The Phoenix Foundation "Fandango" 2013

...Sideways manoeuvres…Following the band’s success with Pegasus, in 2006 solo albums were released by Scott and Buda: The Hunt Brings Us Life and Special Surprise respectively. The recordings showcase the different styles of their writers: Sam Scott, with a loose, folky, country-acoustic vibe; Luke Buda’s album features trippy electronica and 80s pop and was inspired by the birth of his son. Both albums were critically lauded. Another string to The Phoenix Foundation’s bow was their first foray into soundtrack work, recording the soundtrack to the Taika Waititi film Eagle Vs. Shark. This went well, and they recorded the soundtrack for Waititi’s follow-up film, 2010’s phenomenally successful Boy, placing their own instrumental pieces beside a faithful but quirky cover of Princess Te Rangi Pai’s ‘Hine e Hine’. The Boy soundtrack won best original music in a feature film at the Qantas Film and Television Awards in 2010. But, we’re jumping ahead here, as that was three years after their next album: Happy Ending…

…Success… Happy Ending signalled international success for the band. Now signed to Flying Nun after Warners purchased FMR, they also signed to US label Young American Recordings. The band’s time at Warners isn’t fondly remembered, says Scott. “We weren’t very happy … that was a pretty stink time in the band’s history. Not because they did anything shitty, just because our album came out the same month as the new Feelers record, who were like our nemesis band! They just got so much more attention than us.” The group toured the US successfully in the first half of 2007, playing 12 shows over three weeks – including three shows with The Veils. Happy Ending was released in October 2007, comprising material created while touring and built up in live performances. Again recorded at The Surgery with Prebble, the album was musically more upbeat, especially on ‘Bleaching Sun’, ‘40 Years’, and ‘Bright Grey’, a song detailing what Scott called “future angst”. ‘Bright Grey’ was a bNet Top 10 track, and had an impressive video directed by Taika Waititi, as did follow-up single ‘40 Years’. The band shared songwriting credits on Happy Ending, and had guest appearances by local musicians Age Pryor, Tom Callwood, and Craig Terris, among others.
Happy Ending was a finalist in five NZ Music Awards categories in 2008, winning two technical awards. To cap it off, 2007 was also the year Horsepower was finally released in the US. The Phoenix Foundation also strengthened their ties with the Finn brothers in 2008, supporting Split Enz on their reunion tour.The reaction from the UK gatekeeper press was impressive, with four and five star reviews in Mojo, Uncut, and The Independent – The Independent’s Andy Gill calling them “surely the most potent band to come out of New Zealand since the far-off days of The Chills.”...to be continued… - AUDIOCULTURE Amanda Mills

trax:
1. Black Mould 2. Modern Rock 3. The Captain 4. Thames Soup 5. Evolution Did 6. Inside Me Dead 7. Corale 8. Supernatural 9. Walls 10. Morning Riff 11. Sideways Glance 12. Friendly Society
…served by Gaius…