The Chart Show: Phantogram fans 'Fall in Love'
by Mark Wheat
March 06, 2014
There's a reason why Phantogram have visited The Current studios four times. "You guys stand out from other radio stations," says the band's co-founder Josh Carter. Singer Sarah Barthel and Josh have been friends since middle school. They came together to make headphone albums, but the duo's sound was difficult to recreate during live performances. Hear how well they've perfected that sound live in our studios from Oct. and their chat with Looch about how they came to collaborate with Big Boi of Outkast. Their Voices album was released just last month, they made their TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel last week and this week — for the first time in Chart Show history — they're at #1!
Another duo is the highest new entry this week. Broken Bells started their tour here last weekend and they'll play Bonnaroo this summer — that lineup was announced last week including headliners Elton John, Kanye West and Jack White. By all reports Broken Bells put on a real show, not content to just show up and play their songs. As Chris Riemenschneider put it; "The imagery was even more impressive, with a half-moon video backdrop showing cosmic footage!" They used a spherical orb to project the images and colors on, which reminds me: The Orb themselves, early purveyors of duo induced electronic dreamscapes with kaleidoscopic visuals will play First Avenue on April 20.
The Oscars got rave reviews for the musical performances this year but for me the jubilant take on his hit "Happy" by Pharrell was the tops. Not only did he jump down into the audience to groove with superstar actresses in the front row, but he brought a bunch of high school kids to dance on stage with him; "It was a dream. It was awesome," says Alexa Baruch, age 15, "Leonardo DiCaprio was right in front of us."
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings are
inducted into the Chart Hall of Fame and Lucius debut at #20 for the first time, a week after braving the vicious snow storm to play a sold out show at the Cedar Cultural Center and a live session in the Forum at Minnesota Public Radio.
The other new entries are Silversun Pickups, who released a career-spanning compilation, The Singles Collection, last week. They played the record's one new track "Cannibal" on Jimmy Kimmel who also premiered the video that features a whole lot of artfully photographed people running in terror from some unseen evil.
And Dr. Dog — whose "Distant Light" has been my ear worm of no choice lately — did did a great edition of our Guitar Collection series recently when Scott McMicken of the band talked about his Silvertone 1446 full hollow-body guitar.
Temples is up to #16 this week is our CD of the Week and they are likely to be one of the buzzed about bands next week at SXSW in Austin, TX. They're already booked for Coachella and their show at the Turf Club on April 24 was just moved to First Avenue's mainroom.