After years of teasing me with mostly good albums and one excellent EP, Phosphorescent has finally come into its own and created a complete masterpiece. Pride is easily in the running for top ten of the year. It's always a joy when a band finally delivers on the promise of great things....highly recommended. (Music For Robots)
It's (Pride) Phosphorescent's third full-length, first for Dead Oceans, and far and away his finest work, sustaining a bittersweet, organic vibe throughout. There's no picking faves on an album that runs this deep, but these two are perfect Pride primers. Matthew's (Houck, lead singer) circadian strum on "Wolves," joined by harmonium and later star-gazing guitar, set a dusky backdrop for his cracking, fireside vox. "The hilltops at night, they are beautiful." Perfectly beautiful. (Stereogum)
If I had to describe it, I'd say it fits in nicely with its label-mate Dirty Projectors, but is more like (a lot like) Will Oldham (aka Bonnie Prince Billy) with a bit of Neil Young and Sufjan Stevens thrown into the mix. (Brooklyn Vegan).
If in the past Phosphorescent's work contained moments that could be received as echoing Sparklehorse, Tindersticks, Clem Snide, Low, downbeat Flaming Lips, the Pacific-pastoral K Records stable, and the Joe-Henry-curated Jesus' Son soundtrack's commingling of soul, spirituals, oldies, and faux-ldies, well, good for humanity. (Pitchfork review of Pride)
Phosphorescent played a fine show at Cake Shop last night. The band seemed bigger than the room and, from the great reviews above, will be sure to move onto larger spaces when they return to the USA after a quick jaunt in Europe.
Bodies of Water opened up. I'm not really into out-of-key, banshee-like vocals and therefore couldn't wait for their set to finish.
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted was there too - loved the bands, hated the crowd
Gothamist interview with lead singer / guitarist, Matthew Houck.
Listen to some live tunes from Phosphorescent's Daytrotter Session
