[Review] Phantogram: Voices
Due to the overwhelming amount of electro-pop rock outfits saturating the indie scene over the past couple years, I have had difficulty latching on to any one artist or album that I enjoyed thoroughly, not just that had a couple of catchy tracks. That being said, I have been constantly listening to Phantogram's latest album Voices on repeat, discovering deliciously desperate lyrics, alluring vocals, and knock-out beats with each go around. The more I listen, the more I like.
Josh Carter (guitar, vocals) and Sarah Barthel (keyboards, vocals) made their debut in 2009 with their album Eyelid Movies, sparking attention but somewhat living in the shadows of other electronic rock groups like Sleigh Bells. They gained more glances their way collaborating with heavy hitters like Big Boi and The Flaming Lips, but lacked a strong presence musically, almost like they were stuck in electro-pop limbo. Voices is the next step in the absolute right direction.
"Fall In Love," (the first single off of the record) is enchanting, dooming, and dance-y all in one. I literally can't stop singing the hook, which is perfectly simple in comparison to the melodic verses. And I must praise the vocal melodies on this album, so often with pop music we are presented with one or two note repetitive mutterings that march on to the chorus. But Phantogram achieves excellent song structure with compelling musical lines accompanied by tragically lovely lyrics. "The lines on my face ate away at my smile, could it be that I fell apart?"
Having two lead vocalists on a project can sometimes derail the flow or energy of an album, but when Carter popped up on "Never Going Home," I was delighted at the change of direction the album took. Stripped down and organic, the track possesses a Bon Iver/David Bazaan quality that pulls you out of the electronic heavy haze.
The album seems to teeter between reality and dreams/nightmares, with tracks like "Howling At The Moon," which gives off a very aggressive, sacrificial vibe. Barthel hollers and swoons over busy beats singing "And if I ever fall asleep I'll turn around and face the sea. And if I crucified my dreams to be on your side, to see you alive." Followed immediately by "Bad Dreams" which is less violent and more lyrical as Barthel confesses "Bad dreams never effect me I'm not afraid of the concrete... bad thoughts never arrest me, I'm just a flash in the memory." reality kicks in on the bass heavy "Celebrating Nothing," one of my favorites off the album. Barthel sings about failures and empty living, pleading for a reason to go on if there's nothing to look forward to or no one to celebrate with. "How many times will I blow it all? How many times will I burn it down? Give me a reason to stay alive."
The album pulls you through various emotions and sounds, breaking your heart and burning a fire in your brain. Voices is the complete package, each track executed flawlessly, proving the album to be the boost that Phantogram needed to land themselves at the top of the electro-pop chain. Get Voices here and be sure to listen from beginning to end.
[Video] Phantogram Perform on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'
Phantogram are in the thick of their promotional run for their latest project, Voices, released yesterday via Republic Records and last night stopped in Burbank to pay Jimmy Kimmel a visit and perform their songs, "Black Out Days" and "Fall in Love" to an energized crowd at the AT&T Outdoor Stage. The UK duo is sure to be in the public eye quite a bit over the next few months, having finally ended the long wait that fans had between Voices and 2011's full release, Nightlife. Check out the full video of them performing last night in the video, streaming below.
"Black Out Days"
[youtube id="KxWhah6iAgg"]
"Fall In Love"
[youtube id="_ocA-kf42T4"]
[Video] Phantogram: "Fall In love"
Photo by Virgil Solis
The Phantogram duo has been steadily keeping us supplied with fresh tracks and inspiring visuals over the past few months since releasing their abbreviated, self-titled offering that landed at the end of last year as they ready fans for their first full studios albums since 2011's critically-acclaimed Nightlife. Today, adding to the hype around the expected drop, Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter released their video for the song "Fall In Love" off their latest, set to be titled Voices. The trippy, black and white accents of the video add a layer to the track, appropriately titled as we enter the Valentine's Day vortex this week. If nothing else, the UK duo know how to build anticipation, but alas the three-year long journey that has been Voices will come to an end on February 18 when the project finally finds its way to fans. You can pre-order the album, via iTunes, here. Check out the full video, streaming below.
[iframe id="http://videoplayer.vevo.com/embed/Embedded?videoId=USUV71302973&playlist=false&autoplay=0&playerId=null&playerType=embedded&env=0&cultureName=en_us&cultureIsRTL=False" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="575" height="324" bgcolor="#000000" wmode="transparent"]
Phantogram: "Nothing But Trouble"
And the anticipation continues. The lead-up to Phantogram's Voices, their first full-length studio release since 2009's Eyelid Movies, has been eventful to say the least. The New York duo of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel released a self-titled EP towards the end of last year, which was the first anyone had heard from the pair since 2011's Nightlife EP and was preceded by the singles "Black Out Days" and "Celebrating Nothing". Today, in further support of their scheduled February 18 drop date for Voices, Barthel and Carter released their latest track, "Nothing But Trouble" today, which follows the lead single, "Fall In Love". Both tracks are available for download upon pre-ordering Voices, which is available on iTunes, here. If nothing else, Phantogram keeps listeners on their toes, both with their music and their frenetic release schedules, and this latest installment is no different. Listen to "Nothing But Trouble" streaming below.
Phantogram Announces New Album, Drop New Song
Phantogram has had a busy year, and looks to parlay a successful run in 2013 into the new year, announcing a new album today, Voices, which is slotted for a February 18 release through Republic. The synth-pop duo announced the new project alongside the release of their initial single off of it, "Fall In Love", which will get a 7" pressing in early 2014. Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter must be more into even years, as Voices is the first full-length release since the pair's 2010 LP, Eyelid Moves. Check below for the stream of "Fall In Love" and scroll down for a full track-listing for Voices, available for pre-order now via iTunes.