Phantogram Finds Their Voice

Phantogram

This is another late review.  But, right off the bat, I will say that this was my favorite album of 2014.  It is ethereal and dreamy with trip-hop-y electronic sounds mixed with feathery, swirling guitars frosted with Sara Barthel's breathy vocals.  Phantogram have so much as admitted that Cocteau Twins are one of their main influences, and that makes me like them right off the bat!

In 2013, I reviewed their self-titled EP, and you can read about it here.  Shortly afterwards, their second album, "Voices", was released.  The new album featured all four songs previously released on the EP - the spooky "Black Out Days", the New Order-inspired "The Day You Died", the upbeat "Celebrate Nothing", and one of my personal favorites, "Never Going Home". sung by Josh Carter, that starts out subdued like "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Colins, and then ends with a wash of sound that is reminiscent of Cocteau Twins.  These songs really are the backbone of the album, although there are some other really good songs on here.

"Nothing But Trouble" was the second single off this collection, It is harsh and biting, and, really, a bit gothic.  "Howling At the Moon"is a hook-laden exploration of lunar bliss.  But my personal favorite song is "Bill Murray", which makes it onto every CD mix I do.  It is, by far, their most Cocteau of songs.  Sweet and gentle, chiming guitars held together with a buzzing bass keyboard, and Barthel does vocal gymnastics that would make Elizabeth Fraser proud.  It is a beautiful song.

This band has a really great sound, and I am glad to see them do so well in the mainstream.  Proof that good music can and does come out in our present day.