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CD Review: Phantom Planet, "Phantom Planet" (Epic)
Good-looking, wealthy boys that sound like art-school dropouts are all the rage in rock and roll these days. Phantom Planet is no different.
Their self-titled third release thrusts the L.A. band into the world of The Strokes and The White Stripes--a place where jagged, noisy guitar lines funk out along to drum-machine inspired flourishes. The sound is raw, sensual and sometimes grating. It works for Phantom Planet.
Like The Strokes before them, Phantom Planet gets flogged by purists for being too well-groomed to actually write dirty, raunchy rock and roll, regardless of whatever recorded-in-the bedroom production values they employ. Yet both bands are creating some compelling and melodic garage rock.
Phantom Planet's strength is its cool sense of detachment, courtesy of singer Alex Greenwald. On the rollicking single "Big Brat" and the following song, "1st Things 1st," Greenwald's complacent voice drips with know-it-all attitude--the indie kid snickering at the world from behind his sunglasses.
Relying--maybe too much--on a heavy guitar assault and tumbling drums, "Phantom Planet" isn't the most memorable LP of the year, but a few of its songs will certainly impress those willing to give the band a chance, in spite of its pedigree.
