Customer Reviews

Checkmate Savage

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When a band comes along that incorporates tons of new elements while maintaining the format that has worked so well for decades, your ears tend to perk up. The Phantom Band takes alt rock to a new height, keeping listenability above else, and never losing sight of what makes a great song great. Sure, the keyboard/organist Any employs an instrument that he made out of metal shelving. Sure, they throw in a barbershop quarter breakdown 3/4 of the way through Throwing Bones (much to my amusement!). Sure they have elements of Krauk, electronica, folk, and even pyschedelic rock that all puts this into a brand new spectrum of music. But at the end of the day, the songs are established with great rhythms, catchy melodies, and incredible vocals.

This is a debut they will be proud to call their own 5 years from now, after achieving publish recognition on a grand scale with their (likely) 3rd album. Count on it...

Very cool stuff. Six band members all playing different instruments and sometimes more than one. In addition to the guitars and keyboards, the band members play a divers group of percussion pieces and the occasional mouth organ. This might sound busy, but actually results in a very complex and magical sound. They are certainly unique and hold up perfectly live. I can't say that I've every been particularly drawn to the song lyrics, but the musical diversity more than makes up for that. Definitely try it out for something a little different and very well done.

The opening track, "The Howling", has a familiar chord progression after each verse that reminds me of the Nilsson classic "Jump Into The Fire". I think the songs on Checkmate Savage would need to exhibit that same atmosphere of panic (think wanted and followed by FBI helicopters) to have the same level of long standing interest from me. The Phantom Band are a critically acclaimed Scottish group who are undoubtedly rehearsing right now for a major musical festival near you. There are six members...thank God...because they sound like there are six musicians playing on this album and I would hate to see this band as some trio playing live with tape loops and pre-recorded sequences. The singer, who I would guess plays an instrument as well but I am not sure which one, croons well and much in the same vein as fellow scotsman Alex Kapranos. Yet many of the songs are just too long. A band with this level of talent and indie pop star comparisons would be better off cutting these songs down to under five minutes and becoming, well, a pop band.