Phoenix - ‘Long Distance Call’ (Virgin) Released 08/05/06

The jagged, ascending grind of almost Valensi-esque guitar that usher in the return of French pop revolutionaries Phoenix sounds a million miles away from the sun-bleached, ‘80s tinged strut of their previous output.  This is a good thing, but so too is the surge of warmth that the familiarity of those fat synth pads and the Hall and Oates delivery of Thomas Mars in the verse brings.  The chorus doubles up on the insistence of the rocky guitars of the intro with Mars repeating the album title ‘It’s Never Been Like That’ over and over until resistance is futile.  Unlike anything that any band in the UK are even attempting, this is an awesome return.