Phoenix - Alpha Zulu
Indie Pop – Released November 4, 2022 – 10 songs, 35 mins
ROZ
There is always an inherent fear that comes with reviewing a band that you once loved but, over a period of time filled with lackluster albums, you’ve ultimately cooled off on. Phoenix is one of those bands; after putting out their Grammy award winning album Wolfgang Amedeus Phoenix in 2009, the foursome were unable to catch that same lightning in a bottle for their next two albums, Bankrupt! and Ti Amo. Would Alpha Zulu rise above mediocrity or would it experience the same fate?
Alpha Zulu is an absolute return to form, with Thomas Mars’ unique singing voice and the band’s classic synth pop stylings leading the charge. Mars’ skills are put on display as he racks up double duty on both lead vocal and drum programming, which serve as the heartbeat throughout the entire track listing. The vocal slicing compliments the catchy wordplay throughout the titular Alpha Zulu and a fantastic duet between Mars and Vampire Weekend frontman Erza Koeing in Tonight keeps the ball rolling as we run down the tracklist. High quality efforts right out of the gate - ultimately foreshadowing what is left to come.
High tempo drum patterns and catchy synth arrangements in After Midnight are masterfully tethered to the ground by smooth pop hooks, while giant detuned supersaw chords act as the focal point throughout the plodding M83-esque Winter Solstice. Artefact’s callout to the province of Nova Scotia serves as the cherry on top of yet another earworm, while the slower tempo of My Elixir acts as the relaxing exhale to set the listener up for the albums closer in the lyrically introspective Identical. At thirty five minutes in length spread over ten tracks, Alpha Zulu is as concise as it is catchy - a feature that many bands and artists these days could take note of: Less is more.
My fears have subsided. Much like another old favourite from an earlier review this year, Phoenix has harnessed the magic from their Grammy winning 2009 LP and brought it to the forefront of today’s musical landscape. Painfully aware that very few bands are able to rebound in such a way, I breathe a sigh of relief; Alpha Zulu proves that this '90’s band still has a lot left in the tank.
Overall Rating: 9.0/10
Favourite Song: After Midnight
LUNDI
Sweet sweet nostalgia. Inject it in my veins. While these days every passing minute seems to result in a further dive into adulthood and the craziness of modern life, fond memories are what keep us whole. Now, does that opener sound familiar? If so, I thank you. If not, I ask because it’s exactly how I opened Death Cab For Cutie’s Asphalt Meadows review just six weeks ago. This isn’t to say that this week’s artist, Phoenix, are a copy paste version of Death Cab but that they illicit similar feelings of nostalgia, and like DCFC, their latest album offers a much welcomed return to form.
Alpha Zulu is Phoenix’s seventh studio album and without getting overly critical of the past, it’s safe to say their previous two efforts, Ti Amo and Bankrupt, never lasted long in my Spotify library. So much so that the excitement level for Alpha Zulu was nil. But that might just be what makes this record even sweeter, as it blew my expectations away. From the opening “WOO HA” on title track Alpha Zulu (Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, anyone?) Phoenix jam pack synth pop soundscapes into a tight 35 minute joyride with minimal missteps all the way through to the closer Identical. Thomas Mars and co. sound rejuvenated with a new lease on musical life despite never abandoning the style we’ve come to expect from the outfit.
See Phoenix have never exactly sounded bad, but more so lost. Constantly grabbing at the previous successes and acclaim which attributed to the band feeling like a derivative or copy cat version of themselves for 10+ years. Wolfgang Amadeus is one of the greatest Synth Rock albums ever so I don’t totally blame them, but on Zulu the band accepts their place and grows with the listener. It’s an album of looking back fondly on the past, while being perfectly happy in the present.
Aside from sparking nostalgia, Alpha Zulu shows band growth by introducing new musical elements such as contracting Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig to feature on standout track Tonight but also promotes artistic stability with the usual suspects in pulsing synths, groovy bass lines and drum machine effects. They never stray too far from the neon light environment, but Alpha Zulu is perfectly enjoyable for that reason and more. It’s a very good album with a few great tracks and I’m thankful the band found their way.
Phoenix resurrect their career on Alpha Zulu by embracing and celebrating the band’s previous greatness rather than trying to recreate it.
Overall Rating: 8.0/10
Favourite Song: Tonight
REID
After a short hiatus due to travel and flu bugs, we’re back in the groove this week with the final push before the holidays. 2022 has been an interesting year in the music world, especially in TSR’s corner. We’ve been all over the map on genres and styles, dipping into newcomers, those in their prime and a few off-the-board sleeper picks. This week’s band falls into a category I can confidently say has pleasantly surprised all three of us this year, the comeback!
Thomas, Deck, Christian and Laurent of Phoenix have been creating music together since the early 1990’s. The foursome from Versailles, France, peaked in the mid-2000’s, cementing themselves as mainstays of indie pop in an era of growth for the genre. Wolfgang Amaedeus Phoenix (2009) set them to new heights, particularly the infectious track, 1901, that remains a staple in playlists all these years later. This marquee album is the only one I’ve heard from the band in their 25+ years. The overwhelming chatter from my counterparts and the internet say they’ve fallen off significantly since. They’re back in 2022 with their seventh studio album, Alpha Zulu. Let’s see if it’s worth the slot we’ve given it as one of the last reviews of the year.
For someone who has missed the last decade of Phoenix’s work, Alpha Zulu picks up where I left off. Starting with the song list and duration, it clocks in neatly at 35 minutes over ten songs, nearly identical to Wolfgang. Their signature, plucky indie pop sound is on full display on the album’s best song, Tonight. The combination of a groovy synth foundation, melodic guitar work and a pacing drum machine makes for an excellent mix. Throw in Mars’ unique vocals as well as an appearance from another veteran of the genre, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and you have a fun, singalong pop song.
The jolly-go-lucky formula used on Tonight is used on a few others like Season 2 and Artefact but it’s not the only effective style offered. Winter Solstice and My Elixir showcase a relaxed pace with the former boasting a slow build with booming synth and the latter being a little more subdued but well positioned to contrast the songs preceding. This is another strength of the album. Credit to the band and production team.
Repeated listens of Alpha Zulu didn’t do it any favours as the quirkiness chipped away at the quality and my sanity. Only so many times you can listen to lyrics like Wooh ha, singin’ hallelujah (Alpha Zulu) and Giddy up I’m bored (Season 2) delivered like you’re listening to an episode of The Wiggles.
Alpha Zulu is a return to form for indie pop veterans, Phoenix. Nice to see them claw their way back to relevance with an album with a handful of notable standouts. Otherwise it’s middle-of-the-pack.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Favourite Song: Tonight