning the world’s ills is well established also. “To All New Arrivals” is a soulful and poignant dedication to parenthood with a clear message: If it’s a really fucked up world to bring a child into, it’s also a fresh start and hope for a better future. There’s no preaching going on, rather a lot of raw and candid first hand emotions superbly delivered By Sister Bliss, now a parent herself, Maxi Jazz who’s smooth rhyming has become more commanding, Dido doing her obligatory cameo, as well as Harry Collier, Cat Powers and the Cure’s own Robert Smith. The voices soar above Rollo’s production, whose audio collage should only be experience on 5.1 surround sound. And if the music alone doesn’t move you, the video for “Bombs” will leave you speechless. The reason there isn’t a band like Faithless in the US ? See what happened to the Dixie Chicks. Being able to speak their mind freely on this album is important by itself.

Mark Ronson “Version” [IMPORT] (Sony/Bmg). Let’s get the trivia on Mark Ronson out of the way: Son of Mick, ex Bowie guitarist circa Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, DJ (who cares) and more recently acclaimed producer of UK troublemakers Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. “Version” IS a novelty item with a one size fits all concept giving a grab bag of popular songs by the Smiths, Britney Spears, Coldplay, etc… a retro R&B makeover. Sounds like… the Commitments(the band in the Alan Parker movie of the same name) but with more upbeat hip hop breaks. The twist(no pun) is that you’ll find Kasabian an Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith singing their own song. Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse are on board also, as well as Robbie Williams. Hipsters beware: Old school is the Good School now !

Rodrigo y Gabriela (ATO Records). How two feisty Mexicans stole the show from Lily Allen and the Shins at this years KCRW’s Sounds Eclectic Evening with two acoustic guitars, left everyone guessing and… dancing ! R&G are Metalheads who had a band, a record deal, then lost their deal, lost their band, and ended up playing hotel lobbies on the Mexican Pacific coast, then they took off to go to Ireland, and ended up on top of the charts. They are quick to correct those who call their Latin headbanging “Flamenco”. The “crazy guitar music” and the strumming, drumming and various other forms of abuse they inflict their instruments would apparently offend the purists. But as the occasional ligament injury and show cancellation can attest, the energy and the passion are just the same. Experiencing it live is a must.

Ojos de Brujo (Six Degrees). If you need to get your Latin heat on, give Barcelona-based “Nuevo-Roots” 8 ensemble piece Ojos de Brujo a spin in your I-pod. Techari places its Spaniard and Maurish musical roots at the crossroads again, blending Cuban, African and Indian influences with the help of guest musicians like global fusion maestro Nitin Sawhney. Marina ”La Camillas” dominates the production with a vocal presence so defiant and untamed that you want her to go kick Shakira’s ass for selling out. Electronic textures and scratches-a fact of life in almost any band these days-are perfectly integrated to the mix. One may feel the sudden urge to clap their hand and tap their feet. The Eyes of the Wizard (translation) cast an hypnotic spell on whomever dares to listen. Hotter than a bonfire.

Backspin “A Six Degrees 10 Year Anniversary Projects” (Six Degrees). The Bay Are label was created almost out of necessity, giving a home to recording artists at the forefront of World fusion, blending roots with trends, constantly pushing their geographic boundaries into a seamless musical patchwork. 6º has its detractors, purists who would chide them for eroding the identity of local cultures, while others would argue that a modernizing take on a tradition helps maintaining it alive. Consider also that except for a few best selling artists like Bebel Gilberto, Nyaz and DJ Cheb I Sabbah, the rest of the roster is made of critically acclaimed underdogs. It’s amazing that the label could support itself for this long. Backspin celebrates a decade of extraordinary music, by giving its prodigal artists free range to reinterpret a song that has influenced them. The results are dazzling, starting with Karch Kale’s opener, a cover of the Police “Spirits in the Material World”, Vienna’s dZihon and Kamien jazzify Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit!”, Nyaz turns the Cure’s “Love Song” into a Middle Eastern Lullaby, while Banco De Gaia puts Pink Floyd’s Echoes through a blasphemous electronic bong hit. And that’s just to name a few. You’ll have to discover the rest one mind blowing audible gem at a time. Here’s to 10 more years !

Let's Go Sailing “The Chaos in Order” (Yardley Pop / GR2 Records). Very obviously Shana Levy had to express a few ideas of her own once leaving her former band Irwing. “Chaos“ is also proof that the Silverlake music scene has become a formidable rival to Manchester for all tunes poppy and melodic. The bio mentions contributions by members of the Silversun Pick Ups and Chris Chandler who also tweaked Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse and Elliot Smith. It’s smooth sailing for this new talent on a chill record 5 years in the making. The colorful child like painting on the cover contrasts with the brooding undertone in Levy’s lyrics, honest, vulnerable and determined to be heard.

Tracey Thorn “Out of the Woods” (Astralwerks). Those hoping to hear a new Everything But the Girl album will discover anything but… Hubby Ben Watt is still busy running his various London clubs and House music label Buzzin’ Fly, while Tracey’s vocals, once some of the most sought after in the Electronic Dance scene (Massive Attack, Deep Dish, Tiefschwarz, etc…) have been seldom heard due to an extended maternity leave. “Out of the Woods” marks her return with her first solo release since 1982’s A Distant Shore. A straight up pop album crafted by Dance producer Ewan Pierson (w/ additional production help by Charles Webster), which exercises  restraint on any dance floor sensibility with the exception of a couple of tracks, replaced here by 80’s lush Synth Pop juxtaposed with acoustic ballads, Trip Hop beats and the rich textures of a Chamber Orchestra. If the production is an eclectic patchwork, Thorne’s vocals and lyrics are the binding thread that hold the songs together. Great effort. Now give us what we really want: a new EBTG album!

Whitey “Light at the End of the Tunnel Is a Train” (Dim Mak Records). Whitey has worked hard to build his Indie cred, with over 200 shows under his belt playing alongside bands like LCD Soundsystems, the Undertones, etc… What is the mad buzz all about ? A dirty mix of Electro, Rock and Pop, fresh and unfiltered, where influences are sampled from many decades, creating an imaginary jam between The Stooges, Front 242, My Bloody Valentine and the Cure. Whatever you may find in Whitey’s record collection is ultimately reflected on this intoxicating debut, squeezing the creative juices out of his personal Psychosis, flaunting his affection for all things and lurking in dark corners and murky places.

Laura Veirs “Saltbreakers” (Nonesuch). The Pacific Northwest has its muse and her name is Laura Veirs. Reaffirming her talent for weaving melodies shifting between the haunting and the ethereal, Saltbreakers continues her musical journey where 2003’s "Carbon Glacier"  and 2005's "Year of Meteors" left off. In the crowded universe of female singer songwriters, Veirs distinguishes herself with a unique phrasing stretching syllables on her breathy exhaling and dropping octaves unexpectedly. Her band (with the participation of Bill Frasel and an eight-piece Baptist choir) creates arrangements so complex you’d think Brian Eno had a hand in it. Spellbinding and enchanting, Saltbreakers flows one inch above the ground without ever touching it.

Pop Levi “The Return to Form Black Magick Party” (Counter Records). If Prince was white and had listened to T-Rex instead of Sly and the family Stone, he might have sounded a lot like Pop Levi. Exuding an unabashed Rockstar confidence over sexy pop tunes laced with rambunctious guitar riffs, this Liverpoolian pop explosion is blowing up on the music scene like a firecracker in a dynamite storage room. There may not be a black thong riding up his crack, but his intentions seem just as unholy. Perhaps we needed a reminder that Rock’n’Roll is the devil’s music after all.

Arcade Fire “Neon Bible” (Merge Records). The Montreal based 8 piece band returns with a really BIG sound on the sophomore Neon Bible. The arrangements -including a full orchestra, choir and a vast array of instrument you’re unlikely to hear on any other Rock record- are massive in a Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger sorta way. You’d have to go river rafting or ski ahead of an avalanche to get that kind of a rush. The rousing anthems give frontman Win Butler a quasi messianic persona, or the bold charisma of a revolutionary leader making a last stand for our humanity in a world where dissent has become a faint whisper. But these voices and this music you’ll hear loud and clear, like a marching band on mainstreet.

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!!! “Myth Takes” (Warp Records). The closest thing you could compare !!! (pronounced chk chk chk) to is Talking Heads circa Fear of Music. Myth Takes displays the same irreverence for format, the same dose of Punk, Funk and a “way too smart, progressive and conceptual for their own good” approach to their music that will engage Art Rock pundits and leave many other scratching their heads. Then there’s the cheer number of members shifting somewhere between 8 and 10. And before discarding the  unpronounceable name for some artistic pretension, here’s one for the trivia from Wikipedia: “inspired by the subtitles of the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy, in which the mouth-clicking sounds of the Bushmen were represented as "!". In the International Phonetic Alphabet the postalveolar click consonants are represented by ? which is not an exclamation mark but a pipe with a subscript dot.” Now you can impress your guests at dinner parties, and even more so if you have a brilliant record to play for them. Hey who knows, they may even dance.

For questions or submissions email mgoldstein@thebookla.com

BKLA: Most of your songs present a point of view, a diatribe. Manifesto or acute self-awareness ?

JM: I like doing things from a very specific point of view, I find that interesting, that’s what I’m stuck on. When people ask me what songs are about, I usually can’t answer, but I can say where they’re coming from, if that makes any sense.

BKLA: You’re not the kind to concern yourself about what other people think ?

JM: Oh, of course I am.  But I’d worry about that whether I wrote songs or not.

BKLA: Just like everyone else.

JM: Yeah, I mean…you worry about everything. Consciously and unconsciously it’s in the back of your head. Like, do I look stupid, am I wearing the wrong thing, do I look like I know what I’m doing.  You know... It’s just normal. I try to explore it for as much interesting stuff as I can figure out.

BKLA: Making people think while they dance…are the two compatible ?

JM: Well hopefully not at the same time too much.  You know, maybe think later.  The first half of the record I don’t think is particularly Dance oriented. I think it’s like a Rock Out for the most part. A couple songs that are kinda dancey, but I try to make people dance only when I DJ or make dance tracks.

BKLA: So it’s something you want them to really get between the ears then ?

JM: No, it’s still body music, but of a different kind of body music. It shouldn’t be necessary for you to think too much to enjoy it.  That’s like when you make bad art and you tell people that it means something.

BKLA: So you’re basically throwing it out there and to see what happens ?

JM: Yeah, that’s what’s fun.  It’s always a little experimental.  It’s like saying something strange at a party and see what reaction you get.

BKLA: Speaking of parties, DJ-ing at the DFA throwdowns, producing, remixing and fronting a rock band, are these different aspects of the same experience to you ?

JM: Yeah they really are. I mean people have asked me: “which do you like the most?”. And in reality I definitely see it all as 1 thing.  It’s all a part of some form of creative public life, It’s what I find really interesting; it’s like Gore vidal writes books, but he also does essays, and gives lectures and interviews. To think of his work while excluding one aspect would be kind of silly. I’m not comparing myself with anybody, I’m just thinking about people whose work is a good example.  Same with Warhol. Imagine thinking of Warhol without the interviews?  You know what I mean?  They are just as much a piece of the work as everything else.  I just think doing DJ parties, making flyers, doing interviews, or making records- it’s all part of the same thing.

BKLA: Do you pay attention to the hype surrounding what you do ?

JM: I don’t pay a lot of attention to it because I’m just not very technically savvy to a certain degree.  I’m not really an Internet guy too much. So I don’t really know how people find out things or what they say so much.

BKLA: Are you saying you’re not a savvy tech guy ?

JM: Well I’m a tech person in terms of making music… like I’m an engineer and stuff.  But when it comes to, like, the way kids use the internet…like I don’t use Myspace or anything like that.  That world is a little bit alien to me.  Not wildly so, just sort of.

BKLA: What of these few thousand Myspace friend ?

JM: Well I don’t touch that thing. Uh, somebody else made the profile when I was on tour last year.  And by the time I came home they were like, Hey look!  I don’t want to touch that.  I don’t want to know about thousands of people that are adding themselves and putting flyers up and stuff. It seems really boring.

BKLA: Is LCD poised for the big time? Is that something you’ve wanted for yourself, are you concerned how this might affect you as an artist ?

JM: I don’t think we are, I think we’re just kinda poised for where we’re going, I think we’re just kinda…we’re a fine size, I think.  I don’t think we’re going to get very much bigger.

BKLA: I’ve seen a bench ad say “As Heard on KROQ”. That’s a big deal in LA ?

JM: Well, I mean, cities are one thing, you know.  It’s different.  And that’ll be for a couple months. Right now in New York people are more likely to say: “oh hey you’re James Murphy”. whereas in 6 months, it won’t be the case. Doesn’t make much of a difference really. I think it would be unpleasant to get too big, and I’m just not excited enough to do the work. I’d rather just get back to making another record.

BKLA: Speaking about making other records, what influenced you ?

JM: The history of good music, I think. I like disco and a lot of rock. I really liked “Yes” when I was really little. And David Bowie, um … those are my 2 first records. And then probably Punk Rock and new wave stuff like the B-52’s.

BKLA: Do you think it’s harder or easier for an artist to be heard today due to the shear volume of music out there ?

JM: I think it’s harder to matter. Probably easier to be heard. You just create a MYSPACE profile and get a little savvy.  But it’s hard to be heard over the noise, I guess.  It’s harder to matter.

BKLA: Do you think LCD matters ?

JM: I don’t know, I don’t know.  I couldn’t even… I don’t know what it means to matter anymore to a certain degree.

BKLA: Does it matter to you ?

JM: Sure, cause it’s mine. Painting my house matters to me.  You know, I mean it matters to me and I’m proud of it and I’m doing a good job and I like the band. I can’t tell what matters in the outside world, though. It doesn’t matter too much, I mean it matters to me in New York- I’m happy with how we live here.

BKLA: Does your environment have an influence on you?  Do you see yourself more as an observer, a protagonist, both ?

JM: An antagonist. No I like New York. I’m a always a little bit above… I think I’ve become more of an observer lately.

BKLA: As opposed to…

JM: A protagonist like I would have been before I was married and had a job. That makes me want to stay home. Be with my wife and my dog.

BKLA: So can we expect the next album to be more domestic ?

JM: Totally chill record me on acoustic guitar and wind chimes. No, um, I don’t know.  I don’t think so.  I hope not.  Seems like a bad idea.

Words and photos: Marc Goldstein (www.myspace.com/mar©). Location: Quixote Studio, Los Angeles. Special thanks: James Murphy, Jason Roth / Capitol Records, Darren Ressel / BigShot, Lawrence Petty. Additional thanks: Nicole Snell.

LCD Soundsystem o nline:
www.lcdsoundsystem.com
www.myspace.com/lcdsoundsystem

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