Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This post was written by Benjiposted in Uncategorized |
To draw comparisons of oneself to Mozart is either a sardonic or a bold statement; I suppose it’s all about context. So here it is: Phoenix played back up for fellow French duo Air on “Kelly Watch the Stars”. And behind the musical direction and vocal stylings of Thomas Mars, it’s been up and up for Phoenix since then. Think of French bombast with American ingenuity, think of heavy synths with twangy guitars, think high-charged rock songs. There’s Phoenix for you.
The French collective’s new LP Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is characteristically short but to the point. They don’t beat around the bush, avoiding flowery bridges and avant-garde interludes and preludes. So I’ll do the same. Lead track “Lisztomania” is in Phoenix’s classic frenetic and disciplined rock style , while “Fences” features a splendid bass line to accompany the scrumptious falsetto chorus. The jumpy “Lasso” seems like a song taken out Vampire Weekend’s playbook, but not without Mars imprinting his signature vocal repetition of “Where would you go?”. Both “Rome” and “Girlfriend” offer up complex rhythm structures, that make for an interesting and intriguing listen.
Though it never feels like Phoenix is waging a war on your ears–they’re far too listenable to do that!–they seem to feel the need to end the album with “Armistice” (see what I did there?), a farewell track that leaves me wanting just a little bit more.
I’m sure you want more too. So check out Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
Listen to “Fences”
Listen to “Lisztomania“
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