It seems a little odd that New Zealand band The Phoenix Foundation have often been called prog rock, because they don't fit the conventional idea of that genre at all. You could say that they're progressive in a sense, as they've spent six albums playing around with their sound, incorporating elements from all over the shop and twisting them into inventive alt-pop songs. New album 'Give Up Your Dreams' (out this month) has garnered glowing reviews from both fans and critics, including the mainstream music publications, and it's also climbed to number two in the New Zealand album chart, so whatever their working practise and whatever labels you throw at them, they're doing something very right.
Listening to current single 'Mountain' tells you exactly why an unconventional group such as this can do so well. This is bright, playful, psychedelic and poppy. It's awash with harmonies and dreampop effects, as well as having an alluring energy and sounding a bit like it's come from somewhere not of this earth. It's as if someone got hold of Animal Collective, tidied them up a touch and got rid of the boring bits. Some alternative music fans have a habit of turning their backs on bands who achieve genuine success, as if they've sold-out at the expense of making whatever sort of music is expected of them, but The Phoenix Foundation have done the opposite. Making this luscious and experimental indie-pop is exactly what's got them where they are, and that's why we need people like this around.
The Phoenix Founation's website
Buy the album
Catch them live:
29-Oct-15 Manchester, UK Ruby Lounge
30-Oct-15 Leeds, UK Brudenell SC
31-Oct-15 Bristol, UK Thekla
01-Nov-15 Brighton, UK The Haunt
02-Nov-15 London, UK Oslo
04-Nov-15 Paris, FR La Fleche d'Or
05-Nov-15 Brussels, BE Witloof Bar @ Botanique
06-Nov-15 Amsterdam, NL Sugar Factory
09-Nov-15 Cologne, DE Blue Shell
10-Nov-15 Berlin, DE Kantine Berghain
TheSound Of Confusion on Twitter and Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment