| Artist | James Murphy and Pat Mahoney | I |
| Title | FABRICLIVE.36 | |
| Label | Fabric | |
| Myspace | www.myspace.com/lcdsoundsystem |
James Murphy. What a man. Just saying his name brings a smile to my face and quite literally sweet sweet music to my ears.
Mr Murphy is the front man and creative genius behind LCD Soundsystem and when he’s not writing and touring with them, he can be found producing, DJing and signing other budding electro acts to his dance-punk record label DFA. The multi-talented bastard.
After his sensational gig in the Button Factory last Friday, to celebrate his sheer awesomeness, I just had to include a review of his Fabriclive album, mixed alongside fellow band member Pat Mahoney in 2007. It might not be a new release but, hell, if you were at the gig you know that you need to go out and buy it and even if you weren’t and have never even heard of the man himself you still need to go out and buy it.
When I first heard this album, this time last year, I was blown away. Expecting and in some ways hoping for something resembling the familiar electronic beats of LCD, I was hit by an explosion of funk, soul, Mown and Eighties disco. Murphy and Mahoney open the mix with an exciting and up-lifting instrumental by Peter Gordan and the Love of Life Orchestra who set the tone with the sound of soaring trombone and saxophone solos over a steady drum beat. By the time the second track, the sensual croonings of Baby Oliver’s Eighties-inspired disco classic Primetime, had smoothly rolled in I was already captivated.
And the album just keeps getting better. The two musicians/producers keep coming with track after track, perfectly mixed and remixed tunes, each one completely different from the next but yet some how managing to blend together in a way that makes it seem like they were never played separately. The album really opened my eyes to all the great 70s and 80s music that never gets a mention.
Intoxicatingly brilliant, it should not be missed: start your love affair with James Murphy now. If you get as much enjoyment out of his music as I have over the last five years, you won’t be disappointed.
