Artist – Album: Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Released: 25th
May 2009
Sounds Like: Pristine Parisian power pop
By the time of their fourth full-length, Phoenix were
getting the hang of things. Gone is the first album’s patchiness and the second
attempt’s conformity. The Parisian four piece take the boisterous pop rock of their excellent third record It’s Never Been Like That, cut out any of those pesky
rough edges and spit-polish furiously to create the glossy Wolfgang Amadeus
Phoenix.
There has never been a better introduction to their
particular blend of indie rock and clean synthpop than on the opening one-two
here. The hook-filled ‘Lisztomania’
bounces with a melody full of joie de vivre, despite the lyrics’s anxious dual
personality. ‘1901’ is more direct
and catchy, with its buzzing guitar breaks. The two are both rightfully
considered amongst the best indie songs of the noughties, and proudly display the terrific development
of Phoenix since their inconsistent if promising beginnings.
Unsurprisingly, the rest of the album does get somewhat
swallowed whole by the sheer brilliance of the first couple of songs. There’s
still plenty to pique the interest – the twin parts of epic ‘Love Like a Sunset’, the restless ‘Lasso’ and the slinky ‘Armistice’- and in fairness, the seven
tracks make for a strong half an album on their own. It’s hard, though, to not
just keep returning to tracks 1 and 2.
Albumaday... rating:
7/10
1. Lisztomania
– 4:08
2. 1901
– 3:13
3. Fences
– 3:45
4. Love
Like a Sunset – 7:39
5. Lasso
– 2:48
6. Rome
– 4:38
7. Countdown
– 3:57
8. Girlfriend
– 3:24
9. Armistice
– 3:05
Listen to ‘Lisztomania’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BJDNw7o6so
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