American Dream | LCD Soundsystem: Album Review

Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Album: American Dream
Release date: 2017

LCD Soundsystem is back with their new album, American Dream, released on Sept. 1. The band has not produced an album since the earlier half of 2014, and the gap in music production shows on this album.

American Dream’s sound is mediocre in comparison to the band’s heyday in the mid 2000s. The songs seem to be trying too hard to conform with the current alternative genre, and it doesn’t work in the band’s favor.

A single off the album, “Call The Police,” sounds like a bad take on a Talking Heads cover. The lyrics, “We all know it’s nothing,” don’t spark the listener to feel the angst that the band is trying to convey. The poppy nature of the song doesn’t mix well with the lyrics and only adds to the confusion. The song is seven minutes in length, which is entirely too long for a single of this status. By the end of the track, it becomes banal.

“American Dream,” another single off the album, is similar in length, but a little easier to listen to. It seems moderately similar to post-punk band The Smiths, except clearly not The Smiths. It sounds darkly mysterious and melodic, but is, alas, unoriginal.

The entire album seems to be trying to unsuccessfully emulate other major bands in the genre. With each song, the listener can draw a similarity to another group. LCD Soundsystem should focus on being their own band, especially this far into their career