Museum of Love is an artful New York City-based dance-rock duo comprised of LCD Soundsystem drummer Pat Mahoney and Dennis McNany. The duo came out swinging in 2013 with a one-two punch of singles — “Down South” and “Monotronic” — that set the stage for a brilliant full-length issued on DFA in 2014.
Seven years later, they’ve dropped a wonderful, wildly eclectic full-length exhibition album, Life Of Mammals (Skint Records). Mixed by LCD’s James Murphy, their second album is a sonic document of their musical maturation.
We checked in with Pat and Dennis and asked them to share a few tracks that have inspired them.
Dennis McNany’s musical inspirations…
Andrew Ashong & Theo Parrish – Flowers
“Prettiest things are sour….” (Played outdoors just after the rain for the those who stayed.)
Robert Hood – Nighttime World Volume 1
Still so far ahead and still beautiful in every way. Any and all versions of “Nighttime Worlds.” It’s the soundtrack of cities. Long live live techno.
Butterknife Krush – Murder Of Lorenzo’s Brother
Lo-fi Acid made this record like 15 years ago with Jee Young Sim’s band before we started making Jee Day records. I was head over heels in love with the Roland 303. All these years later our love still burns.
Faze Action featuring Yam Who? & Mary Moore – In The Light Of A Miracle
Have always loved this Arthur Russell cover. So much Joy. Always delivers on the dance floor and forever brings a smile to my face.
Isao Tomita – Clair de Lune
Get on boat that floats under the night moon with this playing. One could end or begin every night like this.
Walter Jones – “All God’s Children” (Maurice Fulton Remix)
Shit Robot turned me on to this when I first started DJing. It opened up a whole world for me. Weird and dirty and handmade seeming, like a punk single. And then all soul all the way down.
Pat Mahoney’s musical inspirations…
Dinosaur – “Kiss Me Again” (JD Twitch Optimo Edit)
There are many edits and mixes of this essential Arthur Russell magic cut, but this is the definitive one for me. I think I first heard it at Optimo at the Sub Club in Glasgow, which for me, as a late comer to the party, was my Paradise Garage. David Byrne playing guitar at one of his best moments!
Rare Essence – Disco Fever (Magick Edit All-Stars Edit)
This record was among a big stack of other classics that I got the first time I went to Vinylmania, formerly on Carmine Street. I wore it out!
Love Committee – “Just As Long as I Got You” (Disco Re Edit by Dimitri from Paris)
Solid gold. This is everything an edit can and should be. James [Murphy] and I were both searching for it when we were doing Special Disco Version, and I scored it first at Dusty Groove Chicago. I fumbled dozens of mixes with it, but it just doesn’t matter with a cut this good.
Fat Truckers – “Teenage Daughter”
Hearkening back to my third musical awakening, total mayhem/paradoxical restraint (the only lyric is “teenage daughter” repeated ad infinitum). Canned depravity that savors of the earliest rock ‘n’ roll.