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Phoenix

United

  • AMG Review of United

    Amg
    Jason Birchmeier
    All Music Guide

    On their debut album for Astralwerks/Source, Phoenix applies a slick electronica aesthetic to traditional pop/rock songwriting, resulting in a quite adventurous album capable of re-organizing perceptions about 1980s-style verse-chorus-verse guitar pop. Of course, the fact that the group members come from France gives them the necessary perspective on commercial American pop/rock from the past. With this perspective, they bring fresh life to something that grew stale fast, primarily with their textural approach to songwriting. For instance, the catchy vocal hook from "Too Young" seems far too melodic for its own good, mostly from the pristine production that brings an uncanny gleam to Thomas Mars' already warm voice. Furthermore, one can pick pretty much any instrument in any given song and appreciate the way the sounds come alive in ways that few pop/rock songs are capable of: the percussion gently rattles far too crisply, the bass guitar sounds more like a house bassline than an actual guitar riff, and the subtle guitar sounds seem just too little like the oft-stale sounds that have been associated with guitars over the years. In sum, the album sounds great, but the allure goes deeper than just production. The band understands how to write catchy songs that manage to retain an innocent aura of simplicity and accessibility without coming off contrived. To just think of United as an album of slick pop/rock postmodernism would be cheapening; think of the album as an uncanny yet earnest showcase of what makes pop/rock pop without the gaudy trendiness that now makes the 1980s seem so distasteful.

Farewell Party
over 2 years ago

I resign today. My colleagues set up a farewell party. I'm so grateful. They are so cool.I remembered since i graduated i had changed jobs a lot (2-3 companies in one month). Mostly because i could not get along with somethings that i felt uncomfortable. Bossy, Mouthy, Bitchy. Sort of. After let myself live like a Gipzy for such a long long time. I finally got a job and thought here is where i ...

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Lost In Translation
over 2 years ago
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I'm about to move to Cambodia which is located in South East Asia, on the sount-western part of the Indocina Peninsula. It is bordered by Thaialand on the west and north-west, by Lao on the north, by Vietnam on the east and south-east. That is short information for anyone who 've no idea where Cambodia is. I just got job at there but Cambodia is quite new for me even if it is Thailand's neighbo...

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Lost In Translation
over 2 years ago
Blog post image preview

I'm about to move to Cambodia which is located in South East Asia, on the sount-western part of the Indocina Peninsula. It is bordered by Thaialand on the west and north-west, by Lao on the north, by Vietnam on the east and south-east. That is short information for anyone who 've no idea where Cambodia is. I just got job at there but Cambodia is quite new for me even if it is Thailand's neighbo...

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Phoenix... Funky square dance... Dont tune out... c'mon... Sofia Coppolas brother directed this...
about 1 year ago

Sometimes... something just finds you... you werent looking for it... you were just in the zone... and up it pops..Must admit the music in this... is sort of like a bad dream but I just love what Roman Coppola has put together here.... funky square dance...funky square dance... FUNKY FREAKING SQUARE DANCE!!! lol

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Farewell Party
over 2 years ago

I resign today. My colleagues set up a farewell party. I'm so grateful. They are so cool.I remembered since i graduated i had changed jobs a lot (2-3 companies in one month). Mostly because i could not get along with somethings that i felt uncomfortable. Bossy, Mouthy, Bitchy. Sort of. After let myself live like a Gipzy for such a long long time. I finally got a job and thought here is where i ...

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Phoenix - "Too Young (Zoot Woman Remix)"
over 2 years ago
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This remix comes as a bonus track on the US version of United. As some of you may know, Zoot Woman is actually another moniker of Stuart Price, aka Thin White Duke, who has done countless of remixes for others like The Killers, Madonna, Fischerspooner etc.Here you can hear some classic traits of a Price remix. I just love the way he overhaul & change the rhythm of this Phoenix song. Simply infe...

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if i ever feel better
about 1 year ago

phoenix can do no wrong. i love this band. i saw them play live in boston twice and it was awesome. i pretty much screamed like a teenybopper girl throughout the whole show. the album with the song too young on it is so good. i like that album better than alphabetical and i have not heard their latest, but i don't think their new songs are quite as good as the album with too young.

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Phoenix.
about 1 year ago

Im out of creativity right now,ill leave you whit this song perfomed by "Phoenix" a French band that sing in english,this song is called "If i ever feel better"

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