by SHANE SINNOTT

A big-time anticipated album this spring is the third LCD Soundsystem record, This Is Happening, due out May 17. At a show in NYC on April 12, frontman James Murphy, by all accounts, pleaded with the audience not to leak the album, which seems kind of akin to daring 500 people to do so at the same time. “We spent two years making this record and we want to put it out when we want to put it out,” he is reported to have said, adding, “I don’t care about money.” And to drive it home: “After it comes out, give it to whoever you want for free, but until then, keep it to yourself.” As if on cue, the album leaked in its entirety the next day. I think Mr. Murphy is a fine music-maker, but this makes me question whether he understands at all how the Internet works. It takes a single person to leak an album. The chances that he or she was at the concert are almost nil, the chances that he or she took it as a challenge are higher and the chance that he or she is an LCD Soundsystem fan is not assured.

I know I sound like a huge dick, but I don’t even understand why it’s such a big deal to put it out on the exact day you specify, and certainly not how that’s more important than getting paid. Though I suppose if it takes you two fucking years to make an album, it gets built up. Acts like LCD Soundsystem should take their cue from the old days, when a real artist was interested in making music, and getting paid so they could make more, leaving the rest to the record company. Good groups were productive, and too busy working on their next album to worry about the release dates of their current ones. Anyway, the band’s media rep didn’t respond to my queries, so I’ll leave arguing for their side up to you. The album is at bit.ly/bD9GlI.

There’s a new National song out, “Afraid of Everyone,” from their forthcoming album High Violet, also out in May, at bit.ly/9MmouT.