Oh My Rockness

Phoenix, Arizona sucks. Phoenix, the band, does not. This French foursome have been around forever (since the year 2000, which in band years is like 2000 years ago), but I felt the need to write about them nine years late because their new album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" (perhaps they have humility issues?) is so intensely catchy it pains me (I have developed toe-tapping tendonitis).

For whatever reason, I was never into Phoenix's sound and didn't care that much about catching them when they would play around town (I was never into their pals, Air, either). But man, the new record is so delightfully poppy you can bet I'm seeing them on a stage somewhere soon.

If you're like me and missed the boat on this band during the last decade, think of their sound as a slightly less electro version of Hot Chip maybe. That's kind of cool, right? Sure, there are still lots of synths, knob twiddles and machine-made thumps in their mini pop anthems, but I consider Phoenix a guitar band more than an electro band. Anyway, let me know how you like that record. (PS. I've never been to Phoenix, AZ... I just like shocking the Southwest.)

Published 04/15/09