Mid-set, Phoenix singer Thomas Mars laid down down on the carpeted
floor of the stage at Music Hall of Williamsburg, with his head resting
on the monitor. Meanwhile, his bandmates began crafting the opening
sounds of "Love Like a Sunset"—the mostly instrumental centerpiece of
the band's new record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Mars continued to
lay, as the song built up further and further, until finally Mars took
to his feet for the second movement. As the instrumentation calmed, in
came his voice, and just like it is on record, the moment felt like a
truly glorious event. The song relies on a certain listener patience
that few other Phoenix songs require, but the reward is bigger than
anything else they've ever created.
From the moment the took the
stage and ripped through the infectious trio of "Listztomania," "Long
Distance Call" and "Consolation Prizes," it was already one of the
best shows of the year, and then the band continued through its set,
playing the best songs in its catalog, even the oddball older track
"Funky Squaredance."
The band left fans with little time to rest
their dancing feet, as it sped through fantastic pop song after pop
song, pacing itself well, and making that excellent choice of
allowing "Love Like a Sunset" to act as the centerpiece of the set,
just as it is on the record.
Phoenix had me hooked with the
2000 debut United—which contains the undeniably great "Too Young"—but
only now with a fourth record is the French band finally getting
the type of attention they deserve.
After finally seeing the band live, after all these years, I have no
problem declaring that Phoenix is the best pop band currently making
rock music. Like a dancier version of The Strokes with a silken-voiced
singer, Phoenix's last two records are completely loaded with potential
smash hits, and there's plenty enough depth to the songs for them to
retain their value after repeated listens.
Tonight, Phoenix plays the much larger Terminal 5, and as much as I dislike
the place, it's going to be another conquest for Phoenix, on the road
to larger success. Then on Sept. 25, the band headlines a much
larger concert at Central Park's Rumsey Playfield—proof that Phoenix
are no longer the most underrated band in the world.
