“Headline from this day on.” Those words, the first heard on Phoenix’s latest release, Bankrupt!, succinctly summarize the meteoric rise that the French group experienced thanks to the runaway success of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, the group’s last record, which was as solid a collection of guitar pop songs as any released in the last decade. Thanks in particular to the immaculate and ubiquitous hits “Lisztomania” and “1901,” Phoenix because one of the biggest bands on the planet after years of toiling in obscurity. And now, after a long four year layoff, they have finally released their follow up, with all the attendant hype that accompanies a major release. Bankrupt! shows Phoenix embracing the challenge, creating a monster of a record, both in sheer magnitude and disjointedness.
The first thing that stands out on Bankrupt! is the production: this record sounds huge. Eschewing the intricately rhythmic guitar work that propelled Wolfgang, Bankrupt! is awash in Day-Glo synthesizers and drum machines, the 80s influence always present in the band’s work pushed more to the forefront than ever before. It’s as stadium-ready as any record by Duran Duran or Bon Jovi, playing to the back row and beyond. Conversely, Bankrupt! acts as Phoenix’s comment on celebrity record; in contrast to the gleaming production, singer Thomas Mars depicts a world of distrust and uneasiness, a product of the celebrity thrust upon him and his bandmates. Lyrics such as “I’d rather be alone” and “almost the real thing” are pretty much par for the course throughout, mission statements and astute observations from the eye of the fame tornado.
However, when it comes to the songs themselves, Bankrupt! is a decidedly mixed affair. The opening trio of “Entertainment,” “The Real Thing,” and “SOS In Bel Air” are a microcosm of the chaos here; “Entertainment” rides its “Turning Japanese” derived synth riff into the ground as it careens from part to part, stuffing the song to the point of overload, while “The Real Thing” uses a similar Far East synth, but instead manages to create a cool groove, thanks in no small part to some seriously reverbed syndrums. Both songs lack the fire of the best songs on Wolfgang,though, “SOS In Bel Air” being the only one that comes closest to capturing the energy and spirit of that record, and it’s easily the standout song here. “Drakkar Noir” is also notable, not only for its reference to the ultimate 80s cologne, but also for its nonsense chorus of “jingle jangle jungle,” which helps make it one of the most outright fun tracks here.
Elsewhere, Phoenix try their hand at refining the style they had already perfected on Wolfgang, with lackluster results. The title track tries for some “Love Like A Sunset” grandiosity, only to replace that song’s slow burn intensity with endless synth tinkering that becomes tiresome quickly, and at nearly seven minutes length is a bit of a slog to get through. “Don’t” and “Oblique City” are formulaic collections of recycled ideas, not making much of an impression, although “Don’t” is graced with some cool Hawaiian style slide guitar throughout.
The one new wrinkle here, and one that Phoenix proves adept at, is their newfound appreciation for the power ballad. Both “Chloroform” and “Bourgeois” are among the best Bankrupt! has to offer, with “Bourgeois” a highlight in particular, an absolutely towering song that builds expertly to its shoutalong chorus, possibly the most anthemic Phoenix has written to date.
Bankrupt! ultimately comes off as less a victory lap, and more a consolidation of past strengths, while also trying to build on them. However, Phoenix seem to have confused improvement with overcompensation. Bankrupt! is practically bursting at the seams with ideas, but when inserted into their established formula only serves to bloat the songs. It’s still a worthwhile listen, with at least a few songs to add to the pantheon. Ultimately, to borrow a couple of 80s icons, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is Die Hard, an original, concise idea that surprisingly hit paydirt; Bankrupt! is Die Harder, doing everything bigger and louder, but not at all better. Still, that made a ton of money as well.
Grade: B
Grade: B
Here's the official vid for 'Trying To Be Cool':)
http://youtu.be/OePvsCfKHJg