Record Review - LCD Soundsystem: This is Happening

James Murphy produces bad-ass dance-floor fodder that masquerades as a Brooklyn-hip descendant of the Eno/Roxy Music ’70s. And why not? Dude has impeccable taste in line with the era, and it’s always crept into his albums. But at the heart of This is Happening, corporal prompts propel his bold-faced hero worship. “One Touch” reaches the album’s energetic peak with a post-industrial stomp that recalls the good KMFDM albums without shedding an ounce of swagger in his voice. “All I Want” resonates with a guitar whine lifted from Bowie’s “Heroes,” and “I Can Change” taps into the sweet and lovelorn techno moods of Erasure’s most searching moments. All of these elements are interwoven so as not to overpower, while simultaneously creating instant, post-modern nostalgia. “Pow Pow” is a little too dorky for its own good, but it’s impossible not to nod your head along. 4 out of 5 stars.