Phoenix / Bankrupt!
Album: Bankrupt!   Collection:General
Artist:Phoenix   Added:May 2013
Label:Glassnote Entertaiment  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2013-07-28 Pull Date: 2013-09-29
Week Ending: Sep 29 Sep 22 Sep 15 Sep 8 Sep 1 Aug 25 Aug 18 Aug 11
Airplays: 1 2 1 4 3 3 2 3

Recent Airplay
1. Jul 20, 2021: Tunes (rebroadcast from Sep 6, 2013)
Bourgeois
4. May 06, 2019: indignant, insecure, in taco bell
The Real Thing
2. Apr 08, 2021: Alphabet Soup
Armistice
5. Dec 30, 2018: Bass Pro Shop
S.O.S. In Bel Air
3. Feb 05, 2021: KZSU Time Traveler
Entertainment
6. Dec 10, 2018: regular school
Trying To Be Cool

Album Review
Francis Dickerson
Reviewed 2013-07-26
“Bankrupt!” Phoenix
Indie synth pop that suggests summer like a popsicle. Relies on lead singer Thomas Mars’ ability to effortlessly shift from his normal vocal range to a falsetto and back as he trips lightly through the melodies. I have no idea what the reference to “Bankrupt!” is — with the band headlining one show after another, the band members’ bankbooks have to be healthier than ever!
— Francis

Recommended: 9, 1, 3, 10, and 2. No FCCs.

1. (3:40) Entertainment — Asian-influenced keyboards. Galloping drums. Bright vocals. Swelling synth waves. The 1st single ***
2. (3:23) The Real Thing — Mid-tempo. Mars’ lead vocals flow effortlessly between his normal vocal range and falsetto. Synths echo the vocals and build into a wall of sound near the end. **
3. (3:43) S.O.S. in Bel Air — Another high-energy tune galloping along. Fast-to-slow changes. Synths are intricately layered to deliver the precise sounds required — from playful loops to telegraph-like sounds in chorus. ***
4. (3:48) Trying to be Cool — Easy-going groove really mimics an 80s vibe. Some guy strutting his stuff as he heads to a club on another weekend, bolstered by his “mint julep testosterone.”
5. (6:57) Bankrupt! — Epic length. Performed in three parts. 1) Tinkly bed and flute-like tones over thumping drum; 2) Waves of distortion clash as the tinkling bells become more urgent; 3) Tension resolves and Mars’ resigned, melancholy vocals seem to be about divorce. Worth playing to see if you like it.
6. (3:22) Drakkar Noir — Straight-ahead, 1980s electro-pop. Swirling synths. Banging drums are added about two-thirds of the way through.
7. (4:05) Chloroform — Note progression echoes previous track, but at much slower tempo. Lots of synth layers. Fuzzy synth bass under. Resolves to brighter ending.
8. (3:16) Don’t — Bouncy, catchy, up-tempo indie pop. Varied dynamics and fast-to-slow shifts in typical Phoenix style.
9. (4:53) Bourgeois — Starts with a little noise (a lighter?) and then a very slow fade in. Electro-tinged power pop. Great changes in dynamics. Strong vocals. ***
10. (3:31) Oblique City — Bright, up-tempo tune with busy synth shifts and a slight Cars’ feel. Synth layers build to a wall of sound in the choruses **

Track Listing
1. Entertainment   6. Drakkar Noir
2. The Real Thing   7. Chloroform
3. S.O.S. In Bel Air   8. Don't
4. Trying To Be Cool   9. Bourgeois
5. Bankrupt!   10. Oblique City