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Ceremony Artwork

Ceremony

Phantogram's fourth album shows their continued growth as one of the best alternative duo's out there.

I got hooked on Phantogram after hearing their third album, Three. Sarah’s vocal melodies and Josh’s penchant for old school hip hop beats create this mash up that is unlike anything I had heard before. Ceremony is the next iteration of that sound.

​I’ll be honest, first listen of this album didn’t really click for me. The single, Into Happiness, didn’t resonate and I was afraid that I wasn’t going to like the direction they were headed. But, this album for me was a case of giving it a few more listens and then it clicked. You can hear the growth of the band both musically and lyrically. This is a break up album—or at least parts of it are. At some point between their previous album and this one, Sarah split with her long time boyfriend Shawn White (yes, that Shawn White). Tracks like Pedestal, Love Me Now, Mister Impossible and Glowing give hints towards what went wrong.

PedestalPhantogram

You can make a hospital lovely

I’m not afraid of the scars, they ain’t ugly

I can heal it all if you’re lucky

Open up, baby, you gotta just trust me

When I put you on this pedestal

Is that what you’re supposed to do?

Is that what you’re supposed to do?

‘Cause I was in love with you

The first time I heard the guitar solo on Love Me Now I thought, wow, that sounds so much like solos from Siamese Dream, I wonder if Billy Corgan is involved... look it up and sure enough Billy Corgan is a co-writer on two tracks, and plays the guitar solo on Love Me Now. ​I love the intersection of alternative rock and hip-hop that Phantogram seems to live in. It’s always a fresh sound, and I can’t wait for this band to continue to grow and produce great music.

Album & Artist

  1. CeremonyPhantogram

Tracklisting

  • 3:27Dear God
  • 3:23In a Spiral
  • 3:21Into Happiness
  • 3:11Pedestal
  • 2:54Love Me Now
  • 3:29Let Me Down
  • 1:59News Today
  • 3:36Mister Impossible
  • 3:22Glowing
  • 3:05Gaunt Kids
  • 5:37Ceremony

Album Credits

  1. Producer: Andrew Dawson, Boots, Sarah Barthel, Josh Carter

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