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Kraftwerk, Ghostland Observatory, !!!
DFA
LCD Soundsystem: 45:33
- Dance/Electronic
- 2007
- Buy the CD
Reviewed by James B. Eldred
()
4
5:33 was originally released in October of 2006 as an exclusive iTunes release. The one-track album/composition (which was actually slightly over 45:33 long) was promoted by Nike and iTunes as a soundtrack to accompany workouts, and in some interviews, James Murphy (the man behind LCD Soundsystem) claimed that he tweaked the composition after running on the treadmill. Anyone who’s ever seen James Murphy in person probably knew that was bullshit. Murphy really is not a fat guy, but it’s pretty hard to imagine the pudgy New York hipster running through Central Park on a Sunday morning. Murphy later admitted that the album had absolutely nothing to do with running, working out or anything physical at all; he just wanted to make a long-form single-track record, and figured he could use the offer from Nike and iTunes to get it released.
Now freed from its iTunes exclusivity and prefabricated intent as a workout album, the lethargic and technphobic can enjoy 45:33 in the comfort of their own homes while downing Cheetos on the couch. The lazy bastards get a rework, too, as the album now also includes three bonus tracks.
If you didn’t know that 45:33 was originally marketed as an album to listen to while jogging, you’d never guess it after listening. Most of it is mid-tempo, old-school electronic music that does not conjure up the “Chariots of Fire” marathon moments that one might expect from an album designed to assist runners. Most joggers would probably find the many high-pitched electronic notes that pop up from time to time to be horribly distracting (especially in headphones) rather than inspiring or exhilarating.
If any specific group would like 45:33, it’s probably old-school electronic music fans. Much of the first half of the song really conjures memories of scores from the likes of Tangerine Dream or Wendy Carlos. Simple, long, droning electronic notes are occasionally accentuated by handclaps before a real beat and Murphy’s voice kick in. The singing tacks a backseat for majority of the first half of the song, until Murphy’s heavily distorted voice pops up to tell a story involving space travel and humanity’s ability to come together. Just the kind of deep shit you want to listen to while during the morning jog, right?
The instrumental sections of 45:33 are the album’s highlights, and fans of LCD Sounsystem who picked up 2007’s excellent Sound of Silver will probably recognize parts of them, as many were reworked into that album. Most noticeable is the presence of the instrumental track for “Someone Great,” which actually sounds better without the vocals.
Overall, 45:33 is a good mix that should rightfully be compared to the other great work Murphy has released. A straight reissue of the track would have been enough for many who never downloaded it on iTunes, but the CD release of 45:33 also includes three bonus tracks that appear after the main composition has run its course.
“Freak Out/Starry Eyes” is a 12-minute acid jam of bongos, bass lines and Moog riffs that explodes into an extended drum solo that would make John Bonham proud, and “Hippie Priest Bum-Out” is a similar tune that combines a rhythmic tribal beat with a Vangelis-esque ambient electronic groove. Also included is a dub remix of the hit single “North American Scum,” which takes out the vocals and adds a pounding house beat. Strangely, both of those songs would work better on a workout mix than anything else on 45:33.
This isn’t a good jumping-on point for anyone new to LCD Soundsystem, and it’s definitely James Murphy’s most non-commercial recording yet (ironic, since it was originally commissioned for such a commercial endeavor). Aside from those who already love Murphy’s whacked-out dance-punk sound, old-school electronic fans who miss the days of Kraftwerk and other long-form composition pioneers should probably check it out as well.
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