Phoenix – “Lasso”

When French alternative pop band Phoenix won the award for Best Alternative Album at last year’s Grammys, many music fans felt that it was a victory for indie music. Ignoring the fact that Phoenix are actually on an imprint of a major label, it was: the award has been dominated over the last decade by Radiohead, The White Stripes, and Coldplay—hardly little-known bands.

But here was a group doing quirky, tongue-in-cheek, addictive pop with a twist; and though their 4th album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, certainly commanded critical attention, the majority of the American population had no exposure to the band before the Grammy awards. Now the name Phoenix is spreading, and with it, singles must be released. The album’s two lead singles, “1901” and “Lisztomania,” have already made an impact on U.S. charts, a first and a second for Phoenix.

The third single is “Lasso,” a percussion-driven thee minutes of fun. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself bobbing your head along with the rhythm, mouthing along to the words you can deduce. The lyrics feature Phoenix’s frequent use of repetition and vague yet powerful sentiment, and the chorus—“Where would you go, where would you go/With a lasso?”—is one of the best on the album.

It’s a wise decision for a single, but it doesn’t have the immediacy of “1901,” the fan favorite on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Thus, it probably won’t hit the charts in the same manner. This is unfortunate, because the album, one of 2009’s strongest, deserves more exposure. Perhaps, like the classical artist that the album is named for, it will gain wide appreciation with time.