SoundSnobbing








  • Week #4 Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Selected by Sara Overall Score: 7.7 ________________________________________________________________________________ Marcus’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 7Talent/Instrument Skill: 6Structure/ Composition: 8Replayability: 9Growth/ Maturity: 7 Average: 7.4 Comment: I listened to this while cleaning my living room this morning. My first impression was that this reminds me of MGMT but a little more catchy, poppy, and less fuzzy. What i would hope a followup to MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular would sound like. Its more complete all the way through than their album. Then, suddenly, I thought I recognized some of the songs… to realize that my playlist of new songs had played right through the short 8 songs on this CD and gone right into the Built to Spill album that I had reviewed earlier. There are definitely some similarities between the two, I never noticed the transition. Overall, I think the song structure/ compositions are better on this and the instruments are more talented on the other. Better song structures means higher replayability in my book. The singer is a little more ear-friendly and creative. The songs don’t blend together quite as much. So, in the end, this gets a better review by accidental comparison. Best Songs: “Fences” and “1901” ________________________________________________________________________________ Alex’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 7Talent/Instrument Skill: 8Structure/ Composition: 9Replayability: 9Growth/ Maturity: 8 Average: 8.2 Comment: I still beat myself up for missing a Phoenix show in Paris last May.  Yet, I didn’t know much about them and I hadn’t heard this album…but now that I have I’m upset with myself.  I can’t beleive the lead singer is French because he surely doesn’t sound it at all. What I like about this band:  Synths, meolodies, singer’s voice, catchyness of songs, the fact that they started by doing Prince covers, the fact that one of the guys from Daft Punk helped them with the album, and the song structure.  I especially love how “Love like a Sunset” builds up…such a fantastic song! Best Songs: “1901”, “Love Like a Sunset”, “Rome” ________________________________________________________________________________ Jason’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 7Talent/Instrument Skill: 7Structure/ Composition: 8Replayability: 9Growth/ Maturity: 7 Average: 7.5 Comment: I was initially ready to dismiss this record as mediocre jangle pop, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. It has enough going on in the background with the addition of electro blips and beeps to elevate it out of the mire of jangle pop bands these days. Nice and Poppy, light and energetic, this record will remain in my “middle of the road” library for quite a while. Best Songs: “Love like a sunset” “Girlfriend” ________________________________________________________________________________ Greg’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 7Talent/Instrument Skill: 7Structure/ Composition: 8Replayability: 9Growth/ Maturity: 8 Average: 7.8 Comment: I heard “1901” on a Cadillac commercial for about two weeks.  Every time I dug the song, but dismissed it as another electronica/pop rock song.  One night while home alone and bored to death, I decided to look it up.  I saw that it was Phoenix and remembered seeing them and enjoying them on a Late show, so I checked out the album.  At first listen, I knew it was good.  But as my wife requested it played more and more, I quickly became a fan.  I think the strongest trait is the replayability.  It is definitely a fun album. I gave the maturity an 8, as I found that I had a song of there’s from the Six Feet Under soundtrack, which is not very good. I have always been a sucker for building in a song, and am a fan of the singer’s voice.  I would choose this over MGMT every day of the week, and disagree with some of the reviews I have read online and in some mags comparing the two. Best Songs: “1901”, “Rome” ________________________________________________________________________________ EDIT THIS POST TO ADD YOUR REVIEW BELOW.

    Week #4

    Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

    Selected by Sara

    Overall Score: 7.7

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Marcus’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 7
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 6
    Structure/ Composition: 8
    Replayability: 9
    Growth/ Maturity: 7

    Average: 7.4

    Comment: I listened to this while cleaning my living room this morning. My first impression was that this reminds me of MGMT but a little more catchy, poppy, and less fuzzy. What i would hope a followup to MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular would sound like. Its more complete all the way through than their album.

    Then, suddenly, I thought I recognized some of the songs… to realize that my playlist of new songs had played right through the short 8 songs on this CD and gone right into the Built to Spill album that I had reviewed earlier. There are definitely some similarities between the two, I never noticed the transition. Overall, I think the song structure/ compositions are better on this and the instruments are more talented on the other. Better song structures means higher replayability in my book. The singer is a little more ear-friendly and creative. The songs don’t blend together quite as much. So, in the end, this gets a better review by accidental comparison.

    Best Songs: “Fences” and “1901”

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Alex’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 7
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 8
    Structure/ Composition: 9
    Replayability: 9
    Growth/ Maturity: 8

    Average: 8.2

    Comment: I still beat myself up for missing a Phoenix show in Paris last May.  Yet, I didn’t know much about them and I hadn’t heard this album…but now that I have I’m upset with myself.  I can’t beleive the lead singer is French because he surely doesn’t sound it at all.

    What I like about this band:  Synths, meolodies, singer’s voice, catchyness of songs, the fact that they started by doing Prince covers, the fact that one of the guys from Daft Punk helped them with the album, and the song structure.  I especially love how “Love like a Sunset” builds up…such a fantastic song!

    Best Songs: “1901”, “Love Like a Sunset”, “Rome”

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Jason’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 7
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 7
    Structure/ Composition: 8
    Replayability: 9
    Growth/ Maturity: 7

    Average: 7.5

    Comment: I was initially ready to dismiss this record as mediocre jangle pop, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. It has enough going on in the background with the addition of electro blips and beeps to elevate it out of the mire of jangle pop bands these days. Nice and Poppy, light and energetic, this record will remain in my “middle of the road” library for quite a while.

    Best Songs: “Love like a sunset” “Girlfriend”

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Greg’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 7
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 7
    Structure/ Composition: 8
    Replayability: 9
    Growth/ Maturity: 8

    Average: 7.8

    Comment: I heard “1901” on a Cadillac commercial for about two weeks.  Every time I dug the song, but dismissed it as another electronica/pop rock song.  One night while home alone and bored to death, I decided to look it up.  I saw that it was Phoenix and remembered seeing them and enjoying them on a Late show, so I checked out the album.  At first listen, I knew it was good.  But as my wife requested it played more and more, I quickly became a fan.  I think the strongest trait is the replayability.  It is definitely a fun album.

    I gave the maturity an 8, as I found that I had a song of there’s from the Six Feet Under soundtrack, which is not very good. I have always been a sucker for building in a song, and am a fan of the singer’s voice.  I would choose this over MGMT every day of the week, and disagree with some of the reviews I have read online and in some mags comparing the two.

    Best Songs: “1901”, “Rome”

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    EDIT THIS POST TO ADD YOUR REVIEW BELOW.

    Posted 2 years ago.