Last week, I used the phrase “world-conquering” to describe TV On the Radio’s breakthrough third album, Dear Science. Perhaps I should have saved my adjectives – there’s really no better example of a band going from unknown to ubiquitous than French indie-rockers Phoenix and their 2009 smash hit Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. With one album, the band went from appearing rather sheepishly in indie movie soundtracks to winning Grammys and selling out Madison Square Garden. Not bad for a bunch of unassuming guys from a city better known for a 1919 peace treaty than its rock ‘n roll scene.
Now, however, Phoenix has been forced to answer the age-old question: how does a group follow up a breakthrough, especially one as monumental as Wolfgang? The record was a near perfect 36 minutes of indie-pop, with riffs, rhythms and choruses so taut they sounded ready to snap at every moment. It was so universally loved, in fact, that anything Phoenix might have rolled out afterwards seemed destined to disappoint.
Well, my fellow Phoenicians, it’s my distinct pleasure to tell you that Phoenix’s follow-up, Bankrupt!, is anything but a letdown. It’s a fantastic mixture of familiarity and progression that maintains the integrity of the group’s much-loved ’09 sound while still showing clear artistic development. The songs sound every bit as crisp, fresh and big, but are more dynamic and really show their merits after repeated listens. To put it simply, if you liked Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (and you almost definitely did), you’ll dig this record.
On the surface, Bankrupt! sounds quite similar to Wolfgang. The band worked with the same producer, Philippe Zdar, and many of the group’s trademark flourishes remain intact – big, bright synths, towering drums and frontman Thomas Mars’ clear, boyish voice all make for a mix that’ll capture your attention immediately. Opener and lead single “Entertainment” seems, at first, like it could have fit quite comfortably on Wolfgang, with a bright and intense recurrent synth riff and driving rhythm. When the song hits its Queen-inspired choral breakdown, however, it’s evident that there’s a different band at work here, one that’s comfortable to break form and mess with conventions.
You can hear this looser new approach at work throughout most of the record. Second track “The Real Thing,” a clear highlight, takes the listener on a journey through various verse structures and bridges before eventually landing on what might be the band’s fiercest chorus to date. “Chloroform,” a rare Phoenix slowburner, follows a similar approach, and sounds reminiscent of more R&B-influenced artists like Chromeo and Toro Y Moi. Whereas Phoenix previously kept tracks like “Lisztomania,” “1901” and “Lasso” within rather rigid structural confines, Phoenix’s music now sounds truly dynamic.
Fans of Phoenix’s more traditional takes need not fear, however. Fourth track “Trying to Be Cool” is hands-down the most straightforward track, with a glorious synth riff, a beat that’ll get even the most jaded head a-nodding and the stickiest lyric on the record: “I’m just trying to be cool / It’s all because of you.” Late-album track “Bourgeois,” a more anthemic cut, will also be an instant favorite, with an impassioned chorus that demonstrates Phoenix’s keen mastery of both the catchy and the beautiful.
If the record had a weak point, it’d lie in the mid-section. The album’s two-part title track begins with a restrained build reminiscent of Wolfgang’s “Love Like a Sunset,” but eventually devolves into a segment of (probably intentionally) abrasive synth experimentation that immediately takes you out of the listening experience. The following tracks, “Drakkar Noir” and “Chloroform,” also feel a little too unconventional for their own good, and as a result, the steam built up so well in Bankrupt!’s fabulous first half takes a little while to build back up.
That being said, the record both starts and ends well, and the majority of the tracks will remind you of how much you’ve missed this band the past four years. It may have taken a while, but the group has never sounded more innovative or enjoyable than it does now. Go in with an open mind, and Bankrupt! will pay off in spades.
