2008 Woodie Awards
Phantom Planet's self-titled LP worthy of their good namesake
Chris Dann
Issue date: 2/19/04 Section: Entertainment
- Page 1 of 1
The only exposure most people have had to the Los Angeles quintet Phantom Planet is their hit "California," the theme song of Fox's The O.C. But after putting out two moderately successful albums of this brand of breezy alt-rock, Phantom Planet aims for a different sound with the release of their third album, a self-titled LP.
Their sound on "Phantom Planet" is distinctly darker than that of the previous two releases but no less compelling. Even a quick examination of song titles such as "Big Brat," "You're Not Welcome Here," and "Knowitall," convey the darker sensibilities of this new Phantom Planet.
The poppy rock of the band's last release, "The Guest," is no longer present in this latest release. Phantom Planet has instead opted to join the ever-growing garage-rock movement, with lead singer Alexander Greenwald doing his best to sound like Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes. Greenwald can't quite capture the mix of arrogance and vulnerability perfected by Casablancas, but still does a good job.
"Phantom Planet" kicks off with a crackling drum roll at the start of the first track, "Happy Ending." The drums here are the work of Jason Schwartzman, who left the band midway through the recording of the album to pursue acting full time. Schwartzman, best known for his starring role in the cult-hit movie Rushmore, plays drums on half of the album. Newcomer Jeff Conrad takes over for the second half. The difference is not very noticeable, as they both seem to gravitate towards the same rhythms.
The album moves along at a fast pace to its first single, "Big Brat." "Brat", "Happy Ending" and "Making A Killing" are some of the highlights of "Phantom Planet." In all three songs, the rugged guitar riffs of Jacques Brautbar and Darren Robinson back up Greenwald, while Sam Farrar is steady in his limited role as bassist.
Their style has certainly changed a great deal from their first two albums, becoming much less polished. Rather than a decline in quality, however, this is an example of a good band trying something new. The album does have some low points, but the good songs make up for them.
Despite the stylistic changes the band has undergone, there are moments on the album that still evoke the old, melodic style that first made Phantom Planet the band it is today.
Overall, "Phantom Planet" is a major step forward for the band. Even though the group has moved away from the style that made them famous with "California" into something somewhat darker, the youthful exuberance of the band's first two albums is still present.
Their sound on "Phantom Planet" is distinctly darker than that of the previous two releases but no less compelling. Even a quick examination of song titles such as "Big Brat," "You're Not Welcome Here," and "Knowitall," convey the darker sensibilities of this new Phantom Planet.
The poppy rock of the band's last release, "The Guest," is no longer present in this latest release. Phantom Planet has instead opted to join the ever-growing garage-rock movement, with lead singer Alexander Greenwald doing his best to sound like Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes. Greenwald can't quite capture the mix of arrogance and vulnerability perfected by Casablancas, but still does a good job.
"Phantom Planet" kicks off with a crackling drum roll at the start of the first track, "Happy Ending." The drums here are the work of Jason Schwartzman, who left the band midway through the recording of the album to pursue acting full time. Schwartzman, best known for his starring role in the cult-hit movie Rushmore, plays drums on half of the album. Newcomer Jeff Conrad takes over for the second half. The difference is not very noticeable, as they both seem to gravitate towards the same rhythms.
The album moves along at a fast pace to its first single, "Big Brat." "Brat", "Happy Ending" and "Making A Killing" are some of the highlights of "Phantom Planet." In all three songs, the rugged guitar riffs of Jacques Brautbar and Darren Robinson back up Greenwald, while Sam Farrar is steady in his limited role as bassist.
Their style has certainly changed a great deal from their first two albums, becoming much less polished. Rather than a decline in quality, however, this is an example of a good band trying something new. The album does have some low points, but the good songs make up for them.
Despite the stylistic changes the band has undergone, there are moments on the album that still evoke the old, melodic style that first made Phantom Planet the band it is today.
Overall, "Phantom Planet" is a major step forward for the band. Even though the group has moved away from the style that made them famous with "California" into something somewhat darker, the youthful exuberance of the band's first two albums is still present.