BANKRUPT! BY PHOENIX

Bankrupt! by Phoenix

If you look at the pop-art artwork and listen to Phoenix's recent 10 mini epics, you get the feeling that they had it all planned out on their 2013 masterwork, Bankrupt!  And considering how such precise artistic visions have had a history of almost bankrupting labels (see Loveless by My Bloody Valentine), the title works, too. This is the kind of album that leaves you wondering if each song took five minutes, five hours, five days or five months to map out.  It's clear that Phoenix is talented, but the curious listener in me wonders if they are talented and efficient.  Just how brilliant are they? In the end, it doesn't matter because this fruit smoothie they have mixed is delicious and is indicative of a band that has studio know-how, instrumental prowess and a legitimate gift.  Bankrupt! is wonderful and exhilerating! 

Oh, and by the way—it's nice to hear actual songs in this electronic blender.

Bankrupt! by Phoenix 

THE FLOWER LANE BY DUCKTAILS

The Flower Lane by Ducktails

On 2013's The Flower Lane, New Jersey's Ducktails creates one of the most ethereal—and one of the best—indie rock releases I've heard in a really long time.  It's not quite mindblowing, but it's somewhere between very good and mindblowing. Thanks to the cracky lead guitar riffs, chorus-filled rhythm guitars, buttery vocals and synths that glimmer like neon lights, I'd file The Flower Lane under "excellent."

One thing that this band does really well is creating rhythmic, kaleidescope-y passages making many tracks that are only four minutes feel like seven minute epics.  And it's always interesting.  There isn't a dull moment on this album, but Ducktails had my undivided attention during "Under Cover," "Timothy Shy," "Assistant Director" and "Letter of Intent." 

If this doesn't end up being on my Best of 2013 list, then we're in for a great summer!

The Flower Lane by Ducktails

SINGLES GOING STEADY: SOUNDTRACK OF MY SUMMER BY MIKE VIOLA

Mike Viola

If someone ever decides to remake the musical Grease and replace the old tunes with newer, original material, Mike Viola's "Soundtrack of My Summer"  would be the updated version of "Sandy."  Melodically, there are plenty of similarities and the lyrical sentiment of Viola's song has that same melancholy, broken-hearted feeling of the Grease favorite.

Mike Viola is no stranger to writing songs for movies.  He has written some hilarious pop songs, including "Furry Walls" and "African Child," the controversial hits that Russell Brand's character Aldous Snow sings in the movie Get Him To The Greek.  He's also responsible for about one half of the seriously funny soundtrack to the movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

But, make no mistake, Viola is no novelty songwriter.  Keep in mind, he was hired to write ridiculous tunes for those movies. The reason the producers chose him over someone else is because he is a gifted songster who seems to come up with affecting material effortlessly.

"Soundtrack of My Summer" rides that line between solid-album track and hit song.  One thing I like about Viola is that he has an ability to trick you into thinking he's going in one direction but, instead chooses to go somewhere pleasantly different.

What do I mean by that? Well, take the first verse, for example.  It begins with "A dreamer/ Who's forgotten how to dream."  Cool.  

The next line is  "a singer..."

I'm willing to bet that most listeners will anticipate the following line to be "who's forgotten how to sing." Indeed, that would be boring and predictable. But, instead Viola cries "a singer/ when no one's listening."  Much better!

Soundtrack of My Summer by Mike Viola 

Does his voice sound familiar to you? Perhaps it's because you heard him sing lead vocals on this movie hit—which, was written by Adam Schlesinger (NOT Mike Viola)!