New Phantom Planet - "Raise the Dead"
EW calls the new Phantom Planet "Arcade Fire-esque." We can kinda sorta maybe understand what they mean: Vocalist Alex Greenwald yowls a lot. But, well, not really. The L.A. quintet has more of a U2-on-emo thing in the works. Take a listen here. It might not literally raise the dead, but it might raise the lighters of kids in black hoodies. You can hear three more new ones -- "Do The Panic," "Dropped," and "Leader" -- at the band's MySpace, so you can decide for yourself if there's life after "California." Our verdict: Yes, but not a life worth living.
Raise The Dead is out 4/15 on Fueled By Ramen.
Posted at 4:27 PM
Tags: Phantom Planet
These guys sound completely different every time around - which would be interesting if that didn't just mean aping the genre du jour and putting out a lackluster record. So we go from SoCal pop to noise-rock tinged garage to accoustic, folky ballads? No thanks.
Score = -1
"accoustic, folky ballads?" what the hell are you listening to?
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when in doubt, compare it to the arcade fire
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read
http://whatthekidsdontknow.blogspot.com/
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i might be the only person who has been anxiously awaiting a new album from phantom. i still think their last album was one of the better albums to come out that year. not sure about the new song, but i wouldn't be surprised if it grew on me.
Score = 2
I'm going to have to disagree that they're post-California life isn't worth living. Clearly you're being snarky and not literal, but their post-California s/t record is consistently really decent. Even Pitchfork thinks so. I know that's important around these parts. Poor marketing decisions aside (ie Civic tour with Panic at the Disco) they're a good band.
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Phantom Planet - Jason Schwartzman = ouch.
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This sounds a lot better than I anticipated. Pretty fun pop rock, closer to their first couple of albums.
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Aw, c'mon, Stereogum! I interviewed these guys once, and they're solid, down-to-earth dudes with surprisingly good taste in music (if your idea of good music includes Deerhoof and Lightning Bolt). And they write good songs. Give 'em a break!
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Seriously, that s/t album is still one of my most favorite albums. Its hard to explain this to people as they tend to say "What? The 'california' band? Fuck that."
I am just as excited about this album as I am the new MMJ.
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the think the overwhelming influence is elvis costello
and wasn't do the panic a califorina b-side back in 02? i think it was also on their first negatives comp.
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Some people I've spoken to that've been able to hear the full album say it's actually really killer. I wouldn't pass these guys off just yet. I have a feeling there's more in store than we think, and I for one am pretty excited...
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you can hear the matt mahaffey all over dropped.
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I thought their last album was pretty great, "After Hours," "By the Bed" and "Knowitall" were all great...some awesome bass parts too.
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the new album sounds awesome. leader, dropped, do the panic, geronimo are all great songs. sounds like it'll blow the last album outa the water which i thought was just ok
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dropping the word "emo" in anything about phantom planet is so off base and poor writing. trying to stretch them in to that label when if you hear any of their music, you'd never think emo. plus they've been around longer than that crap fad started
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Phantom Planet changes it up on every album but always delivers a knock out batch of songs. "Dropped" most definitely sounds like early Squeeze and there is definitely some Elvis Costello splashed around for good measure.
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I wish everyone would get off of Arcade Fire's nuts. They aren't that great. They're a 28 piece band who complains about social injustices through 17-minute songs infused with any random ass instrument available. Just because they're different does not make them good.
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This version of Geronimo is a little more over-the-top angry than the EP version, which I've been listening to since November so I kind of have a preference for the EP, but I think this whole album is solid. Saw them do Dropped when they opened for M5 at Staples in Nov 07 and that song is GREAT live.
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Emo? Seriously, do you even know what you're talking about?
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