Album Review by Juhi Matta
Bankrupt! – Phoenix (Loyauté, 2013)
My Rating: 4/5
Standout tracks: S.O.S. in Bel Air, Trying to Be Cool, Chloroform
Having never listened to an entire Phoenix album before, I didn’t expect much when I tuned into the band’s Coachella livestream. I did, however, enjoy the set a lot, and set about listening to their newest album Bankrupt! as a result.
It’s almost hard to believe that Bankrupt! was made by the same band that made 2004’s Alphabetical. With 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and now Bankrupt!, the band seems to have finally embraced the dreamy Europop sound that is best suited to their capabilities. Though Thomas Mars’ vocals are far from perfect, they shine, particularly on tracks like “S.O.S. in Bel Air”, where he sings, “When tired, you’re no fun / When idols are boredom to everyone”. On the other hand, Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai’s guitars have all but faded out, being replaced by shiny synths and keyboards. Oddly, this works by simply reinforcing the dreamlike quality of all the songs.
More than anything, Bankrupt!’s strength lies in the fact that it’s just a nice and fun album to enjoy in the summer. The tracks have a euphoric quality to them, even though the lyrics might not be as blissful. On “The Real Thing”, Mars sings, “Almost, almost, almost the real thing / How could I have missed that one? / How could I have missed it?” making heartbreak sound beautiful and almost… happy. Furthermore, you have to hand it to someone who manages to fit in the words “mentulate testosterone” in a song. You really do.
All in all, Bankrupt! is just that, a fun album. It’s refreshing to see the band embrace a sound that makes every song a delight. Tracks like “S.O.S. in Bel Air”, “Trying to be Cool” and “Chloroform” especially stand out and make the album worth listening to (on repeat).
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