Heave Media

Phoenix Brings the Heat with Fourth Studio Album

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix becomes the first must-have soundtrack of summer

Phoenix

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Released on May 26, 2009

Nobody does it like the French. That slogan is applied to nearly every nationality, but for me, it’s always been about the French. They have the best style, best food, and now, the best music. Phoenix, a quartet that hails from Versailles, offers an infectious pop sound with an added layer of sophistication with their latest, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

Before I applaud them for their catchy tracks, let’s begin with the singer’s voice. Like many people, I find that if the vocals rub me the wrong way, there’s no way that I can listen to the album. While Thomas Mars’ voice is not anything truly remarkable, he’s got a great tone. I’m a fan of voices with a higher range, and he definitely fits the bill. However, he avoids the “whiny” classification that often befalls high-pitched boys. Thank goodness, because I would hate to not be able to listen to the perfectly catchy guitar parts mixed with some stellar keyboarding.

The opening track “Lisztomania” has a pretty sweet back story to it. According to my best friend, Wikipedia, the title is a term that German author Heinrich Heine penned to describe how women went crazy at Franz Liszt’s piano performances. OK, while the track may not be an epic example of classical piano, it’s got a great beat, and is just an easy song to bop along to. And really, with June just around the corner, what else could you want?

What’s fascinating about this album is how Phoenix presents a consistent sound that sounds fresh and unpretentious on each and every track. I say “unpretentious” only because it seems like far too many bands take themselves and their catchy sounds quite seriously. While having a song about Franz Liszt, and naming your disc after Mozart doesn’t exactly scream accessible, there is no sense of snobbery or self-satisfaction in the actual music.

It’s almost short-sighted to highlight specific tracks on the album, because each of the nine tracks offers something unique and enjoyable. However, I’m willing to come across as short-sighted just so I can highlight the track “1901.” Absolutely fantastic. The electronic feel of the track and the simple percussion provides just enough of a beat to make you swivel in your desk chair or dance around your room. Try to keep yourself from singing along with “hey hey hey hey hey hey” along with Mars.

As a testament to their depth, they’ve also got some sentimental tracks—lyrically speaking, at least. “Lasso” is endearing beyond belief, but still presents itself as a danceable track. No matter what way you look at it, Phoenix has lived up to a lot on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. They’ve managed to present an album that reeks of summertime parties, but has quite a bit of heart behind it. Let’s hear it for Parisian-inspired summers, no?

Posted by Alyssa Vincent on Jun 05, 2009 @ 6:00 am