Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

4 stars out of 5 -- "The 10 songs are sleek and clean....'Fences' spikes the electro beat of Daft Punk with an urgent acoustic-guitar breakdown for splendidly danceable melancholy."
"These arch Frenchmen make precision-tooled pop that somehow retains a sense of urgency and playfulness -- an impressive balancing act..."
Ranked #3 in Spin's "40 Best Albums Of 2009" -- "Urgent guitar pop and buoyant melodies cohabited brilliantly with Euro-disco propulsion..."
"[T]he Versailles-bred foursome actually possess one of the purest pop aesthetics on either side of the Atlantic....The underlying vibe is both retro and somehow outside of time..." -- Grade: A-
4 stars out of 5 -- "[A]n absolute blast, rich in ringing guitar and euphoric synths....The expansive, two-part 'Love Like A Sunset' evokes strains of '70s prog-disco."
"The band's brand of glamorous electronic-tinged pop is mixed with twee plinks here and there, supplemented with airy keys and a futuristic spaceship feel that will be pleasing to both clubbers and concert-goers alike."
Billboard (p.53) - "The group has polished its '60s-rock-revivalist sound to near perfection, but keeps expanding its aural palette, experimenting with layered rhythms and sonic textures."
4 stars out of 5 -- "It may be oversimplifying to invoke the spirit of Radiohead, but this could be Phoenix's OK Computer and Kid A rolled into one."
Paste (magazine) (p.53) - "Thomas Mars sings with the urgency of Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes, and his band plays with a Killers-like accessibility."
Pitchfork (Website) - "[T]he album's 10 songs are arranged and executed with virtuoso pop-rock precision....Its unflappable sonic sheen gives WOLFGANG some winsome 80s nostalgia..."