Voices is
Phantogram’s long-awaited full-length followup to 2009’s infectious Eyelid Movies and 2011’s placeholder EP,
Nightlife. After three seemingly
endless years of touring, Voices
arrives shrink-wrapped in much-deserved hype yet hampered by a release strategy
that can’t help but render the final product, at least as far as the short term
is concerned, a touch deflating (offering up a handful of your record’s best
songs nearly six months in advance of the actual release is just asking for an
inevitable hint of anti-climax). Marketing strategy aside though,
the new album will most likely satisfy followers of the Greenwich duo while winning new
fans in the process. However, for
those expecting the next evolution of Phantogram, the whole thing may sound almost oppressively familiar. From the dirty
polish of Josh Carter’s breakbeats to the looped breathy vocals of Sarah
Barthel, Phantogram systematically check off all of their signature
trademarks, pleasantly resistant to not sounding like themselves.While not a by-the-numbers effort, there are more
than a few moments where Voices feels
rigidly station-to-station, incapable of moving past its own formula.
Voices opens with
three tracks that all double-down on the Phantogram recipe. The electrifying “Nothing
But Trouble” and “Black Out Days” both sound like shinier, bigger-budgeted
sequels to some of their Eyelid Movies
predecessors. It’s a dynamic one-two punch to kick things off and “Fall in
Love” only spoils the listener further. Easily one of the band’s best songs
since the irrepressible urban slink of
“When I’m Small”, “Fall in Love” also represents Phantogram at their
most-inspired with tasteful nods to early-90s trip hop and runway electronica.
The remainder of the album does not constitute a drop-off in quality (“The Day
You Died” and “Celebrating Nothing” are memorable additions to the Phantogram
oeuvre) as much as it settles into a clumsy, uneven groove. Past songs like
“Running From the Cops” have proven that, while his vocals are never the
highlight of Phantogram, if utilized correctly, Josh Carter’s voice can be an
interesting change of pace. On Voices
though (get it?), both songs where Carter takes the mic (“Never Going Home” and
the cringe-inducing “I Don’t Blame You”) bring the momentum to a screeching halt.
It’s a curiously tone-deaf decision from a band otherwise so reluctant to move
out of their comfort zone. Other tracks range from clunky (the awkward, yet
catchy “Howling at the Moon” where Barthel almost goes full Sleigh Bells
before regressing back to an oddly lightweight chorus) to confounding (“Bill
Murray”). Yet what renders Barthel and
Carter endearing is how hard they work to project life into their flatter
material. Despite Voices never again
reaching the heights of its opening trifecta, Phantogram attack each track
with identical fervor- they’re a band that demands to be seen live and, truth
be known, perhaps the ultimate Voices
verdict should be reserved until then.
In the meantime, while this new release doesn’t represent the monumental
step forward many expected for the duo, it’s a step forward nonetheless.
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