James Murphy's Top Picks
James Murphy, frontman of LCD Soundsystem, creator of DFA Records, and renowned DJ, doesn’t hide his influences. The debut and self-titled album, LCD Soundsystem, is packed with references and homages. For ‘Introduction to Musical Style’ this past semester, I wrote an essay analyzing this album and its musical connections, diving into the specifics of shared riffs and mimicked synths in each track. I won’t go into the dregs here, but a link to my essay is available for any intrigued parties. I was sent on a deep journey to the depth of Murphy’s mind, which is vast, intellectual, passionate, and quite particular about the act of creation in all its forms. This playlist is the result of my quest.
Starting in early childhood, Murphy has musical anecdotes for every fluctuation of life. He cried to Gilbert O’Sullivan in his adolescence, was terrified of Bowie at 7, and DJed a college radio station at 16. Around age 30, when he met Tim Goldsworthy and founded DFA Records, Murphy took acid and danced to Tomorrow Never Knows, The Beatles’ experimental psych rock track from 1966’s “Revolver.” This was a moment of re-wiring, of deep recognition, as it marks the instant Murphy learned to value and love dance music. Everyone has defining musical moments, but what’s wonderful about the frontman is how he used these to make LCD Soundsystem a classic, important band. He understands the power and importance of what came before, embracing it rather than attempting a falsified uniqueness. Classic rock and dance tracks are mimicked in LCD Soundsystem (2005), most notably within the sonic parallels of Dear Prudence by The Beatles and Murphy’s Never as Tired as When I’m Waking Up. The same can be said for Atmospherique and Beat Connection. His brain is the vessel through which the musical past translates to the musical present.
This playlist is a collection of songs Murphy has mentioned in various interviews as influential to his character and career. Some he cites as examples of the perfect electronic drum tone, others as vocal inspiration. Some are songs DFA has produced, and others are just the frontman’s personal favorites.
It’s been an invigorating journey getting to know Murphy through his obstinate musical references. Understanding an artist through the music they love is an intimate and humane thing, something different than loving the music they create. Musicians are sold to the world as artists for consumption, but they consume, and geek, too. It’s lovely to find yourself in someone you admire, and I think often of Maggie Rogers’ essay for The Times about Joan Didion. She wrote, “The artists who turn us into artists are like family.” We can’t ever know these people as they truly are, and it’s dangerous to tether yourself so emotionally as to reach levels of parasociality. However, dabbling in their passions and anecdotes is a wonderful way to expand the mind and learn something new about someone you respect. I admire Murphy greatly in all his pretentious intellect. After curating this playlist, I now regard him, and LCD Soundsystem, with warm familiarity.
As lovers of LCD Soundsystem, as I’m sure you all are, I hope this playlist gives Murphy more depth in your soul and opens a new sense of connection in your heart.