Album Review: Phantogram - Voices

Phantogram
Voices
Rating: Grrrr

New York duo Phantogram's debut record, 2009's Eyelid Movies, was almost a perfect amalgam of electronica, trip-hop, and synthpop, with hints of hip-hop inflected rhythms. Relentless touring and rabid word of mouth increased their popularity but made them wary of coming out too soon with their sophomore record. While they whet appetites with two well received EPs, including, for me, their best work on Nightlife, and collaborations with Flaming Lips and Big Boi, they still only teased out when the new record would emerge. Finally, after much anticipation, they release their major label debutVoices, produced by John Hill (P!nk, Rihanna, Santigold). While the rough edges of Eyelid Movies are jettisoned in favor of a bigger, more high glossed sound, Voices still retains the edgy charm that works so well for the band.

Voices starts off with a triple punch of hot singles. "Nothing But Trouble" pulses and throbs with dense, buzzy synths, brittle guitars, punchy drum programming, and the inimitable coo of singer Sarah Barthel.



"Black Out Days," which was also included on their recent self-titled EP, is another dark, synth-heavy track that is enlivened by Barthal's delirious "eh eh eh"'s in the chorus.



And the hip-hop inspired beats of new single "Fall In Love" speak to their collaborations with Big Boi on his last record Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors.



While Josh Carter is a brilliant guitarist on Phantogram's records, his voice still remains the band's one weakness. Another holdover from their last EP, "Never Going Home," resurfaces here and still flounders with a limp melody and bland vocal turn. However, Carter redeems himself handily on the gorgeous track "I Don't Blame You," his wavering voice perfectly suited for the love gone wrong track. His quivering delivery of the last lines "I should have stayed in bed/I should have took your call" resonates long after the track ends.



Wisely, Carter lets Barthel do most of the heavy lifting vocal-wise on Voices, and she is more than up for the task. Whether she is showing restraint, as on the masterful, slow-burning closing track "My Only Friend,"



charging forward on the rushing swirls of synths and guitars on "Celebrating Nothing,"



or scaling things back to an almost whisper on the mournful "Bill Murray,"



Barthel is always in complete control.

The long wait in between albums was well worth it for Phantogram fans as Voices takes from Eyelid Movies and makes things bigger, glossier, and punchier. While some may bemoan the lack of edgier tracks like Eyelid Movies' tracks like "Bloody Palms" and "Running From The Cops," there is more consistency and purpose here on these tracks. Phantogram still puts out some killer singles, but they all work together on Voices for the greater good.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.