Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Explained

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Type:studio
Artist:Phoenix
Cover:Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.png
Border:yes
Recorded:2008
Studio:Motorbass (Paris)
Length:36:23
Prev Title:It's Never Been Like That
Prev Year:2006
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Next Year:2013

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is the fourth studio album by French indie pop band Phoenix. It was released on 25 May 2009 by V2 Records. While the band's previous work enjoyed a moderate underground following, the release of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix drew the attention of a more mainstream audience. In the US, Phoenix began a promotional tour including performances on several late night talk shows. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix continued to gain momentum with the increased exposure of the tour. The album received critical acclaim with many publications calling it one of the best albums of 2009. [1] Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix earned the band a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album at the 52nd Grammy Awards held on 31 January 2010.[2]

Background

The album credits Phoenix band members Thomas Mars on vocals, Deck D'Arcy on bass, and Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai on guitar. Phillipe Zdar produced and mixed the album and played drums on the song "Fences", with Cult of Luna drummer Thomas Hedlund playing drums on the majority of the album. Phoenix produced 10 songs for release on the album in the US and Canada under the Glassnote label.[3]

The album name plays off of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, using his first and middle name and replacing his last with the band's name "Phoenix". Of the name, Phoenix, Thomas Mars says, "The album title is almost like a childish thing, like you're unleashing a child into the museum and he draws a mustache on the Mona Lisa or something ... It's kind of bratty, especially with me, my mom is German and Mozart is Austrian and in Germany it's like messing with the Pope or something."[4]

Writing and composition

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix has been described as a pop rock,[5] [6] indie pop,[7] synth-pop,[8] new wave,[9] sophisti-pop,[10] and electronic rock[11] album. Co-producer Philippe Zdar hosted the recording of the album from his in home studio in Paris.[12] During the production of the album, the band recorded video of the sessions, which they have released as mini documentaries of their journey to create Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. The videos are available on the band's website.

Throughout the process, lead singer Thomas Mars, noted the use of Oblique Strategies flash cards to promote his creative thinking during the development of the album.[13]

Reviewer Andrew Winistorfer said of the album, "'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' opens with two monster singles, 'Lisztomania', a glittery anthem that manufactures a sense that you're in for greatness and an immense motion that gets more urgent as the song progresses, and '1901', a synth-washed heartfelt ode from frontman Thomas Mars about falling in love."[14]

"Lisztomania" refers to the term 'Lisztomania', a word coined by the German romantic writer Heinrich Heine to describe the massive public response to Franz Liszt's virtuosic piano performances.

The third single, "Lasso", is one of the few songs in which the band has utilized a guitar solo. The opening drumbeat, fast-paced toms and the drumroll in the chorus were played on a synthesizer by Mars, who was a drummer at a young age.

Promotion and release

It was announced in early 2009 that the band would be releasing an album. The first single "1901" was released 23 February 2009.

In order to get fans interested in the album the band released an EP version of the album that was only available through iTunes. The EP featured both songs that were performed on SNL and two others; "Love Like a Sunset pt 1 & 2".[15] [16] [17] On 25 May 2009 the album was released on V2 records in conjunction with Loyauté the band's own record label worldwide and on Glassnote in the United States of America.[12] [18] [19]

From 12 May 2009, the album was available to download from the iTunes Store for customers in North America[20] and from Amazon MP3.[21]

On 7 August 2009, Phoenix performed a live version of "Lisztomania" on Australian youth radio network Triple J in a program called "Like a Version".[22]

Reception

In Australia, the album debuted at number 13. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 37 and remained in the Top 100 for several weeks due to the alternative radio success of the album's singles "1901" and "Lisztomania". It has sold 721,000 copies in the US as of April 2013.[23]

The album won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album on 31 January 2010.[24] [25]

Year-end list entries

"Lisztomania" and "1901" were both listed on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2009, and received No. 4 and No. 13 respectively.[34]

Track listing

Special edition box set bonus remix CD

Personnel

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2009)Position
French Albums (SNEP)[36] 141
US Billboard 200[37] 177
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[38] 8
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[39] 41
Chart (2010)Position
French Albums (SNEP)[40] 173
US Billboard 200[41] 96
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[42] 6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[43] 26
Chart (2011)Position
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[44] 42

Notes and References

  1. Tyrangiel . Josh . 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' by Phoenix – The Top 10 Everything of 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091213004657/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1943810_1943820,00.html . dead . 13 December 2009 . TIME . 8 December 2009 . 12 November 2011.
  2. Web site: Nominees . GRAMMY.com . 12 November 2011.
  3. Phoenix. "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix". Perf. Deck D'Arcy, Laurent Brancowitz, Christian Mazzalai, Thomas Mars, and Phillipe Zdar Cerboneschi. Ghettoblaster.2009.
  4. Earfarm 29 April 2009 Phoenix (an Interview with Thomas Mars) http://earfarm.com/band-of-the-week/3020
  5. Web site: Phoenix . Dombal . Ryan . 18 April 2013 . . 11 May 2018.
  6. Phoenix, 'Bankrupt!': Track-by-Track Review . Payne . Chris . 15 April 2013 . . 14 August 2019.
  7. Web site: Music Review: Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix . Kroening . Jonathan . 26 April 2011 . . 11 May 2018.
  8. Web site: Phoenix Is All About Love Bringing "Ti Amo" to the Hollywood Bowl . Lee . Derrick . 16 June 2017 . Blurred Culture . 11 May 2018.
  9. News: Music Review: Phoenix's 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' Has Peppy 1970s Pop Music . Harvell . Jess . 26 May 2009 . . 11 May 2018.
  10. The Translator: Sophisti-pop . . 27 May 2013 . 1 May 2023 . 22 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151122091925/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/translator-sophisti-pop . live .
  11. Web site: Matt . Mitchell . The 50 Greatest Synth-Pop Albums of All Time. . July 21, 2023 . July 26, 2023.
  12. Web site: Phoenix News: Phoenix Rises With New Album, Label . Idiomag.com . 12 November 2011.
  13. Web site: Kroening . Jonathan . Music Review: Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix . seattlepi.com . 26 April 2011 . 12 November 2011.
  14. Web site: Album Review: Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix | Prefix . Prefixmag.com . 12 November 2011.
  15. Web site: PHOENIX PREMIERE NEW SONGS ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE APRIL 4 | Skope Entertainment Inc . Skopemag.com . 31 March 2009 . 12 November 2011.
  16. Web site: Phoenix Play SNL, Release Exclusive iTunes EP Next Weekend « The FADER . Thefader.com . 26 March 2009 . 12 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121012151035/http://www.thefader.com/2009/03/26/phoenix-play-snl-release-exclusive-itunes-ep-next-weekend/ . 12 October 2012 . dead .
  17. Web site: Dombal . Ryan . Phoenix to Play "Saturday Night Live" | News . Pitchfork . 25 March 2009 . 12 November 2011.
  18. Web site: V2 : Artists . V2music.com . 12 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111109011625/http://www.v2music.com/artists.php?artistID=13 . 9 November 2011 . dead .
  19. Web site: DougWallen . Phoenix – interview – Interviews . Thevine.com.au . 12 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120408171822/http://www.thevine.com.au/music/interviews/phoenix-_-interview20101201.aspx . 8 April 2012 . dead .
  20. https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=315002203&s=143441 Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
  21. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00299HSTG/ Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
  22. http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/media/s2648671.htm Listen to Phoenix's Like a Version
  23. News: Week Ending April 28, 2013. Albums: Snoop Lamb Is More Like It . Paul Grein . Yahoo Music (Chart Watch) . 1 May 2013 . 1 May 2013 .
  24. [52nd Annual Grammy Awards|52nd Grammy Awards]
  25. Web site: Release | Digital . MTV Press . 12 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111014082157/http://mtvpress.com/digital/release/pheonix_named_mtvs_push_artist_of_the_week . 14 October 2011 . dead .
  26. The Top 10 Everything Of 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091213004657/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1943810_1943820,00.html . dead . 13 December 2009 . Time . 8 December 2009.
  27. Search Articles, Artists, Reviews, Videos, Music and Movies . Rolling Stone . 12 November 2011.
  28. Web site: Staff . Pitchfork . Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2009 . Pitchfork . 17 December 2009 . 12 November 2011 . 21 December 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091221175234/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7744-the-top-50-albums-of-2009/5/ . dead .
  29. Web site: The top 25 albums of 2009 . The top 25 albums of 2009 . The A.V. Club . 9 December 2009 . 12 November 2011.
  30. Web site: Adams . Sean . Drowned in Sound's Top 50 Albums of 2009 . Drownedinsound.com . 18 December 2009 . 12 November 2011 . 16 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111016211014/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4138638-drowned-in-sounds-top-50-albums-of-2009-50-1?most-read . dead .
  31. Web site: The 25 Best Albums of 2009 – Rhapsody: The Mix . Rhapsody . 12 November 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100115060622/http://blog.rhapsody.com/2009/12/best-albums-of-2009.html . 15 January 2010 .
  32. Web site: 12.07.09 5:07 pm . The 40 Best Albums of 2009 | PHOENIX . SPIN.com . 12 November 2011.
  33. News: Pazz and Jop - Albums All Votes . https://web.archive.org/web/20100122085403/http://www.villagevoice.com/pazznjop/albums/2009/ . dead . The Village Voice. 22 January 2010.
  34. Web site: Triple J Hottest 100 Countdown 2009 . . 23 November 2011.
  35. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/139446/ranking/cd_album/ . ja:フェニックスのアルバム売り上げランキング . Phoenix album sales ranking . ja . . 28 April 2013.
  36. Web site: Classement Albums – année 2009 . fr . . 27 April 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130921185658/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2009&type=2 . 21 September 2013 .
  37. Web site: 2009 Year End Charts – Top Billboard 200 Albums . Billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media . 23 November 2015.
  38. Web site: 2009 Year End Charts – Independent Albums. Billboard.com Prometheus Global Media. 23 November 2015. 30 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151130040858/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/top-independent-albums. dead.
  39. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2009. Billboard. 23 May 2021.
  40. Web site: Classement Albums – année 2010 . fr . Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . 27 April 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005184435/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2010&type=2 . 5 October 2013 .
  41. Web site: 2010 Year End Charts – Top Billboard 200 Albums. Billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. 23 November 2015.
  42. Web site: 2010 Year End Charts – Independent Albums. Billboard.com Prometheus Global Media. 23 November 2015. 25 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141025170740/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/top-independent-albums. dead.
  43. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2010. Billboard. 23 May 2021.
  44. Web site: 2011 Year End Charts – Independent Albums. Billboard.com Prometheus Global Media. 23 November 2015. 14 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151214002201/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2011/top-independent-albums. dead.

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