It's Never Been Like That by Phoenix (Rock)

Pros: Immediate, undeniable catchiness. Well crafted tunes. Comparisons to the Strokes.
Cons: Dubbed a "soft-rock" group.

Before dissecting the musical attributes of Phoenix it’s imperative that I dispel all silly misconceptions dumped upon the group. Phoenix is a band that flaunts a couple very immediate, potentially catastrophic obstacles in listener’s paths. The first of ...

Pros: great melodies, high emotion, innovative
Cons: none

Phoenix has gotten away from their keyboard-heavy bubble-gum pop sound, but have maintained their great melodies and added a powerful, unique sound to their repertoire. There is never a let down song and the 50s/post-punk sound does not get old with Phoenix's new twist. "Consolation Prize," which contains one of the best lyrics ever: "did you get older doing nothing today/ Don't you want to stop complaining?" and "Long Distance Call" are instant greats and the entire album works well together. These guys are also good live too- go see them if you can!