The band here at #22 on the 2013 Musical Bacon Calendar is one of those bands that, when I heard them on the radio I’d say to myself “Man, I really like this song. Who sings this?” and it would almost always be Phantogram. This must have happened at least a dozen times. And even though the band has been putting out music for the last four years, 2013 was the year I started really paying attention.

I had the luxury of seeing the duo from Saratoga Springs, NY, at the amazing Treasure Island Music Festival down in the Bay Area back in October, where they opened for a little band called Atoms for Peace. They must have been super stoked to be there, because they blew everyone away by their light-show hard rock ’n’ roll extravaganza stage presence.

Then, three weeks later I had another opportunity to see them play, headlining one of the five amazing shows Barsuk Records hosted in celebration of the Seattle label’s 15th Anniversary. This time around the band had some extra players with them, and they once again blew us all away. And this was after we had just seen amazing band after amazing band leading up to Phantogram’s headlining slot. (I’d like to see you try and follow Menomena and manage to maintain the audience’s attention.)

While the band hasn’t released a full-length album since 2009’s Eyelid Movies, they’ve continued to keep their fans satiated by releasing four EPs, with the 2nd self-titled EP being the record that came out this year and made the Calendar. Just this evening, about 3 hours ago, the band announced their new full-length album Voices will be released on February 18. I’ve already reserved a slot on the 2014 Musical Bacon Calendar for it.

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23. Julia With Blue Jeans On by Moonface
24. Uncanney Valley by The Dismemberment Plan
25. Event II by Deltron 3030
26. Wise Up Ghost by Elvis Costello and The Roots
27. Us Alone by Hayden
28. Pure Heroine by Lorde
29. Shaking the Habitual by The Knife
30. False Idols by Tricky
31. Let’s Be Still by The Head and the Heart

2012 Musical Bacon Calendar
2011 Musical Bacon Calendar
2010 Musical Bacon Calendar
2009 Musical Bacon Calendar