In a bizarre twist of fate BlackPlastic just found this video the other day and was about to share it anyway (despite the fact it has been around for a few months) when the news broke that John Hughes has died.  The writer of all of those great 80s teen movies - the Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty in Pink - his greatness cannot be disputed.

In tribute check out this beautiful mashup of scenes from a few of the 80s brat pack movies and Phoenix's 'Lisztomania' - it's lush.  The movies included are The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Footloose and Mannequin, of which the first two are Hughes' work.

If all this leaves you wanting to recapture more of Hughe's spirit through music might BlackPlastic recommend M83's lovely, lovely album Saturdays = Youth.

If Kitsuné Maison 6 was the melodic one and 5 was Gold then this one may sadly go down as the phoned in one. It's true ladies and gents, the Maison series has jumped the shark.

It's hard to put your finger on but there is just a general lack of any sense of care and attention here. Maybe BlackPlastic has come to expect too much but, for the first time on a Kitsuné album, there is padding on the tracklisting.

Chateau Marmont's vocodered 'Beagle' is possibly the world's dullest 80s / French house hybrid - whoever picked this out of all the tracks in the world needs a slap. Similarly Renaissance Man's 'Rythym' seems content to deliver exactly 0.3 ideas across the length of the entire track. Worst of all is La Roux's return on Lifelike's mix of 'In For The Kill'. Fine, it's a catchy tune - we already admitted we liked it - and we know Kitsuné were there first, releasing 'Quicksand' last year. And Lifelike is ACE. But seriously - we all know La Roux isn't cool and will be over before her forth single.

However - when Kitsuné Maison Compilation 7 works, it really works. And it is on the laid back, sun drenched tracks this happens most. Two Door Cinema Club sound like Phoenix at the top of their game on 'Something Good Can Work' whilst Phoenix sound like, well, themselves at the top of their game on the blissful Classixx version of 'Lisztomania'. Even the Golden Filter almost manage to explain their hype on the slow and funky 'Favourite Things' whilst Autokratz finally deliver on the Yuksek mix of 'Always More'. The highlight though - Prins Thomas' mix of James Yuill's 'This Sweet Love' is not just good - it's a glorious summer's walk of a track, surpassing anything that's ever appeared on a Maison compilation in BlackPlastic's opinion.

Inconsistent then - some of the best tracks from the series combined with some of the worst. It's a shame - a little more QC and Kitsuné Maison 7 could have been the best yet.

BP x

In a departure for Kitsuné this is neither remotely dance related nor mixed. It is a compilation in the classic sense, as Phoenix select a range of songs - almost all of which are at least ten years old (usually more) - that they love and that inspire them.

Being the well mannered possessors of catholic taste that they are, Phoenix's first compilation is a considered, methodical and, most of all, utterly beautiful affair. From the opening strains of Kiss' 'Love Theme From Kiss' the latest Kitsuné Tabloid (Digitalism provided the first) is like losing yourself in a good book. It's a journey full of texture and detail and feeling beyond that which should be provided by a mere Tabloid.

As you might expect from Phoenix the overall sound oozes intelligent sensuality. The sublime 'Rise Above' from The Dirty Projectors is a case in point - unbelievably for an artist that specializes in covering Black Flag records they have never heard it is a gorgeous piece of folk music with the kind of falsetto vocals that will soon have you making a fool of yourself when no-one is watching.

Pretty much every track is a highlight - whilst Elvis Costello & The Attractions' morose 'Shipbuilding', Urge Overkill's 'Stull (Part One)', Irma Thomas' 'It's Raining' and Lou Reed's stunning 'Street Hassle' stick in BlackPlastic's head but there are plenty more gems here. Oh, and of course Tangerine Dream's 'Love On A Real Train' is always gorgeous as well.

Phoenix have described this album as selfish - it's just what they would make for themselves. What's great is that in the hands of the right person, the selfish album they make for themslves is the most interesting. It's autobiographical and it's genuine.

BP x

Available on Amazon.co.uk on CD (not available on MP3 yet as far as BlackPlastic knows, plus the artwork is lovely).

In which Phoenix get a promotion from 'band BlackPlastic quite digs' to 'one of the most heart-warming band BlackPlastic knows', Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix feels like being 19 and on the verge of something great. It has the same yearning and neediness of fellow French band the Teenagers, just sans the selfishness and the irony. The result is an album that sounds like every night is prom-night and the best day of your life might (just might) be around the corner.

Where previous Phoenix albums maybe lacked a little cohesiveness Wolfgang... confidently delivers, with one sexy, polished, funky feeling running the full course of the album. It never strays as far as (the admittedly great, if slightly bonkers) 'Funky Squaredance' did on United and the result is a classic case of focus trumping variety - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix isn't trying to be a jack of all trades, it's busy enough being the best technicolor-disco-punk-funk album in years.

Which is not to say there is no variety - we've already discussed how great '1901' is but it's worth pointing out that 'Love Like a Sunset' is, in contrast, a beautifully slow-burning Balearic trip, a feeling that builds until it takes over. 'Lasso' is another contrast - blunt like the love you can't keep secret: effervescent and unstable and infectious and totally irresistible.

Phoenix have undoubtebly made the best album of their career so far. It's so damn enthusiastic it would be churlish to ignore it.

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is out on 25 May 2009.

BP x

Phoenix have always been one of those bands that have skirted around the boundary of greatness slow closely so often yet never quite transcended it. Well, it looks like that might be set to change as the band have announced a new album is coming in May entitled 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' and the have a site up offering the new song 1901 for download in MP3 or AAC (props for choices!) and it is awesome. Definitely one of their best ever tracks it has a lush synth bass noise that runs throughout it and the vocals totally encapsulate young male yearning.

Check it out here and watch for some of the most beautiful, understated work in flash BlackPlastic has seen in ages.

Phoenix are on Twitter (if somewhat quiet) here and whilst we are on the subject, BlackPlastic is also on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/blackplastic.

Yours, always,

BP x