Phoenix - ‘Bankrupt!’ + Peach Soju Cocktail
Ingredients: 2 ounces fresh peach juice, 2 ounces soju, splash of Welch’s grape juice.
Mixing Instructions: Mix peach juice and soju in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Add a splash of grape juice and serve.
Notes: Phoenix, the endearing French foursome, made us wait several years for a follow-up to their beloved 2009 release, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. During that time they found themselves suddenly at the hazy indie/mainstream borderlands, winning a Grammy, hitting the late night circuit and playing every major festival. Ironically, in 2010 they also contributed to a film score for Sofia Coppola’s tale of celebrity boredom, Somewhere. This exploration of the perils of the soul when faced with immense privilege and success is central to their latest album, Bankrupt!.
Song titles like “S.O.S. In Bel Air”, “Bankrupt” and “Bourgeois” all help keep the theme tightly wound. And slight departures from the expected pop formulas serve their purpose of never letting the listener completely drift off into a comfortable daze. It seems Phoenix spent the four years between Wolfgang and now taking stock of their musical progress and coming up against the walls of the immensely pleasurable niche they created - much like Jim Carey in The Truman Show running his boat into the end of his known world. However, unlike Truman, and much for the betterment of the listener, Phoenix remains just inside that world choosing to playfully explore without busting down the fourth wall — meaning one more highly enjoyable album and one more excuse to drink a delicious drink.