New Music Review: PHASES ‘For Life’

Rating: 9 / 10 Stars

PHASES is: Z Berg (vocals), Michael Runion (guitars), Alex Greenwald (bass), and Jason Boesel (drums)

REVIEW – For people who miss THE LIKE, (they were a band that had 2 awesome records and a song that I still to this day cannot get out of my head called “June Gloom”) lead singer Z-Berg is back in a band called Phases. Along for this pop journey is ex-RILO KILEY drummer Jason Boesel and Alex Greenwald who was the lead singer for PHANTOM PLANET. The 4th member is a new musician named Michael Runion. You would not expect this record coming from a band whose roots are so diverse like this band. Phases has this sound that could be the bridge from bands like THE BIRD AND THE BEE, DRAGONETTE and a poppier more upbeat SHINY TOY GUNS. This 12-track album can be categorized as something that has the electro pop indie feel but also adds a depth you would have expected from the previous bands, they played in. This could be perceived as the record that AIMEE ECHO set out to put out with THE START and never fully did. This record would feel more at home in the 80’s playing on top 40 radios with THOMAS DOLBY AND THE HUMAN LEAGUE. This record is so catchy that you are just mesmerized with the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Z and the band really creating this melodic soundscape that may get some comparisons to GARBAGE’s radio hits or WE ARE SOLDIERS WE HAVE GUNS.

“Silhouette” the opening track is a drug, it mixes throwback feels with modern-day touches. This song deserves to be on radio, not even rock or modern college, but just pop radio. I love the catchy chorus and the addictive dance feel that you cannot just sit down and listen to this song without getting up to dance. “New Illusion” is another track that has the same retro pop feel that shines all over this record. This record like the two tracks I mentioned is just such a fun party. You can tell this band set out to have fun and not worry about what people would think. Z-Berg has my vote as someone who clearly re-invented herself and made it so unique and fresh that I am blown away she would even have the guts to try it. It is now truly “the end of days”, and this is the record to get that last party going. What a shock….