United
(Astralwerks/Source)
Thank God that there are still a bunch of extremely clever French bands seeping into America that worship the 70s aesthetic. Unlike so many of today’s posturing “retro” bands that think they can tap into the soul of the extinct beast simply by wearing old Skynyrd shirts and growing long, unkempt locks, Phoenix does it right. They even went so far as to make their CD insert look like the glorious, minimalist record sleeves of yore, turning a cold shoulder to the modern trappings of flashy graphics and serifed fonts.
Musically, United tackles a variety of styles from funk to crotch-rock, but manages to sound completely cohesive and competent by virtue of the inherent grooviness that Phoenix seems to effortlessly exude. Where most radio bin bands would leap from one genre to another, brewing a marvelously unconvincing hodgepodge of musical feces, Phoenix imbues a sense of legitimacy and genuine eclecticism to the tracks of United.
Generally speaking, a warm jetstream of R & B permeates the air of the album, exemplified by the feel-good sway of “On Fire,” and the harp-infused “Honeymoon.” However, the true highlight of the record is “Funky Squaredance, an epic-length, three-part excursion that spans vocoder inflected country, electronica, and Van Halen approved guitar-wanking.
All of these disparate influences add up to some very compelling listening, and although the group gets the occasional helping hand from musicians of such high-profile Euro-bands as Cassius and Daft Punk, the voice and heart of United is singularly Phoenix.
By Casey Lombardo
Long Beach Union
Originally printed on 11.6.00
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