The 20 Best Albums of 2007 - LCD Soundsystem: "Sound of Silver"

5.  James Murphy might be the busiest man in the music business (my apologies to Madlib). Between his duties as an accomplished DJ, co-owner of DFA Records and producing records as one half of DFA (along with Tim Goldsworthy) you'd think he wouldn't have the time to record his own material, but his output with LCD Soundsystem indicates that he hasn't spread himself too thin. After an excellent self-titled debut album you could forgive the man if it took him several years to fit the time to record the follow-up, yet he released two fantastic records in less than a year's time.

While 45:33 was a welcome addition to my record collection, it was the proper follow-up to LCD Soundsystem's self-titled debut that deserves the superlative praise. Sound of Silver builds on the foundation of the debut - with its scratchy guitars, dance-inspired rhythms and frenetic synth beats - but also finds Murphy growing as a songwriter. On "Someone Great" he waxes nostalgic about the demise of rave culture while interweaving allusions to a personal tragedy and on "All My Friends" he comes to grips with his own age and the "loss" of his friends to careers/relationships/family life. It's no coincidence that both of these songs are not only standouts on the album, but also two of the bests songs heard anywhere last year.