The Phantom Band - The Wants
- Written by Robert Powell
Proto-robofolk, alchemical art-rock and post-Stereolab krautrock; just three of the painfully pretentious genres dreamed up by journos to describe The Wants – the second release from Glasgow’s The Phantom Band. Yes, this Scottish sextet is as elusive to pin down generically as their name suggests. Yet unlike many other (often self-proclaimed) generic innovators, The Phantom Band are not just mindlessly hoovering up styles of music with the sole concern of how cool they will sound when some dweeb decides to hyphenate three equally crap genres and proclaim it the ‘hot new sound’. The Wants is a well-rooted album with a distinct flavour that, despite the generic undulations, maintains an industrial yet intelligent feel throughout. To put it bluntly, it’s bloody good.
Album opener ‘A Glamour’ wurrs into action with the sounds of a traditional African baliphone competing with synthetic winds and pulsating synths – a perfect opening to an album that consistently combines artificial, jagged beats with organic, friendly melodies. ‘A Glamour’ then explodes into an industrial, marching drumbeat accompanied by a cacophony of bleeps, woops and tweets. I’d say this was on par with Battles at their nob-twiddling, pitch-shifting best, if it wasn’t immediately apparent that The Phantom Band can actually write proper songs… with lyrics and everything! Soaring vocal harmonies contrast with gritty guitar chugs and set the bar high for the remainder of the album, but rest assured – it doesn’t disappoint.
Multi-tracked vocal work is re-visited in second track ‘O’ as Rick Anthony chants, ‘I’m gonna get all these books and burn them’ before standout out track ‘Everybody Knows It’s True’ hops into motion. A choir of sighs and groans provide the backing for the deep, Tom Waites-esque lead vocal – the listener would feel unsettled and worried if the song wasn’t so dam catchy. Instrument upon instrument is introduced as the song climaxes: ‘Everybody knows… everybody knows it’s true’ Anthony chants, as insecurities within the listener are tickled – “what… what do they know is true?” you find yourself asking.
‘The None of Us’ adds a distinct flavour of Americana into the mix until the song explodes into a hectic bustle of heavy bass and vintage synth – the lazy deep-south gives way to teeming New York as, once again, The Phantom Band take the blow torch and buzz saw to musical styles and genres. This sense of Americana is revisited in penultimate cut ‘Into The Corn’; swaggering beats and wry vocals lead one to wonder whether John Wayne himself could be playing the synth – granted he’s dead and probably wouldn’t recognise a synth if it came up and bit him – but we’re in the world of The Phantom Band now people, anything goes!
Folk ditty ‘Come Away In The Dark’ slows the album slightly, and stands out precisely because it is the most generically collared song – a let down after the stylistic smorgasbords that surround it. ‘Walls’ sees the album return to its industrial, metallic best before the aforementioned ‘Into The Corn’ gives way to album closer ‘Goodnight Arrow’ – a parting shot if every there was one.
The track opens with swoops of vocals before a deep synth enters; closely followed by one of the catchiest basslines I’ve heard in years. A lighter vocal delivery reminiscent of David Byrne lulls the listener into a sense of security that is swiftly shattered, stamped on, burnt and then buried by an album finale so apocalyptic one can imagine the Spartans listening to it to psyche themselves up for a day of battle.
With The Wants The Phantom Band have managed to succeed where several others have failed – they have created a generically diverse and unpredictable album which surprises the listeners each time they hit play, while simultaneously maintaining a distinct and recognisable style throughout. You can call it Post-John Wayne Americo-gaze-core, or Pre-Math Post-Spartan Robo-Kraut… call it whatever the hell you want, I just call it a damn good record.