Music Library: La Düsseldorf, Lambchop, Fred Lane, Last Exit, LCD Soundsystem, Led Zeppelin, Jens Lekman, Lemon Pipers, Liars, Like

More catching up.

La Düsseldorf - Düsseldorf (1976) and Viva (1979). Neu! drummer Klaus Dinger was ready to rock when the band recorded their last album, Neu! 75, and the second side, particularly the track "Hero," showcased his proto-punk leanings. His partner in Neu!, Michael Rother, was not interested in this music, so Dinger recruited his brother Thomas and pal Hans Lampe to play with him on the second side of Neu! 75. These three started La Düsseldorf immediately after Neu! broke up, and these two albums feature Neu!'s motorik drums along with a heavy punk and disco influence. Excellent stuff.



Lambchop - I Hope You're Sitting Down/Jack's Tulip (1994), How I Quit Smoking (1995), What Another Man Spills (1998), No You C'mon (2004), Damaged (2006). Picked up a handful of albums from the Nashville art-countrypolitan collective Lambchop. The best of these is No You C'mon, the companion disc to Aw C'mon, which I reviewed elsewhere.



Fred Lane - Raundelunas 'Pataphysical Revue (as Ron 'Pate's Debonaires featuring the Rev. Fred Lane, 1975), From The One That Cut You (as Fred Lane and Ron 'Pate's Debonairs, 1983), Car Radio Jerome (as Fred Lane and His Hittite Hot Shots, 1976). Mindblowing surrealist swing from Tuscaloosa, AL. I first heard them on an Oxford American sampler and I don't think I have ever recovered.



Last Exit - Iron Path (1988). An affair surprisingly more restrained than expected (which is not to say that it is anything approaching restrained), this is the only studio album from the free jazz monster Last Exit.

LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (2010). James Murphy's final LCD Soundsystem album. Almost, but not quite, as great as the first two.

Led Zeppelin - Presence (1976). Zep. I used to like this one much, much less than the earlier ones, but now I like it almost as much as Physical Graffiti, my favorite. That said, I listen to almost no Zeppelin these days.

Jens Lekman - An Argument with Myself EP (2011) and I Know What Love Isn't (2012). Jens goes disco. Still one of the best lyricists out there.

Lemon Pipers - Green Tambourine (1968). Bubblegum garage psychedelia! Only the title song is any good, though.

Liars - WIXIW (2012). Continuing their march into abrasive and frightening electronica.

The Like - Release Me (2010). A quartet of ladies knocking out fuzz-pop teenage symphonies to god.