LCD Soundsystem -- ID the Influence

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Educate me, please.

Numerous times, I have seen the LCD Soundsystem album labelled as simply an amalgam of 'influences' (and perhaps little more).

For example, the finale "Great Release" sounds (too much?) like Brian Eno's early 70s 'pop' albums.

Please educate me on a track by track basis... Thanks!

― Matt Sab (Matt Sab), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 15:40 (twenty years ago)

The Fall (so says everyone)

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

"Never as Tired..." is pretty obvious Lennon/McCartney, complete with steal from "Dear Prudence." And the "bear in mind" chorus from "Disco Infiltrator" is pure Talking Heads- one of the tracks from Remain In Light, can't remember which at the moment...

― Telephonething, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 15:53 (twenty years ago)

The only two besides the one you mentioned that are very clear cut to me are:

"Movement" (The Fall)

"Never as Tired" (Floyd/Beatles)

There's obvious reference points in other songs (Talking Heads, etc.) but none are as blatant as these three.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 15:58 (twenty years ago)

"Yeah (Pretentious Version)" sounds like "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" and "Catherine Wheel"-era David Byrne.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:00 (twenty years ago)

The Crass version of "Yeah" reminds me a lot of Tony Senghore with more cowbell.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

I think Telephonething is thinking of "The Great Curve"

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:03 (twenty years ago)

The repetitve bass line that surfaces about mid-way through "Losing My Edge" is arguably lifted from "Change" by Killing Joke (itself lifted from "Me & Baby Brother" by WAR).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

Trad, arr.

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

2nd the 'yeah'-david byrne connection

― jake b. (cerybut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

I saw this Amazon review the other day, pretty funny. I'm not familiar enough with Chance to know how true this is:

Know Your History, April 17, 2005
Reviewer: Chance (Bofunk, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

Hello? Contortions anyone??? James Chance did this whole shtick 25 years ago, only with 9 million times more soul, passion and talent. Wake up kiddies.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

It's a pretty damn inaccurate review. Maybe the recent remix of "Contort Yourself" sounds similar, but that's it.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:22 (twenty years ago)

Would it be horrific for someone to suggest that maybe LCD Soundsystem are original enough to not warrant direct influences?

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

I agree they/he is original, but I think the whole 'influences' thing is Murph's particular schtick. I mean, what is "Losing My Edge" if nothing else than him throwing all the cards on the table and co-opting us before we can call him out on things like Eno tributes?

― Keith C (kcraw916), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

Is there such a thing as an "indirect" influence?

(xpost)

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Last night my girlfriend remarked that "Losing My Edge" sounds like The Dead Milkmen's "You'll Dance To Anything". Just saying.

― darin (darin), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

copying white artists copying black artists

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

"Daft Punk Is Playing At My House" = the Fall's "I Feel Voxish" right down to the harmonic guitar scrapes.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

Is there such a thing as an "indirect" influence?

Yeah, being influenced by Interpol. *ducks and runs*

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

Blippy synth line from "Disco Infiltrator" is very close to blippy synth line from Kraftwerk's "Home Computer".

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

synth stabby noises
on "Yeah" sound most like "The Paw
Paw Negro Blowtorch"

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

"Tribulations" - Moroder via Fischerspooner

― Mike O. (Mike Ouderkirk), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:19 (twenty years ago)

His singing on the verses of "Disco Infiltrator" sounds like "Midnite Vultures"-era Beck to me.

― goodoldneon, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

what does "Yr City's A Sucker" sound like?

― W i l l (common_person), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:46 (twenty years ago)

I think the lyrics to "Losing My Edge" give a pretty clear indication of what the guy listens to.

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

isn't that the not-so-secret joke of "losing my edge"?? murphy doesn't just name what he listens to, he pretty much runs through the shelves of a well-stocked indie record store.

reading off a list of "pitchfork's top XX trance/dance records of all time" doesn't do anything to pin him down as an individual - it sort of obscures him, actually.

anyway uphthread mr donut OTM.

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

"Tribulations" - Moroder via Fischerspooner

via MIAMI BASS!

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:56 (twenty years ago)

They're on David Letterman tonight, forgot to post this earlier, but there's still time for most of you.

― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 28 April 2005 03:39 (twenty years ago)

And by tonight I mean Wednesday night.

― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 28 April 2005 03:40 (twenty years ago)

Did anyone see it?

― Matt Sab (Matt Sab), Thursday, 28 April 2005 16:37 (twenty years ago)

Ooops

lcd soundsystem on letterman

― Matt Sab (Matt Sab), Thursday, 28 April 2005 17:48 (twenty years ago)

"Warm Leatherette"

― Amon (eman), Thursday, 28 April 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

The repetitve bass line that surfaces about mid-way through "Losing My Edge" is arguably lifted from "Change" by Killing Joke (itself lifted from "Me & Baby Brother" by WAR).
There's a WFMU playlist where someone segued "Losing My Edge" with change and it sounded fantastic -- and now I realise why! Dead on, Alex.

copying white artists copying black artists
"You're watching the WPCPBC network - White People Co-oPting Black Culture."

what does "Yr City's A Sucker" sound like?
Fuck, I don't know. It hints at lot of things to me, from early hip-hop grooves to PiL, but doesn't sound directly like anyone.

― Ian Riese-Moraine has a grenade, that pineapple's not just a toy! (Eastern Mantr, Thursday, 28 April 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

I would say "Great Release" sounds alot like Suicide, with a little Eno. the progression w/ simple elegant keys.

― j a d s, Thursday, 28 April 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

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