From LBM Music Magazine
http://www.lbmmusiczine.com/cdreviews.html
For a band that has only had the lifespan of five months, San Fransisco's Phantom Float is on a fast track to make a very impressive collection of songs. Sharing a split EP with Ghosted, Phantom Float's "One Through Six" offers an Indie sound that may sound familiar, but nothing too familiar to put your finger on. The vocals are a must hear with tracks like "Sink In" and "Robot," all the while the band holds their own piecing together some jagged, soft, upbeat, down tempo rock (if that makes sense). Do yourself a favor and check these guys out. Do the guys a favor and buy their CD at CDBaby.com or Itunes.
Fresh Cherries from Yakima
You Should Blog About: Phantom Floathttp://freshcherriesfromyakima.com/wp/?p=383
LOCATION: san francisco, CA.
SOUNDS LIKE: the best parts of big-budget 90's alternative rock, mixed with a little slint, minus the bear, and deftones.
WHY YOU SHOULD BLOG ABOUT THEM: phantom float is an invigorating mix of aggressive guitars, quasi-math-rock riffs and rhythms, odd-but-powerful vocals, and a little bit of zach de la rocha-style almost-rapping ("teeth"), matched with a versatile rhythm section that sounds so in-sync, that you'd swear they were separated at birth. phantom float, with their refreshing post-hardcore sound (without adopting any of the features that make the genre annoying) would be perfect for seattle-based label (and former home of blood brothers/current home of the aforementioned minus the bear and blood brothers-offshoot and "you should blog about" alum past lives) suicide squeeze.
MYSPACE: phantom float.
san fran: phantom float plays bottom of the hill tonight with them hills and the dashing suns. cancel your plans. you're in for a good show.
Puerto Rican ZINE!
ZINE (SIN) IDEAS
www.myspace.com/zinesinideas
http://www.prhc.org/index.php
This split cd from Phantom Float And Ghosted (both from San Francisco) is one of those albums that you have to stop and listen carefully to really appreciate every little detail recorded. Both are really great bands, in their respectives genres (if they fit into one, that is) and they fit perfectly into this simple-but-awesome piece of paper and plastic.
The problem with most split cd's, especially with hardcore/punk/metal, etc. bands, is that sometimes the bands featured on the split are almost the same, and you can't really see why those bands released a split when they have so much in common. Here, we have two bands with different sounds: Phantom Limb and their more "modern" sound, and Ghosted with their almost "old school"/"vintage"sound, and while this mix of "old vs new" may seem like a random juxtaposition of indie rock stylings, but it works perfectly, which makes this album an interesting listen
Phantom Float reminds me of 90's alternative like Radiohead or a less annoying Smashing Pumpkins, mixed with some post hardcore/emo/indie/whatever you wanna call it. Kinda trippy at times, but powerful and moving at the same time. Teeth is a great example of this, with Mike's amazing and powerful voice (one of the best non-screamed vocals I've heard in a while. Call me crazy, but the dude sounds like the lost son of Bono and Matthew Bellamy of Muse) dominating the song, which is my favorite of their six songs. During Sink In, he shows his range, which goes from deep baritone tones to his more mid-high ranged voice that's filled with passion. Nick shows a lot of skillful drumming during this song, with some syncopated rhytms and a lot of interesting fills. The rest of the band (Daniel on guitar and Jon on bass) handle a plethora of sounds, from the most sublime and soft melodies to the most hair raising riffs that your headphones can handle. Imaginary and Teeth shows how they seem to be playing different stuff, but yet, they sync and drive those songs perectly. A really tight band that, if the continue to wok on their current sound, they're going to make a lot of noise in their scene.
Ghosted makes you want to pick up a skateboard and thrash everything on the street. Their more "vintage"/dirty sound on the guitar (especially on I Put Ten Bucks Into The Car But It Still Won't Move), and their use of more dissonant riffs (although it's not noisy), complements the more "trippy" sound of Phantom Float. They give us seven songs, which I would love to compare to some band for reference, but I can't (although a friend of mine compared them to older Modest Mouse, and I kinda associate them with a less guitar-wankered Daniel Striped Tiger). I would say that they have this kinda punk/emo/dc sound/indie rock sound (a group of purists and indie snobs are coming my way to beat my ass and force me to drink chai lattés as I type this) that's very interesting and energetic. In Our Only Common Friend Is Alcohol you can hear this. They keep a relatively fast tempo (not skate punk/hardcore fast), and that balances their sound a lot. All Patience ever Got Me Was A Black Eye has to be one of the most catchiest (without being poppy) that I've listened this year, and Good Luck On Getting Home Has the best basslines of their "side". That song would fit perfectly on a skateboarding video, no doubt about it. They are the most energetic of the two bands, which brings me to the whole balance thing that I said earlier on this review.
Both are great bands that are hard to label (at least I can't), that are playing with their influences and making great sounds for those who are willing to listen. There are people saying that there's only shitty music out there, but if you're willing to look harder, you may find a nice surprise like this more often.
GHOSTED / PHANTOM FLOAT – Home (Self Release) – Good looking DIY flavoured split CD album, kind of feels like there's going to be something good here from the off, when new bands make an effort in terms of their artwork and packaging it does make a healthy difference. Phantom Float are from the Bay Area, they describe what they're doing as "the spawn of Slint and Deftones" and I guess that isn't a million miles from the mark – not that obvious or clear cut though and closer to a Slinty thing really. Intelligent U.S alt rock intentions and more considered quiet than all out noise - pulling teeth out of mouth and smiling today - this is good. Meanwhile over there we have Ghosted. Ghosted are from Oakland – San Francisco's Bay Area as well then, they compliment Phantom Float well with their alt skate rock slackerness and their creative cutting edge, This is good too! Two good bands tag teamed together and getting out there with a DIY split album and some healthy attitude that more than has the music to go with it - spoken half truths and ships blown away and some healthy American alt.rock. Two bands and a split album well worth checking out. - www.myspace.com/phantomfloat /
www.myspace.com/ghostedband
Sometimes it's refreshing to come across a band
that is indie without being lightweight.
Indie rock.
Floating to the surface of an ever
widening (not deepening) sea of indie pop.
...
Phantom float sounds as though it began with four
average guys who had nothing better to do
than hook up and play music in one of their garages.
Thing is, they didn't stay there long.
...
"Keep Things Bright", the most widely palatable
song on their 2008 split entitled "Home"
is tight, articulate, impressive.
Mike (lead singer) culls enough grit
from his yearning to come across
as plaintive rather than whiny.
The bass is bold
the guitar sure
the drums are heavy on the high-hat
but otherwise forceful and full .
...
"Teeth", a dark little ditty about
life and the things that pass us by
is my favorite offering on the album.
"Sink In" is a close second
as it crescendos nicely
into a wailing guitar solo while
Mike's raw vocals accuse,
"fangs, fangs fangs were out,
i don't bite the way that you do..."
...
You can catch Phantom Float at many
small but respectable venues around the
city, including Bottom of The Hill and
Voodoo Lounge.
Check them out here:
http://www.myspace.com/phantomfloat
and purchase their 2008 split entitled: Home
http://cdbaby.com/cd/phantomfloat
. . . . . .
Review by LBM Music Zine
http://www.lbmmusiczine.com
For a band that has only had the lifespan of five months, San Fransisco's Phantom Float is on a fast track to make a very impressive collection of songs. Sharing a split EP with Ghosted, Phantom Float's "One Through Six" offers an Indie sound that may sound familiar, but nothing too familiar to put your finger on. The vocals are a must hear with tracks like "Sink In" and "Robot," all the while the band holds their own piecing together some jagged, soft, upbeat, down tempo rock (if that makes sense). Do yourself a favor and check these guys out. Do the guys a favor and buy their CD at CDBaby.com or Itunes.