Phoenix: It's Never Been Like That

    Phoenix has easily become one of my favorite bands since I started listening to them only this year! I first heard Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009) and fell in love with it instantly, especially since the name is just plain catchy and clever. Why am I not, at this point, advertising that album which is newer, more polished and most distinctly Phoenix (most bands do progress more into their own sound ya know)? Well, short answer, because that is the album I'm currently listening to. Long answer, because with all great bands that have been around a while that you suddenly discover, there is a back wealth of quality listening that it is almost as fun exhuming as it is discovering them in the first place. In Phoenix's case, as you go further back than It's Never Been Like That (2006) to Alphabetical (2004), you hear they have obviously been influence by a lighter R&B style, almost akin to hip hop with its rhythmic style and heavier disco like beats. Go even further, to United (2000), and there is even more of an elevator music feel good sing-a-long vibe that is sometimes even reminiscent of Steely Dan. So, somewhere in between this and their more recent alternative with a bit of electro pop lies It's Never Been Like That.

    Here's the track listing:

1. Napoleon Says

2. Consolation Prizes

3. Rally

4. Long Distance Call

5. One Time Too Many

6. Lost and Found

7. Courtesy Laughs

8. North

9. Sometimes In the Fall

10. Second to None

    This group likes to start things off with a bang and gets your attention right off the bat with the start of "Napoleon Says". Then, Consolation Prizes contains one of two awesome drum riffs that start songs, the other being to "Sometimes In the Fall". In fact, most every song starts with a click or a beat or two of drums, but those two have awesome riffs definitely worth checking out. They remind me of how cool the guitar riff to "Tessellate" by Tokyo Police Club. Another part of Phoenix I love is that one song on this album, "North", and one on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, "Countdown (Sick For the Big Sun)", is mostly instrumental (North actually being completely instrumental) and builds to a nice climax by the end. Phoenix also has a way with repeating lyrics that is unique and works really well. One great example is in "Sometimes In the Fall" when Thomas Mars on vocals sings "long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long gone", which totally adds more meaning to the sense of length of time. This is just an exaggerated example of the lyrical repetition, however, listen and you'll hear multiple instances of it's great use. Perhaps the title track, but by far not my favorite as it reverts slightly to the more older album R&B heavy beat style, should be "Long Distance Call", because it uses the lyrics "It's Never Been Like That" repeatedly in the chorus.

    Finally, worth mentioning is that Phoenix is from Versaille, France, but they are known worldwide. So, I would like to know what is going on in France that perhaps I am missing. Are there other great bands like this coming out of Paris (or the nearby in Phoenix's case) that I don't know about, or is it just that this group actually performs in English so they can have a following outside of France? Is Phoenix the Radiohead of France? Hopefully along this binging blogging expedition, I will find the answer to that question out.

    Check out their neon light website here: http://www.wearephoenix.com/. They have an interesting mostly pictorial blog and other stuff. Also, there are a few videos from this album on their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/wearephoenix. Finally, check out a full stream on their Myspace, here. Enjoy!