As subtlety in popular music becomes increasingly worshipped by heritage-led taste arbiters, we should relish proper shouty moron tunes. Few come more shouty and moronic than LMFAO, a Los Angeles duo named after the text abbreviation for "Laughing my fucking arse off". They comprise Berry Gordy's youngest son Skyler (AKA Skyblu) and his grandson Stefan Gordy (AKA Redfoo), renowned for goon club anthem "I'm in Miami, Bitch". They claim their second album is "more refined" - but it isn't unless your idea of refined is pole dancing to Limp Bizkit.
A decade ago the hard house sound popularised by London afterhours gay mecca Trade crystallised into a formula. Tweaked slightly, that sound hit the charts with outfits such as Judge Jules's Hi-Gate and the belting steroid bounce of Lock'n'Load's "Blow ya Mind". Rather than the dull Euro-cheese of their US peers, it is to this unlikely source that LMFAO turn, peppering it with crass iffy rap, hooligan dubstep and cartoon techno effects. It's a shame they bring along tired hip-hop obsessions with sexual cliché and champagne - the great thing about hard house is it doesn't venerate tedious consumerist crap, it celebrates getting as high as possible on drugs.
Nonetheless, LMFAO, when they aren't attempting misguided vocoder speed-ballads, muster gob-smackingly asinine thumpers that truly are a guilty pleasure in an age when even that term has been soiled. They can match The Dickies' "Banana Splits", the Beastie Boys' "She's on it", etc, for sheer pogo-powered dumb fun. The ballistic crunk-gabber of "Shots" ("Their panties hit the ground every time I give them shots"), madcap chart-topper "Party Rock" or the title track's unapologetic two fingers to complaining neighbours are unashamedly imbecilic but a right blast. When I was 10 we used to use the word "serious" as an insult. It's silly but pleasing that the best of this naff, overlong album reconnects me to that.
Find Sorry for Party Rocking on AmazonWatch LMFAO video for "Party Rock"
