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Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix review

5 June 2009, nancy @ 5:26 pm Hey … wait a second, wasn’t Wolfgang Amadeus’ last name Mozart? Oh Phoenix, you sly foxes – I see what you did there. I can’t say I see any similarities between this cheery Europop and 18th century classical music by a child prodigy – the dude that Beethoven looked up to. I find this tongue-in-cheek album title a little arrogant. Just a little.

But, as I always say, it’s best to use specific yardsticks when evaluating music. For cheery, synthy Europop, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is not a shabby album at all. The entire album actually has a classical music theme. The first track, “Lisztomania”, is a reference to how popular 19th century Hungarian virtuoso pianist Frank Liszt’s performances were. The video for said track was filmed in Bayreuth Festspielhaus, an opera house in Germany. Fancy, but I liked the fan video a lot more:

Apparently, Phoenix did too. I’m not really sure why they chose to have a classical music theme. Classical music is never going to be cool, guys. Trust me, it was at least 40% of the reason no one wanted to talk to me in middle school. I’m glad they didn’t do the (19)80s thing either though. The video is fun but obsessing about the 80s is so 2002, it’s all about the 90s now – Freaks and Geeks, anyone?

Anyway, back to the music. This album actually reminds me of a Frencher, more optimistic Dancing Echos/ Dead Sounds by the now dissolved band Codeseven. “Fences” especially just reeks of Codeseven. I like it! The only song that sort of rubbed me the wrong way is “Love Like A Sunset”. That interlude in the middle made me slightly suicidal.

When it comes down to it, the album isn’t indisposable. Thomas Mars’ voice gets on my nerves if I’m listening to it too intently. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix would be best listened to live while sipping on a rum and coke. With a sold out show at the Phoenix (haha), I’m sure many Torontonians will be doing just that.

3.5/5

Fences by Phoenix
Countdown (Sick For the Big Sun) by Phoenix

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Filed under: Phoenix

Tags: album

9 Comments

1. Anonymous — June 5, 2009 @ 5:51 pm
   
   

   I typically like seeing how thoughts compare and contrast on different albums but this “review” (I can’t believe you call it that) gave little to no insight, or commentary, about anything at all regarding the album. “Love Like A Sunset” made you suicidal is the best line you can come up saying why it rubbed you the wrong way?




2. Allan — June 5, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
   
   

   Hey Anonymous,

   We can never make people happy. Either people want quick thoughts and hate our long reviews or they hate on our smaller posts.

   I think Nancy does do a quick review of the album, and while it is incomplete… she can always elaborate in the comments.

   Thanks for commenting.




3. nancy — June 5, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
   
   

   Hey anon, you should personally pay me so I can have the time to do the extensive reasearch required for a 5000-word review. Just a thought!




4. Allan — June 5, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
   
   

   Oops on publishing it early btw. I thought it was done…




5. Pearl — June 6, 2009 @ 1:54 am
   
   

   Your style of writing is so atrocious I feel like I’m listening to that idiot kid in the back of the class rant about how pikachu is overrated. I agree with anonymous – this site is just deficient in quality writing…




6. nancy — June 6, 2009 @ 2:01 am
   
   

   I’m sorry you don’t enjoy it but you should really call the police to report the person who’s holding a gun to your head forcing you to read my atrocious writing.




7. Allan — June 6, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
   
   

   Pearl – so it’s this whole site now? Anonymous only referred to this post.

   Sorry you don’t like the quality of writing but I don’t know what you’re expecting.




8. Frederic — June 6, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
   
   

   Hey! First, I’m sorry for my english.
   This review is pretty weak…I mean, we are reading a music blog so we want you to write about the music directly… And the comparaisons are not working for me…I love this album! Love like a Sunset and 1901 are so damn good!!!
   I love this blog too, it’s one of my favourite, but for the writing… I like the long reviews when they stick to music, and I like the notation system to, cause if you don’t want to read it you have the general impression…
   But once again it’s a very good blog!




9. RC — June 17, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
   
   

   how is this a review
   you’re an idiot

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