Staff Reviews

The Phantom Band - Strange Friend

Review by Aaron Lavery

It’s a record without a weak link, that doesn’t outstay its welcome, and excites you about the possibility of seeing it all played live.»

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The Phantom Band return after a near four year gap with a 9 track album entitled 'Strange Friend', the Glasgow 6- piece's follow up to 2010's critically acclaimed 'The Wants'. As with their previous outings, 'Strange Friend' represents a complex fusion of influences and reference points, the collated input of six distinct personalities which forms much more than the sum of its parts. Perhaps the most straight-up set of recordings the band have released, 'Strange Friend' retains the burbling, fluttering electronics that characterised their earlier albums' love of German Kosmische and John Carpenter soundtracks while retaining elements of rock and folk. The Phantom Band's lead singer Rick Anthony currently features on the longlist for The Scottish Album Of The Year (SAY) Award for 'No Selfish Heart' under his solo moniker Rick Redbeard. The LP is pressed on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl with a gatefold sleeve and a copy of the album on CD.
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