Guest [Enhanced, Import]

Phantom Planet | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Import
• Label: Epic Japan
• ASIN: B000065VLK
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #539,706 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. California

2. Always on My Mind

3. Lonely Day

4. One Ray of Sunlight

5. Anthem

6. In Our Darkest Hour

7. Turn Smile Shift Repeat

8. Hey Now Girl

9. Nobody's Fault

10. All Over Again

11. Wishing Well

12. Something Is Wrong

13. Wishing Well [Live at the House of Blues]

14. Do the Panic [*][Demo Version]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, solid, college rock., January 21, 2003

By 

John E. Chadwick "John C" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Guest (Audio CD)

I have to admit, I am a 35 year old guy from NoCal who heard the song "California" on the movie "Orange County", and after singing it incessantly for 3 days I went out and bought the CD.
It is a solid college rock album. Reminds me of Ben Folds Five, Semisonic, the Connells etc. A little bit of everything thrown into the pot, stirred around with catchy lyrics, and upbeat music and it works. I really like this album.
"California" is the piano driven track that rocks. "Lonely Day" is about that mood we all can relate to, but smile about it all the while.
Personally, I think track#7 "turn, smile, shift, repeat" is the best song on the CD. You get the feeling that these are some competent musicians who have some talent and also can put a lot of feelings into song. Sometimes you just don't feel like talking, and "The Guest" speaks for us on days like that.
There is this youthful exuberance that pervades the entire project. Yes, we all get confused, angry and sad. But when you think about it, who doesn't?
2 thumbs up for a solid college band that actually rocks. Forget about P-Diddy remixes, Korn, and J-Lo. This is real music for "real" people. You owe it to yourself to check this out.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oft-Invited Guest, November 28, 2003

By 

"superball9" (Arlington, VA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guest (Reis) (Audio CD)

Why do so many people dislike Phantom Planet...and laugh when they say that I like them? Are pretty boys not allowed to rock...or pop-rock at least? You think the production of Mitchell Froom & Tchad Blake (Cibo Matto, Sheryl Crow, Crowded House, Ed Harcourt, Pretenders, Ron Sexsmith, Suzanne Vega, Tom Waits, the list really does go on & on) would've at least given them a little more respect. The Guest, in my book, is the best and most palatable of all these alternative-pop-rock acts that came out last year. I think Brian thought a little strangely of me for picking up this cd in the Boston Virgin Megastore but I think he got won over by them. We tried to see them later that fall at the Black Cat only to walk up to the line and realize that the show had sold out ahead of time. Hopefully the same won't happen with their upcoming show here in the DC area. (Best of luck in finding the double-disc version of The Guest with the unreleased title track, and live cuts of "Do The Panic" & "California." Even more luck in also finding the 5-song live promo that was released before the actual cd too. If you're nice, I might tell you who has it. ;-)

"California" was the best thing about the ads for Fox's OC. Lead singer Alexander Greenwald even inflects a little country twang on "Always On My Mind" and "Nobody's Fault." I don't go a week without finding myself singing "Lonely Day" at least twice to myself...even without having listened to the cd in several months. There was a time too, in my more tortured moments, where "One Ray Of Sunlight" was my favorite of the tracks on here with the chorus of, "Try all you want to / I'm gonna try too / If I get one ray of sunlight to hold in my hand / Maybe we can be happy again." "Anthem" could be a postmodern protest song if played in the local football stadium's PA. "In Our Darkest Hour" is probably my least favorite of the tracks on The Guest; it's a little grungier, a little more garage than most of the songs and is mildly redeemed by the chorus' hook. "Turn Smile Shift Repeat" is probably their most atmospheric work to date and has drawn comparisons to dare I say it...Radiohead? The sax in the bridge makes the track though adding another layer uncommonly heard of in most of today's pop fare. "Hey Now Girl" works because it's under three minutes, same with "Nobody's Fault." The two of these songs together makes this little gay boy jump up & down like he's with a bunch of kids at their first rock show. I'm a little older so I can't jump up & down for more than six minutes at a time. I think Sheryl Crow might've sampled the opening drums on "Soak Up The Sun" from the ending drums of "All Over Again." "Wishing Well" builds up from a repetitive piano note to an epic masterpiece that could rival, dare I say it...Radiohead?...even including some Bachrachian trumpets. And you all know what a sucker I am for trumpets and horns in pop music. Album closer, "Something Is Wrong," stands-out as the warmest song on The Guest keeping it acoustic letting the bass guitar reverberate and harkens back to all those old acoustic acts from the Sixties.

I think the future can hold even greater things for Phantom Planet, if the departure of drummer & Rushmore-star Jason Schwartzman doesnt affect the band too much. I would like to hear more Beach Boy style harmonies from them, but then again, I think everyone should be like the Beach Boys. I think it'll have to be their next album though to prove to the bulk of the world, yours truly excluded, that they're more than their famous last names...and that pretty boys really can pop-rock.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Turn on, smile, listen, repeat, November 4, 2002

By 

agentdoubl02 (Small Town, East Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Guest (Audio CD)

My friend and I swapped cd's I let her borrow Coldplay and she let me borrow Phantom Planet (and might I add this is a great way to expand your musical horizons). At first I didn't consider this a fair trade but I've listened to this album a hundred times since then and enjoy it more each time.
This album doesn't have a completly new sound but a sound that absolutely fits them. Some times bands seem to be singing what they were told to sing or what they thought would make them big...this band seems to absolutely feel their music. Alex Greenwald (lead vocals) sings his heart out on this album.
Great lyrics, great music, and (my personal favorite thing) a lot of diversity in their music. Albums get boring if they have one sound the entire time, they obviously knew this and have a great range of heavier,to mellow,to moody, to happy...
It's sad that bands like this get advertised as the band with the star of Rushmore...actor Jason Schwartzman. This one doesn't fit into the actors trying to play music mold,they really are musicians and good ones at that. I love this cd, be their guest and buy this album!!