The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

‘Bankrupt!’ satisfies, but fails to surpass expectations

From the opening lines of the title track of Bankrupt!, Phoenix’s newest album, it is clear that the album is far from experimental and, in fact, falls in line with expectations. Phoenix has made another interesting album cut from the same cloth as their 2009 breakthrough album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

Wolfgang is an indie pop legend, but after a four-year waiting period, Bankrupt! has been subject to high hopes and extraordinary hype.

As expected, Phoenix’s newest songs are just as good as lead singles from their former album, but less radio-friendly.

The title track is nearly seven minutes long, slowly building up to its climax in the final few minutes. The long ride up leads to an explosive blast created through the use of a toy keyboard and drum machine. The track then plateaus and ends on a gentler note. For such a long wait, it could have been made worthwhile with an exciting ending.

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Fortunately, the album features notable tracks such as “Entertainment,” a quirky upbeat marvel.

As far as making an album that will be able to compete with 2013’s best, Phoenix has succeeded, despite failure to break new ground.

Though a lot of Bankrupt! was recycled from Wolfgang, this is a great catch. The record’s vibe is fresh enough for another take. Why change something that is already so fantastic?

It is tough to say whether this album overrides Wolfgang, especially since most listeners are still in the honeymoon phase.

Join the wave of excitement, pick up a copy of the album available April 23, and see if Bankrupt! has what it takes to be another epic success like Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

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‘Bankrupt!’ satisfies, but fails to surpass expectations