Phoenix are sometimes called “The French Strokes”, but it was never really true until now. With seemingly confused yet poignantly sincere lyrics lost in translation and set to a smooth and subtly danceable beat, classic early tracks like “If I Ever Feel Better” or “Everything is Everything” would be much better summed up with something like Steely Dan and Johnny Marr covering Black Box and produced by Modjo.

On Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, while all of the constituent parts remain, everything seems more, in one sense focused, but in another compressed. Tempos are up, riffs are emphatic, and there is an urgency to the endless and previously effortless vocal hooks that unfortunately makes them seem a bit less effortless. Also, it’s perhaps surprising with Cassius’ Philippe Zdar back on board (he co produced their debut United) that the template has migrated almost completely away from dancey dynamics.

Perhaps this newfound urgency can be credited to their considerable touring schedule. They recently sounded great on their maiden SNL appearance (and let’s face it, *nobody* sounds great on SNL). It can be disconcerting to watch Thomas Mars not only recall but really mean every apparently nonsense lyric for over an hour. Also, the band plainly ‘rocks’ and on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix they have perfectly translated that ability onto their proper recorded output’for better or worse.

While the soundscape may have changed, the high quality of their songwriting remains. The beginning of ‘Fences’ glistens and hovers, ‘Girlfriend’ is earnest, endearing and innocent. The album may lack a anthemic single, but that endless supply of hooks on tracks like ‘1901′ and first single ‘Lisztomania’ still makes this one of the best albums of the year. However, when you’re driving along the coast at sunset, you might skip the uptight boogie of these French Strokes, and reach for the smoother Phoenix of yesteryear.

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