Phoenix “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” Review
It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are four reactions, four impressions, Four Takes on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix.
When I first heard the excellent new Phoenix disc, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, it was during one of the most miserable, endless stretches of the winter. Hearing the pulsing keyboards and soaring melodies, this record, which screams SUMMER, did little to quell my desire to escape the sub-arctic conditions I found myself in. Maybe it was karma for listening to a disc two months before its actual release date, but it didn’t change the fact that this album was simmering with full blown pop music, which simply isn’t being made enough these days. The disc starts out with two of the better singles of the year thus far (“Lisztomania” and “1901″) and never looks back. The production is crisp and the whole record sounds absolutely huge, which serves their sugary sweet pop songs well. The summery/youthful feel of the disc is nicely summed up on another album standout, “Countdown,” in which lead singer Thomas Mars sings “Remember when 21 years seemed old?” The album succeeds by bringing together their wildly ambitious pop music with that world famous French charm (wait a minute…) to create one of the most instantly accessible albums of the year. [Josh Keller]
I spent a great deal of time trying to unlock the secret of Phoenix’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. After 13 or 14 listens though I still can’t figure out just what it is that everyone is so hyped about. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s a bad album by any means. It’s just one that I tend to forget completely within minutes of hearing it. Even with what is by far the record’s best track, “1901″ (which is actually pretty good), I had to go back and re-listen to the song repeatedly while writing this, simply because I had several “what does that song sound like again?” moments. My problem isn’t that the music is straightforward bouncy pop (which oftentimes is a genre I like), it’s that they haven’t fully committed to said pop style and come across like the musical version of the clown with the painted frown. They want you to dance but they seem to want you to do it without having any fun. The whole thing seems a little insincere, especially Thomas Mars’ vocals which often come off as whiny and frivolous. That being said, the record has some decent tracks: “Fences” comes to mind. And “Lasso.” “Countdown (Sick for the Big Sun)” however is so banal and repetitive that I find myself asking what the fuss is all about. [Jon Behm]
The guys in Phoenix certainly know how to craft a lovely pop song, and nowhere is that distinct talent more evident than on their lush new record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. This album couldn’t have been more perfectly timed, as the lavish melodies of the record seem to totally coincide with the weather turning warmer, almost as if Phoenix’s oh-so-French tunes helped usher in the Spring. Whatever the case may be, this record certainly seemed to make already sunny days that much sunnier, and it has been on (almost) constant rotation for me as the Summer quickly sets in. The toe-tapping catchiness of “Lisztomania” gives way to the straight-ahead club beats of “1901,” and from there the record never really lets up and continues to swirl past you like a warm, pleasant breeze. It’s undeniably a feel good record, as my mood has been elevated every time I’ve listened to it. And perhaps that was the band’s ultimate goal, creating a record that makes people forget about the ills of the world and just enjoy themselves. Wolfgang is also a remarkably clean sounding record (perhaps too much so, for some), but the purity in the mix adds a bit of sophistication to these easily accessible tracks. But focusing too much on the band’s production on the record (helped out by Cassius’ Philippe Zdar, who was given a co-production credit) will only take away from the majesty of the songs themselves, and they truly soar. The dulcet choruses are indelible, and each song seems to build to their inevitable release. And when it comes, it’s truly like sunshine. That’s all you can ask for from pop music sometimes, and with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, I can’t imagine asking for anything more. [Erik Thompson]
When Phoenix recently performed on Saturday Night Live, there was a general sense of “who are these guys?” and “why are they on SNL?” that wafted out of the uninformed blogosphere (myself included). While the hype surrounding Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix certainly had to have helped the band land the spot, there is so much more to it than that. It’s not simply that they’ve been together for over a decade, but that they’ve been a great source of influence and have their roots firmly planted in the same soil that also sprouted some of France’s finest electronic exports. Phoenix first recorded together when backing a remix of Air’s “Kelly Watch The Stars,” and prior to joining the band, guitarist Laurent Brancowitz played in a short-lived group in the mid-’90s, Darlin’, with Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Shortly after disbanding, that duo went on to form Daft Punk. With such a distinct lineage, it’s no wonder that Phoenix’s electronic influence is still apparent to this day, and no more so than on their new album. Aside from “Lisztomania” (which is effortless in its accessibility and will likely stand as one of the songs of the summer for me), a single thought remained throughout when listening to Wolfgang: had U2 released this record they would be lauded as geniuses. Think about it, all throughout Wolfgang Phoenix (subconsciously) nails exactly what U2 has been lacking for years. A balance between synths and guitar without getting all “Mofo”-y on people: check. A guitarist who isn’t recycling riffs, but rather is working WITH his band to make the music sound more cohesive: check. A rhythm section that isn’t left for dead in the background, but rather one that allows the music to expand by coming to the forefront of the album: check. Lastly, a vocalist whose name isn’t Bono: check. The king is dead, long live Phoenix. [Chris DeLine]
