“Woo-ha! Singing Ha-lle-lu-jah!” yelps Thomas Mars on the title track of Phoenix’s seventh album, Alpha Zulu. The tensely sprung indie-pop groove was apparently inspired by a bout of airplane turbulence – during which Mars heard the pilot repeating the words “alpha zulu”. And the twitchy-twang of the song brilliantly captures the strange sensation of exhilaration-anxiety you get on a bumpy flight: a stomach-dropper of a bass line, glitchy exhalations from the keyboard, and the sweet thermals of vocal melody. Meanwhile, Mars blurts out surreal and surrendering lines: “Pray to your God/ Cover your lies… There’s a purple cloud in the consommé, ouais!… Why choose your body over time?”
The album – like the song – is packed with an impressive amount of energy and ideas for a band celebrating their 25th anniversary. From the rubbery bounce of Ezra Koenig collaboration “Tonight” through the shimmering pulse of “Winter Solstice”, to the moody...
The album – like the song – is packed with an impressive amount of energy and ideas for a band celebrating their 25th anniversary. From the rubbery bounce of Ezra Koenig collaboration “Tonight” through the shimmering pulse of “Winter Solstice”, to the moody...
- 11/3/2022
- by Helen Brown
- The Independent - Music
Phoenix continued to preview their upcoming new album Alpha Zulu Thursday with the video for the LP’s icy latest single, “Winter Solstice.”
Unlike every other track on the French band’s first album since 2017’s Te Amo, “Winter Solstice” is the only song on Alpha Zulu that wasn’t composed by Phoenix together in the studio.
Recorded over separate continents, Phoenix’s Lauren Brancowitz, Christian Mazzalai, and Deck D’Arcy built the loop for the track, which they sent over to singer Thomas Mars to build out. “Winter Solstice” marks...
Unlike every other track on the French band’s first album since 2017’s Te Amo, “Winter Solstice” is the only song on Alpha Zulu that wasn’t composed by Phoenix together in the studio.
Recorded over separate continents, Phoenix’s Lauren Brancowitz, Christian Mazzalai, and Deck D’Arcy built the loop for the track, which they sent over to singer Thomas Mars to build out. “Winter Solstice” marks...
- 10/20/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
“Most musicians know how to whistle,” reveals Thomas Mars, whose band Phoenix did the music for “On the Rocks.” In the A24 film streaming on Apple TV+, Bill Murray’s character Felix chastises his daughter Laura (Rashida Jones) for forgetting how to whistle. In our exclusive video interview, Mars continues, “Whistling is a big part of how you get harmony and learn to tune. I’m lucky it works for me. I don’t know if you can lose the ability to whistle like Laura, but all Phoenix musicians are pretty good at whistling.”
In “On the Rocks,” Laura suspects her husband of having an affair and recruits her father Felix to get to the bottom of things. The film is written and directed by Sofia Coppola, who won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for her previous Murray film “Lost in Translation” (2003). Mars is married to Coppola and says that...
In “On the Rocks,” Laura suspects her husband of having an affair and recruits her father Felix to get to the bottom of things. The film is written and directed by Sofia Coppola, who won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for her previous Murray film “Lost in Translation” (2003). Mars is married to Coppola and says that...
- 1/26/2021
- by Matt Noble
- Gold Derby
For Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars, the scoring and music supervision on “On the Rocks” became the highlight of his five-film collaboration with director and wife Sofia Coppola. Indeed, this father-daughter comedy, starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones, turned into a musical expression about bonding over New York on so many levels.
For starters, Coppola came up with Chet Baker’s “I Fall in Love Too Easily” as the perfect entry for Murray’s charming and irresistible Felix, the Don Juan-like art dealer. The movie opens with a voiceover of Felix telling young Laura (Jones) that her heart will always belong to him, even after she gets married. Fade in to Laura and husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) running off after their wedding for a playful tryst to the romantic strains of the iconic trumpeter Baker. It immediately conveys Felix’s strong hold on her, which must be resolved during their later...
For starters, Coppola came up with Chet Baker’s “I Fall in Love Too Easily” as the perfect entry for Murray’s charming and irresistible Felix, the Don Juan-like art dealer. The movie opens with a voiceover of Felix telling young Laura (Jones) that her heart will always belong to him, even after she gets married. Fade in to Laura and husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) running off after their wedding for a playful tryst to the romantic strains of the iconic trumpeter Baker. It immediately conveys Felix’s strong hold on her, which must be resolved during their later...
- 11/6/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Halloween hasn't even half-killed us with Reese's overload yet, but we're already counting the days until Netflix starts streaming "A Very Murray Christmas."
The Sofia Coppola-directed special is an "homage to the classic variety show featuring Bill Murray playing himself," and it arrives on December 4. The holiday event has an all-star cast, including George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix's Thomas Croquet, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Mazzalai, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, and more.
The famous names are on display in Netflix's new 30-second trailer, which shows Murray promising, "This night will go down as the greatest night in history."
Check it out:
Here's the plot synopsis from Netflix:
Set inside New York City's iconic Carlyle hotel, A Very Murray Christmas opens with Murray preparing to host a live, international holiday broadcast.
The Sofia Coppola-directed special is an "homage to the classic variety show featuring Bill Murray playing himself," and it arrives on December 4. The holiday event has an all-star cast, including George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix's Thomas Croquet, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Mazzalai, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, and more.
The famous names are on display in Netflix's new 30-second trailer, which shows Murray promising, "This night will go down as the greatest night in history."
Check it out:
Here's the plot synopsis from Netflix:
Set inside New York City's iconic Carlyle hotel, A Very Murray Christmas opens with Murray preparing to host a live, international holiday broadcast.
- 10/14/2015
- by Gina Carbone
- Moviefone
Netflix has a Christmas special coming called A Very Murray Christmas, which will star Bill Murray as himself. The story centers on Murray worrying that “no one will show up to his TV show due to a massive snowstorm in New York City. Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at Gotham’s Carlyle hotel to help him — dancing and singing in holiday spirit.”
Guest include George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix’s Thomas Croquet, Christian Mazzalai, Laurent Mazzalai, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus and more.
Is it just me or is that a lot of guests? Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation) will write and direct the special.
Guest include George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix’s Thomas Croquet, Christian Mazzalai, Laurent Mazzalai, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus and more.
Is it just me or is that a lot of guests? Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation) will write and direct the special.
- 5/22/2015
- by Graham McMorrow
- City of Films
The following article is provided by Rolling Stone.
By Ryan Reed
Back in April, Phoenix and R. Kelly stunned the Coachella crowd with their very unlikely stage collaboration. The R&B veteran and French indie-rockers came together for a mash-up of Kelly's slow-jam classic "Ignition" and Phoenix's propulsive "1901."
Link: Rolling Stone’s List of the Best Albums of 2013: Phoenix, ‘Bankrupt!’
And in a recent interview with Radio.com, Phoenix sheepishly hinted that this collaboration might even result in new music.
Link: Flashback: The Phoenix Revolution
"Yeah, maybe. Maybe," said guitarist Christian Mazzalai, with a wink, when asked about potential recording plans. "Maybe soon you will know. Maybe."
Link: Rolling Stone’s List of the 100 Best Albums of the 90’s: ‘R. Kelly’
The band also spoke about the origin of their strange stage union, noting that the two parties hadn't even met before they performed together.
Link: In Photos: Phoenix...
By Ryan Reed
Back in April, Phoenix and R. Kelly stunned the Coachella crowd with their very unlikely stage collaboration. The R&B veteran and French indie-rockers came together for a mash-up of Kelly's slow-jam classic "Ignition" and Phoenix's propulsive "1901."
Link: Rolling Stone’s List of the Best Albums of 2013: Phoenix, ‘Bankrupt!’
And in a recent interview with Radio.com, Phoenix sheepishly hinted that this collaboration might even result in new music.
Link: Flashback: The Phoenix Revolution
"Yeah, maybe. Maybe," said guitarist Christian Mazzalai, with a wink, when asked about potential recording plans. "Maybe soon you will know. Maybe."
Link: Rolling Stone’s List of the 100 Best Albums of the 90’s: ‘R. Kelly’
The band also spoke about the origin of their strange stage union, noting that the two parties hadn't even met before they performed together.
Link: In Photos: Phoenix...
- 8/12/2013
- Huffington Post
New York -- Phoenix frontman and singer Thomas Mars says their new album "Bankrupt!" was born out of the negative influences going on in the band after the unprecedented success of their Grammy-winning 2009 album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix."
"At that time, we started talking about success and not music," Mars said. "I guess it was time to protect ourselves and focus on music again."
The band said it took some time to get on track when they began writing songs for the new album, which comes four years after "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" was named a Top 10 album on end-of-the-year lists for Rolling Stone, Time and Spin magazines, among others. The album also reached gold status, a first for the band.
"I guess we're perfectionists in the way that when we make an album, we know it's going to last. It's important that it's exactly how we want it to be," Mars said.
"At that time, we started talking about success and not music," Mars said. "I guess it was time to protect ourselves and focus on music again."
The band said it took some time to get on track when they began writing songs for the new album, which comes four years after "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" was named a Top 10 album on end-of-the-year lists for Rolling Stone, Time and Spin magazines, among others. The album also reached gold status, a first for the band.
"I guess we're perfectionists in the way that when we make an album, we know it's going to last. It's important that it's exactly how we want it to be," Mars said.
- 5/15/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
(Adds details of performances throughout)
By Piya Sinha-Roy
Indio, Calif., April 14 (Reuters) - Grammy-winning French indie rock band Phoenix headlined the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival on Saturday, bringing R&B singer R. Kelly as their special guest on stage amid rumors that French electro duo Daft Punk would join them.
Phoenix's lead singer Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai, played a selection of old and new songs against the star-lit backdrop of the festival, held in the desert in Indio, California.
The band, which is due to release its album "Bankrupt!" on April 22, sang new songs "Entertainment" and "The Real Thing". It also serenaded the crowd with favorites from its last album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix", such as "Lisztomania" and "Fences".
Kelly's appearance came as a surprise to an audience expecting to see Daft Punk after a teaser music video by the electronic group was played...
By Piya Sinha-Roy
Indio, Calif., April 14 (Reuters) - Grammy-winning French indie rock band Phoenix headlined the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival on Saturday, bringing R&B singer R. Kelly as their special guest on stage amid rumors that French electro duo Daft Punk would join them.
Phoenix's lead singer Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai, played a selection of old and new songs against the star-lit backdrop of the festival, held in the desert in Indio, California.
The band, which is due to release its album "Bankrupt!" on April 22, sang new songs "Entertainment" and "The Real Thing". It also serenaded the crowd with favorites from its last album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix", such as "Lisztomania" and "Fences".
Kelly's appearance came as a surprise to an audience expecting to see Daft Punk after a teaser music video by the electronic group was played...
- 4/14/2013
- by Reuters
- Huffington Post
Expect to hear this one on more than a handful of car commercials in the next 12 months: Phoenix has released its first new single since 2009. The song, "Entertainment," is off the band's forthcoming new album "Bankrupt."
"Entertainment," which you can hear above, sounds like a classic Phoenix track: bouncy drums, driving synthesizers and singable hook.
The band first announced the official release of "Bankrupt" last week. The disc will arrive on April 23 in the U.S. (April 22 in England) and include "Entertainment" as well as songs titled "Drakkar Noir," "Chloroform" and "The Real Thing." Back in December of last year, Glassnote Records head Daniel Glass told HuffPost Entertainment that a new Phoenix album was on tap for 2013. The band had been fooling around with a new record since 2011.
From earlier HuffPost coverage of Phoenix:
Phoenix, the French alt-rock band, is made up of Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.
"Entertainment," which you can hear above, sounds like a classic Phoenix track: bouncy drums, driving synthesizers and singable hook.
The band first announced the official release of "Bankrupt" last week. The disc will arrive on April 23 in the U.S. (April 22 in England) and include "Entertainment" as well as songs titled "Drakkar Noir," "Chloroform" and "The Real Thing." Back in December of last year, Glassnote Records head Daniel Glass told HuffPost Entertainment that a new Phoenix album was on tap for 2013. The band had been fooling around with a new record since 2011.
From earlier HuffPost coverage of Phoenix:
Phoenix, the French alt-rock band, is made up of Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.
- 2/19/2013
- by Christopher Rosen
- Huffington Post
Phoenix fans looking forward to the band's new album can finally pencil in a date. According to Glassnote Records head Daniel Glass, the next Phoenix album should be out in April of 2013.
Glass made the announcement at a Spotify event on Thursday. Glass was on hand to endorse Spotify; his company represents Phoenix and Mumford & Sons among other indie-rock crossover successes.
"I got to have a treat last Friday. I went to Paris to hear the Phoenix album, which is now done," Glass told Huffington Post Executive Arts & Entertainment editor Michael Hogan at the Spotify event. "That will come out, hopefully, in April."
Phoenix, the French alt-rock band, is made up of Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz. The band's breakout album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," was released in 2009 and housed hit singles like "1901" and "Lisztomania." At the 2010 Grammys, Phoenix won for Best Alternative Album. Mars, who is married to director Sofia Coppola,...
Glass made the announcement at a Spotify event on Thursday. Glass was on hand to endorse Spotify; his company represents Phoenix and Mumford & Sons among other indie-rock crossover successes.
"I got to have a treat last Friday. I went to Paris to hear the Phoenix album, which is now done," Glass told Huffington Post Executive Arts & Entertainment editor Michael Hogan at the Spotify event. "That will come out, hopefully, in April."
Phoenix, the French alt-rock band, is made up of Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz. The band's breakout album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," was released in 2009 and housed hit singles like "1901" and "Lisztomania." At the 2010 Grammys, Phoenix won for Best Alternative Album. Mars, who is married to director Sofia Coppola,...
- 12/7/2012
- by Christopher Rosen
- Huffington Post
But the French rockers are set to reappear when they start recording new album in 2011.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias
Phoenix
Photo: MTV News
Phoenix have spent nearly two years becoming progressively more famous thanks to their Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix album. So, when the French group agreed to write the score for Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere," they were presented with a rather unique challenge: to make themselves disappear.
"We had to hide our music in something bigger and more important, which was a story, and it was a very nice job just to try to disappear and to blend," guitarist Laurent Brancowitz told MTV News on Sunday at Kroq's Almost Acoustic Christmas. "And it was really easy, because the overall sound of the movie was already very [much] like music, with car engines, and to blend our music, it was very cool. We always fight a lot when we are creating,...
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias
Phoenix
Photo: MTV News
Phoenix have spent nearly two years becoming progressively more famous thanks to their Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix album. So, when the French group agreed to write the score for Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere," they were presented with a rather unique challenge: to make themselves disappear.
"We had to hide our music in something bigger and more important, which was a story, and it was a very nice job just to try to disappear and to blend," guitarist Laurent Brancowitz told MTV News on Sunday at Kroq's Almost Acoustic Christmas. "And it was really easy, because the overall sound of the movie was already very [much] like music, with car engines, and to blend our music, it was very cool. We always fight a lot when we are creating,...
- 12/13/2010
- MTV Music News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.