Phantom Planet - Raise The Dead
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Free Music Notes for Raise The Dead
Free Music Review: Adequate
Hit: 4 Stars
This would be a great album for many bands but it is simply mediocre for Phantom Planet. After a four year wait I was expecting a truly phenomenal album in line with those previously released (even the self titled effort is brilliant in it's own ways) but Raise the Dead is simply adequate in every sense of the word....for Phantom Planet.
Don't get me wrong, there are some great songs on here---The title track, I Don't Mind, and Ship Lost at Sea are all excellent songs but they just don't hold a flame to the other albums.
Buy this album if you're looking for a great alt/pop/grunge/rock amalgam album. But if you are a die-hard Phantom Planet fan it will ultimately come as a disappointment. They had the right idea by trying to combined the dark sound of the Self Titled album with the pop sensibility of their earlier works...could've been an amazing result, but it just didn't come out quite right.
Here's to hoping they stick around to get it right.
Free Music Review: Upbeat Indie Scream-O Makes a mild splash
Hit: 3 Stars
This Los Angeles based gang's been around about 10 years now, and Raise The Dead is their 4th album, but the first I've heard by them. So if you're new to PP then this review is a good summary of what you're likely to find. There are 12 tracks here on R.T.D. which, at times, echo early material by the Strokes, with disaffected vocals and grungy guitars. However the sound is a bit fuller than the garage-sound of the Strokes. That said, singer Alex Greenwald's attempts to emote Thom Yorke of Radiohead seem to fall short.
Let's start off on a good note though. The feel good "Do The Panic" has a very catchy, finger snapping rhythm. They even include the finger snapping! It's a nice catchy song and shows the fun side of Phantom Planet. I mean, how often do you hear "Bop Bop Sha-doobey" in modern rock?!
On the chorus of "Quarantine" vocalist Greenwald sounds quite a bit like Thom Yorke. But the moderate pace and unnecessary background "oooos" and "ahhhhs" of this song clue you into the fact that they have a ways to go before they can draw that same feeling out of you. A minimalist version of this song would have yielded a better result.
The slower parts of "Demon Daughters" and again, the feeling of "Quarantine" really show the band is trying to draw on those more emotional aspects of music, but somehow it just doesn't translate. It's as if you're looking at a painting through a slightly opaque piece of glass. I think with better production these songs would resonate much more. They just don't feel deep, which leaves you feeling "just ok" about them.
A couple of songs worth highlighting - "Do The Panic" (see above). Also "Too Much Too Often" has a very nice driving bass guitar which steadies out this quirky rock song. They pull the elements together very well on this track and it resonates more than most other tracks. These are the 2 to start out with if you're new to the band.
Overall, and perhaps its due to line-up changes since their last album (most notably departure of actor Jason Schwartzman) "Raise The Dead" doesn't quite hit that sweet spot. They have a fun, college rock sound. But mixed with less than stellar composition & production the album's ability to reach its potential is definitely hampered. It's an enjoyable listen right up to the last song, but I gotta rate this one an average 3 stars.
-thanks for reading!-
Free Music Review: A garage rock classic
Hit: 4 Stars
Having heard nothing of these guys other than "California", I picked up this album based on the great review it got in Entertainment Weekly (where it garnered a B+). As a fan of indy old school garage rock in particular, I was very pleased by this constantly moving album. Yes, the retro stylings will feel familiar, but don't toss this album into the generic "garage rock" genre just yet. This album brings a lot of soul to the table, and Phantom Planet's brilliance can not be ignored.
By constantly moving, I mean that the pace and tone changes are subtle enough to keep you listening from beginning to end. Raise the Dead (the track and the album) starts off slow but builds to a crescendo.
Track 2 remakes the old American Breed Lyric of "bend me shape me any way you want me" and turns it into "Tell me that you want me, tell me that you need me, tell me 'cuz I want to know". As with most of this album, they take a genre old enough to need dusting, yet take it in a new and fresh direction.
Track 3 takes you down to the dark side of the album's psyche, which constantly seems to want to come out. While the catchy tune uses a chorus with kids and SOUNDS cheerful, the lyrics are all about what happens when one joins a cult. I'd read there was some inspiration by the Manson band on this album and have to assume this song is the homage.
Do the Panic (track 4) is the most radio friendly tune on this album. Again mixing the concept of darkness and light, the song presents a lighthearted approach to Armageddon. Heavy stuff, but handled with finesse by these amazing rockers. Shucks, the video even features them all coming back to life after getting the chop in some cabin in the woods...
The guitar riffs on "Lost at Sea" at first reminded me of "taking care of business", but the song departs from there and gets addictive by the end. Demon Daughters has a psychedelic sound, but the breaks keep you from tripping. Much like the first track on the album, Geronimo starts slow but builds to a rocking crescendo like you've never felt.
The last three tracks off this album are so catchy that you'll want to hit "repeat" and listen to it all over again. Confess sounds somehow familiar, but breaks its own territory. Leave yourself for Somebody Else isn't quite the standout of the three, but it reminds me so much of the Hives and Franz Ferdinand that I can't help but love the tune. Finally, the album ends with a song that reminds me of the Beatles. I Don't Mind is the final piece of addiction here. This song feels so familiar, and part of me doesn't want to figure out why. This tune is haunting, beautiful, and yet invites this sense of nostalgia I can't place a finger on.
Overall, I recommend this spectacular album to fans of the following bands: Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Hives, The Rolling Stones, Franz Ferdinand, the Beatles, the Out Crowd, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and the Strokes.
Free Music Review: Pleasantly Surprised
Hit: 4 Stars
I picked up this CD a few weeks ago and finally got a chance to listen to it. That said, it's been in heavy rotation for the past week. I'd picked up the group's previous two CDs, and they were enjoyable, but this set of songs has grown on me since first listen. There is some of the old feeling of previous works, but the music seems bolder and somehow more melodic. Standouts for me include "Confess", "Quarantine", "Do the Panic", and "Raise the Dead". They come across to me as a less obtuse Radiohead (is that heresy?). In fact in some alternate universe this set could be seen as a sort of follow up to The Bends - but maybe a bit poppier. Free Music Review: Phantom Planet Is NOT (and never was) Missing
Hit: 4 Stars
Phantom Planet's latest effort, "Raise The Dead," with it's bold title and even bolder sound, has captivated me from the first listen. It's refreshing to see bands like Phantom who are not afraid to step out from their style and try something new (and yes, succeed!). No, it's not "California." The laid back smooth style found in PP's earlier days is pushed aside for a more brazen "in your face" sound.
Imagine mixing in a blender the bold new sound and chaotic guitar riffs of their 2004 self titled album with the catchy hooks of "The Guest." Add a pinch Alex Greenwald's effortlessly beautiful (sometimes even slurred) vocals, and what do you have? A concoction fit for true music lovers.
Of course, like most albums, the first half proves to be a much stronger line-up than the second half. However, I don't think you'll have any troubles listening through the entire album without hitting skip.
With that being said, this album may not be for the 14 year old O.C. fans who bought "The Guest," listens to track one and slides the disc right back next to Backstreet Boys "Never Gone." For everyone else, give it a shot! I think you'll be surprised when you find your voice quivering and cracking as you strain to sing along.
Highlights: Raise The Dead, Dropped, Leader, Do The Panic, Geronimo
4.5 stars out of 5
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