AMERICAN DREAM is the long awaited fourth album from LCD Soundsystem. The album is available digitally, and on CD and LP.

The first two singles released from the album are "call the police" and "american dream," that moved Pitchfork to rave the songs "couldn't sound timelier" and that "Murphy and company have never sounded so invigorated." The New York Times hailed "call the police" as "a quietly ambitious protest song… except that instead of searing, it motors," and Noisey embraced "american dream" like "a warm blanket." The band debuted both of these tracks on a May, 2017 appearance on Saturday Night Live. The next track and video that followed is "tonite."

Even though James Murphy shuttered LCD Soundsystem in grand fashion with a sold-out Madison Square Garden show in 2011, it felt unlikely that the band was truly done. Certainly the individual members stayed busy making music, and in Murphy's case DJ'ing and producing. It seemed like a natural step to get back together and make music again, despite any possible embarrassment that may arise from having bowed out so grandly. American Dream is an emotionally charged and tightly wound return, balancing bursts of dance-punk energy with post-punk moodiness and synth pop abstraction, powered by insistent beats and Murphy's distinctive vocals. It's an album made equally for the feet, the brain, and the heart, with moments of melancholy and release, sadness and joy, all delivered with an unsentimental, unpretentious eye and ear. As on past recordings, Murphy handles the bulk of the instruments himself, though Al Doyle is on hand to provide guitars and keys on many songs and everyone else has some input along the way. There is more focus on the less raucous dancefloor fillers this time out, though there are still plenty of wall-rattling tracks that sound like they are made out of sweat and smoke, namely the bubbling Talking Heads-inspired "other voices" and the hooky, immediate "tonite." The balance is tipped a little in favor of songs that show restraint and graceful sadness. Album opener "oh baby" sets the tone somewhere close to despair with its funereal tempo, thick slabs of synth bass, and glimmering melody. Other examples of the band's darker side are the moody synth goth ballad "i used to," the darkly insistent "how do you sleep?" (which features almost full band participation), and "black screen," Murphy's heartbreaking tribute to David Bowie that's also an indictment of his own failure to connect. (There's also a sweet tribute to another fallen hero, Alan Vega, on the title track, an appropriately doo wop-inspired rocker.) There's also more '80s post-punk in the mix this time, as "call the police" sounds like a violent Psychedelic Furs and "emotional haircut" aims for the jugular and hits it dead-on. It's a thrilling, rampaging rocker with fiery guitars, furious drumming, and a sound that leaps out of the speakers like an angry version of "Drunk Girls." No matter the style or mood of the songs, Murphy's vocals are the main attraction, delivering snaky asides, heartfelt emotion, and insistent chatter in his trademark fashion. The years off haven't quite mellowed him or made him a crooner; he still mixes the tart with the bittersweet like a master chef. The years haven't made LCD Soundsystem any less relevant or important, either. The times still require a great rock band (with synths) that can tap into the anxieties of modern life while also dancing the night away. American Dream isn't just a triumphant comeback, it's another great album by a great band.

Tracklist

A1        Oh Baby
A2        Other Voices
A3        I Used To
B1        Change Yr Mind
B2        How Do You Sleep?
C1        Tonite
C2        Call The Police
C3        American Dream
D1        Emotional Haircut
D2        Black Screen

*Audio and/or tracklist may vary slightly from the vinyl version.

Label: Dfa Records
Rel. Date: 09/01/2017
UPC: 889854561116

• Format Detail: LP
• Genre: Electronic
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 09/01/2017