Hairybone pick:: LCD Soundsystem 'Sound of Silver'

"Like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion remixed by Underworld" was the lazy description I gave for LCD Soundsystem once. LCDSS's sound is of course a whole lot more than that. And now that I have listened to James Murphy's sophomore 'Sound of Silver' (released on March 19), the comment is almost redundant.

The album kicks off with the familiar low-fi DFA discopunk and moves into new ground as the album drives ever forward with echoes of New Order, Kraftwerk, Bowie and Talking Heads. Murphy flaunts his influences throughout the album (and if you're familiar with the lyrics of 'Losing My Edge', you'll know he has a few). On "All Of My Friends" James' vocals even venture into early Bono territory. I heard cries of woe as I just typed that, but fear not, it is excellent and his signature nasal and knowing delivery is still the main feature.

While the first album's mood was very much 'missives of an aging hipster', Sound of Silver is more 'on-the-road insights of a self-aware rock star'. James Murphy was never lacking in depth, yet he has ploughed it. His sound didn't need to mature, but it has. This man is a musical polymath with the soul of a hedonistic Buddha...and our ears are so much the better for it.

Buy it from Amazon

PS. My good man Barrington has secured me a ticket to see them live at the Melkweg here in Amsterdam on March 17. To say I'm excited would be a tragic understatement.

Hairybone Pick:: Arcade Fire 'Neon Bible'

This has been leaked on the web for some time, but we finally had a promo copy arrive today. I have had several listens and can safely say this album is an all-conquering masterstroke.

I loved 'Funeral'. It was a new musical language that was warm, chaotic and exciting. And this time around that language seems even more sure-footed and confident. I had a debate with some AF fans that this sophomore effort is a more accomplished album than Funeral. They felt Neon Bible (while excellent) lacked the magic of the debut. I counter that Funeral's magic had more to do with the discovery of something fresh and unique...a ramped up perception conjured by the element of surprise. Neon Bible can't possibly live up to that as there is no mistaking that this is an Arcade Fire creation. This album treats fans to the familiar Arcade sound, but it's a brand new rollercoaster - with newly engineered flips and turns thrown in to really pile on the G's.

The album is also subtly political without getting preachy. The band is really down on religion, war, economics and global warming, yet it's the power of Win's lyrics and vocals (not the issues) that get to you.

I couldn't possibly trivialise this album with a song-by-song review. But for some reason on my first listen, I felt compelled to write a comment down for each song...a kind of word association game...but with tracks. Results below:

Black Mirror - Too much fun to be a nightmare
Keep the Car Running - Win's wail sails the blues
Neon Bible - Nursery Rhyme twisted into a playgorund taunt
Intervention - A hymn for here and now
Black Wave / Bad Vibrations - Orchestral indy's 'Dusk til Dawn'
Ocean of Noise - What it says on the tin (of refried Mexican lovebeans)
The Well and the Lighthouse - Punks on 1990 ecstacy
(Antichrist Television Blues)- Springsteen on slide guitar
Windowstill - It's getting dark out, best come inside
No Cars Go - Hey!
My Body Is a Cage - Bigger than Meatloaf