21st Annual Almost Acoustic Christmas Artist Spotlight: Phoenix

Something about French pop-alternative band Phoenix just screams celebration; every time we hear the song “Lisztomania,” we want to prance around with crystal flutes of champagne, popping giant red balloons, and making out with strangers. Hey, maybe when you check out the band at 21st Annual Almost Acoustic Christmas, you can get mack on some indie girl underneath the proverbial mistletoe.

Just make sure it’s not Mrs. Claus or Santa will sick his toy-hammer wielding elves after you.

Amid the heartless R&B and pre-packaged grunge bands of the early/mid-1990s, the uplifting pop hooks of Phoenix began to come to fruition in vocalist’s Thomas Mars’ suburban Parisian garage.

Alongside Mars was bassist Deck d’Arcy, guitarist Chris Mazzalai and Mazzalai’s older brother and guitarist, Laurent Brancowitz. Originally a touring cover band who performed anything from Hank Williams to Prince, two years after their inception in 1995, Phoenix rose from the ashes of musical mediocrity, coined their mythological name, created their own label Ghettoblaster and pressed the first 500 copies of their first single.  Once France had a chance to hear Phoenix’ musical prowess, they were sign to Source Records, where they first became noticed internationally when they were the backing band for popular labelmates, Air.

Eventually, Phoenix signed to pop-electronic label, Astralwerks, and released their first full-length album, 2000′s United. This album cemented Phoenix’ place as fresh, unfettered, groundbreaking electronic pop. While United often stuck to traditional pop structure and melodies, the sincerity of Mars’ voice couple with the production quality of the album conveyed a stylish innocence in music that would soon become popular in the early 2000s. Their top two singles  from United, “If I Ever Feel Better” and “Too Young,” made the playlists of many jet-setting, hip audiophiles but did not take them to a mainstream level.

When the band’s second album, Alphabetical, was released in 2004, many people had all but forgotten the indie allure of Phoenix and the popularity of the French pop sound was waning. However, Alphabetical was slick–both the construction of the songs and the production was more organic and mature. In a burgeoning world of plasticine electro-clash, an album that meshed dreamy guitars and earthy electronica like Alphabetical was lauded by critics, but met by neutrality from the kids who once clamoured to show off their knowledge of indie French electronica.

However, Phoenix had a decent degree of mainstream success after Alphabetical, and the band played 150 dates around the world. Subsequently, this tour was followed up with a live album released 30 days after their tour called , Live! Thirty Days Ago.

Coming off of a whirlwind two years, Phoenix ended their steady-tempo’d touring schedule with one of their studio masterpieces, 2006′s  It’s Never Been Like That , which sounds like that post-disco afterglow, hours after last call when you are left staring at the glitter on the dance floor. The guitars on It’s Never Been Like That tell a transcendent story–one that Phoenix fans would hear later on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

By the time Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix was released in May 2009,  Phoenix had mastered the brilliance of the trifecta of their appeal: their carefree dreamy innocence, their dance-infused pop hits, and the cool yet cocky rhythm of their guitar riffs.  Many of  their songs have been used as songs for movie trailers, soundtracks, and commercials including  ”1901,” “Lisztomania,” and “Love Like a Sunset.” Nearly fifteen years after the band started as a Parisian garage-cover band, Phoenix won the Grammy Award in this category on January 31, 2010 for Best Alternative Rock Album.

Don’t miss your chance to see Phoenix at KROQ’s 21st Annual Almost Acoustic Christmas, Sunday, December 12th at the Gibson Amphitheater! Exclusive KROQ Street Team on-sale for Night 1 started today at noon, Night 2 goes on sale tomorrow at noon.  You must be a KROQ Street Team member to get the Ticketmaster password. Sign up for your free membership here.

Click here for all the details on the show!