Phoenix
“This is Phoenix from Paris, France, coming to Texas,” announced frontman Thomas Mars after the first song. “Bon soir.” Goodnight? In the southwest dayroom of the Inferno, 1:30pm? Well, yes – oui – the Frenchmen shown as bright as the Sun King. Live, the instant nostalgia of opener “Long Distance Call” coalesced into the musical bons mots of new glider It’s Never Been Like That, the LP’s pleasing studio pulse quickening and thickening into main-stage ascendance. Charismatic, two-guitar ramrod, with bassist Deck D’Arcy at the heart of the touring sextet, Phoenix was downright Canadian beginning with the ubiquitous “merci” punctuating Mars’ stage command: energetic, endlessly melodic, and instantly lovable. 2004’s equally Parisian platter, Alphabetical – creamy, carnal, conceited – delivered “Everything Is Everything” to go with fresh, ripe “Rally,” “Consolation Prizes,” and late-set upbeater “Sometimes in the Fall,” all at the heart of Never Been Like That. Its closer, “Second to None,” waved farewell here, too, Mars getting love from the adoring audience at the stage barricade. “Merci beaucoup,” he exhaled through his black-shirted soak. “We are called Phoenix from Paris.” Bonjour.
This article appears in September 22 • 2006.
