Classic Pop

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Phoenix
V2, 2009
4.5 stars

As all albums worth their salt seem to do these days, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix made its way around the internet months before its official release. Whether that’s a bad thing is hard to say, but the fact that some of my somewhat musically-highbrow friends (you know who you are) are still singing “dancing, in La Rhone” – a misinterpretation of the words to Fences (“fences, in a row”) – to this day, speaks volumes for both the broad appeal and longevity of this album. Put simply, this album is catchy as hell, and is destined to rack up plays on commercial and independent radio alike. The French hipsters band have taken the tight, poppy tunefulness of 2006’s equally-good It’s Never Been Like That and cranked-up the synth, enlisting the mixing skills of French house duo Cassius’ Philippe Zdar. The way these guys use the repetition of a single note or chord is brilliant, creating a kind of sonic canvas for them to layer up, bend or break completely. Right off the bat, the bouncy Lisztomania and keyboard-driven 1901 are probably the most-likeable tunes on a disc that’s full of them, but if there’s one complaint for this album, it’s that it’s too short – at 37 minutes it makes a strong case for the ‘loop all’ button.

Artwork: C+
A bit too cutesy for my liking. Possibly a little bit too much pink? They've really taken the 'bubblegum Mozart' thing and run with it.

Published in mX, Thursday May 28, 2009.