The latest offering from rock and rollers Phantom Planet is a fresh and inspiring departure from their previous effort. While the songs on the self-titled album, which hit the stores on Jan.6 of this year, are a bit less rock influenced than songs from their previous work (including a great cover of the wildly catchy "California"), the latest offering has something going for it that their previous work did not--originality. 80s-esque beats are speckled throughout the album and mesh nicely with lead singer Alexander Greenwald's vocals.
This latest effort, while obviously influenced by the Velvet Underground, or as AP Mag put it, "a carbon copy of the Velvet Underground", has a charge of passion, which I just don't feel when I listen to the Strokes, the Velvet Underground, or even Elephant from the White Stripes.
Phantom Planet made me feel emotions with this album that I have not had conjured up by a rock band since last year's Saddle Creek Records artist Sorry About Dresden masterpiece. This album is wonderful and cheap which is a great combination that the musical world could use more of.
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
I love these guys, and reading your review makes me happy just knowing there are actually other males who are into them. Apparently they really appeal to a primarily female crowd, but I can't figure out why - they're really pretty hard sounding, which typically doesn't appeal to the "screaming teen girl" crowd. Either way, if you think you know what this band is about because of overexposure to "California," think again.
Oh, and be sure to pick up their live bootleg at Phantom Planet Bootlegs. It has more songs that the commercially released DVD of the same performance - and no "California," for those that are sick of it.
Just a note - "California" is not a cover, it's their own song.
2 - Jeff Petermann
Really? I thought California was a cover song from a 60's band--I kept drawing a blank on the name of the band...I guess that is why=)
I def. like their latest release better than the guest...my wife likes the guest better though so, go figure.
3 - Tom Johnson
I agree - this one is stronger. I saw them opening for Elvis Costello last year and thought they were much harder live than on the Guest. This new album captures that sound much better. The Guest is a little uneven in places, showing a lot of separate influences but it doesn't gel quite like this one does. I have a feeling that Jason Schwartzman, he of "Rushmore" fame, may have had something to do with the strongly pop-influenced sound they had. Now that he's left the band, they seem to be much harder edged. I haven't heard the first album Is Missing (can't find it locally.) Recommended?
4 - Jeff PEtermann
Not sure--I hear that it is much like the guest--a littler more raw--it is on Amazon for $11ish