In line with some stellar Neighbors/Devendra Banhart and Animal Collective covers of “Rome” and “Love Like a Sunset,” the Soft Pack have tackled Phoenix’s “Fences. Leaning heavily on a lo-fi Strokes vibe, it’s definitely more garage-based than it is French palatial— but good lord is it good. The dudes in the band had the following to share:

Phoenix are these cool French guys. We recorded our version of “Fences” with Rob Barbato of Darker My Love. Tim from Darker My Love played the cool guitar lead. It was a fun and challenging experience…

Challenging also good!

The Soft Pack, Fences (Phoenix Cover)

MP3 Download

Simply covering Kings of Leon wasn’t enough: now Paramore has turned its attention to French pop sensation Phoenix, covering the band’s “Long Distance Call” in London. Admittedly a little bit behind the times on this one (”Long Distance Call” was on 2006’s It’s Never Been Like That), but the cover is full of a slight anxiety and springy energy that is a nice turn for the Tennessee pop-punk group. The band just learned the track for an upcoming appearance in France. (via Idolator)

As we mentioned earlier, Kid Cudi ain’t afraid to dabble in a little indie-rock. And his eclectic taste makes a benefit show where he co-headlines with our boys in Phoenix all the more exciting. Sure, they’ll probably just play their own separate sets. But what if Cudi threw a freestyle verse into “1901″ or the boys backed him on “Man On The Moon” or something? Yeah, we thought so too.

The show is Saturday, September 12 in New York City. It’ll be DJ’ed by Clinton Sparks and is a show to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS as part of LIFEBEAT. Tickets can be purchased here or you can get more info on the LIFEBEAT website.

The issues surrounding the 18+ show are well-known and long-standing; in Minneapolis, efforts to limit underage binge drinking have prompted City Councilwoman Lisa Goodman to propose restrictions on 18+ events. If the motion passes, two options would be available for live events: all-ages, alcohol-free concerts, or 21+ shows with free-flowing alcohol. Quoted in Minneapolis’ City Pages, Goodman claims, “I just don’t know how I can in good faith look at these public-health people and tell them we don’t propagate youth access to alcohol when we allow 18-year-olds into bars where 21-year-olds can pass them alcohol. If I don’t do something to address this now, I’m going to face something far more onerous.”

Local venue owners have expressed concern about the ordinance, and a petition on Facebook lists performers that would likely forgo performing in Minneapolis should the proposal be put into effect, including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Girl Talk, and Phoenix. Booking manager James “Taco” Martin says that a ban on 18+ concerts would limit the amount of bands passing through the city, claiming that “A lot of bands require [the 18+ age restriction] because they can sell a lot of merch to people who aren’t buying drinks with the money in their pocket.”

A petition against the measure is circulating online; sign it here.

Brooklyn synth-poppers and iPod peddlers Chairlift have announced dates for their upcoming tour of North America and Europe. The band will be hitting the road with exciting names like Phoenix and Micachu & The Shapes, amongst others.

Chairlift Tour Dates
08.01 – Jersey City, NJ – Liberty State Park (All Points West)
08.05 – Cleveland, OH – Rock N Rock Hall Of Fame Show
08.07 – Chicago, IL – Double Door w/ TV On The Radio
08.08 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
08.08 – Chicago, IL – Chopin Theater (Venus Party)
08.13 – Oya Festival – Norway
08.14 – Way Out West Festival – Sweden
08.16 – Summer Sundae Weekend – UK
09.05 – New York, NY- Bowery Ballroom w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.06 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.07 – Washington, DC – Black Cat w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.08 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.09 – Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.10 – Baton Rouge, LA – Chelseas w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.11 – Austin, TX – Emos w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.12 – Denton, TX- Hailey’s w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.14 – Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.15 – La Jolla, CA – The Loft (UC San Diego) w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.16 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubador w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.17 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.18 – E. Portland, OR – Holocene w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.19 – Seattle-Tacoma, WA – The Vera Project w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.22 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue w/ Phoenix
09.23 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre w/Phoenix
09.24 – Madison, WI – UW Madison Memorial Terrace w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.25 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.26 – Cincinnati, OH – Midpoint Music Festival w/ Micachu & The Shapes
09.27 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club w/Phoenix
09.28 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory w/Phoenix
09.30 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse w/Phoenix
10.01 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitinas w/Phoenix
10.13 – Montpellier Le Rockstore France w/Phoenix
10.14 – Lyon Le Transbordeur France w/Phoenix
10.15 – Strassbourg La Laiterie France w/Phoenix
10.16 – Lille L’ Aronef France w/Phoenix
10.17 – Caen Le Cargo France w/Phoenix
10.19 – Paris Zenith France w/Phoenix
10.20 – Bourdoux Rock School Barbey France w/Phoenix
10.21 – Touloues Le Bekini France w/Phoenix
10.22 – Nantes L’ Olympic France w/Phoenix
10.24 – Birmingham Academy 2 w/Phoenix
10.25 – Glasgow Arches UK w/Phoenix
10.26 – Bristol Academy UK w/Phoenix
10.27 – Manchester Academy 2 UK w/Phoenix
10.28 – London Brixton Academy UK w/Phoenix

Best band in the world?
Yes. Unless Barack starts one
He’s great. Phoenix too

Parisian indie popsters Phoenix are getting the Holy remix treatment from NYC’s Holy Ghost! on “Lisztomania”. The Ghostly duo add heavy influences of some A-Ha here and maybe a little of the Beverly Hills Cop theme there for the electronic jam.

“Are you revisiting the 80’s right now?” my co-worker asked me while I was spinning this track.

“Uh, this song was totally made this year,” I replied.

“Lisztomania” also joins the ranks of “1901” as being one of the most remixed songs of the year, both hailing from Phoenix’s full-length Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. The former song is so heavily remixed (that album was released nine days ago!) that there will be a “Lisztomania” remixes EP coming out soon. Damn, son. Rest them fingers.

Phoenix – “Lisztomania” (Holy Ghost! Loves Paris Remixomania) [via Fairtilizer]

Here’s your second really good reason to head down to Austin this year: Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band and the Beastie Boys have been announced as headliners for this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival, October 2-4 in Zilker Park.

The three-day, eight-stage festival will also feature Kings of Leon, Thievery Corporation, the Dead Weather, Ghostland Observatory, Sonic Youth, Bon Iver, Passion Pit, Arctic Monkeys, the Decemberists, Girl Talk, Phoenix, School of Seven Bells and Dan Auerbach among the 130 bands and artists booked.

You can get three-day festival passes for $185 (no service fees), plus check out VIP package options, here. Headlining band Pearl Jam will also be appearing on the Austin City Limits TV show while they’re in Texas — the public television series was the inspiration for the festival eight years ago.

Austin City Limits Music Festival Line-Up
Pearl Jam
Dave Matthews Band
Beastie Boys
Kings of Leon
Ben Harper and Relentless7
Thievery Corporation
John Legend
The Dead Weather
The Levon Helm Band
Ghostland Observatory
Sonic Youth
Mos Def
Toadies
Flogging Molly
The B-52s
Lily Allen
Citizen Cope
Arctic Monkeys
The Decemberists
Coheed and Cambria
Andrew Bird
Girl Talk
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9)
Phoenix
Bassnectar
Bon Iver
!!!
The Avett Brothers
The Airborne Toxic Event
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Clutch
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Grizzly Bear
Heartless Bastards
Passion Pit
White Lies
Dan Auerbach
The Walkmen
The Scabs
Reckless Kelly
Devotchka
Blitzen Trapper
The Virgins
Here We Go Magic
Eek-A-Mouse
K’ Naan
Asleep at the Wheel
Dr. Dog
The Raveonettes
The Knux
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
State Radio
Los Amigos Invisibles
The Felice Brothers
Federico Aubele
Raul Malo
Daniel Johnston
Poi Dog Pondering
Brett Dennen
Rodriguez
Henry Butler
Preservation Hall
Sam Roberts Band
The Greencards
Sara Watkins
Walter “Wolfman” Washington
David Garza
John Vanderslice
Zac Brown Band
Todd Snider
School of Seven Bells
The Dodos
Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3
Alberta Cross
Deer Tick
Bell X1
Alela Diane
The Wood Brothers
The Parlor Mob
Rebirth Brass Band
Marva Wright
Terri Hendrix
L.A.X.
Lisa Hannigan
The Low Anthem
Sons of Bill
Suckers
Sarah Jaffe
Cotton Jones
The Henry Clay People
Papa Mali
Jypsi
Vince Mira
Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
Mimicking Birds
Jeffrey Steele
Jonell Mosser
Leatherbag
Keith Gattis
Damien Horne
Sarah Siskind
Dexateens
Nelo
Danny Brooks
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
The Soul Stirrers
The Durdens
Palm School Elementary
The Gospel Silvertones
Diaconos
Quinn Sullivan
Ralph’s World
Q Brothers
Milkshake
Telephone Company
Loose Cannons
Lunch Money

The French foursome Phoenix is coming Stateside during the band’s upcoming World tour in support of their new album, which will be released at the end of May.

Phoenix will be  kicking off the tour on April 21 at  La Cartonnerie in Reims, France. From there, the band will be touring Europe until June 12, when they begin the North Americas leg with a show at Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN. The band’s new LP, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, will be out  on May 26 and while this will be their first American tour for the album, they were just in NY a few weeks ago for an appearance on Saturday Night Live.

Phoenix tour dates
04.21.09 – Reims,  France  (La Cartonnerie)
04.23.09 – London, England  (Hoxton  Bar&Grill)
05.20.09 – Berlin, Germany  (Berghain Spex Festival)
05.23.09 - Cologne , Germany (Electronics Beats Festival)
05.25.09 – Paris, France  (La Cigale)
05.28.09 – Barcelona,  Spain (Primavera Sound Festival)
05.30.09 – Hasseleholm, Sweden (Siesta)
06.01.09 – London, England (Koko)
06.04.09 – Amsterdam,  Netherlands (Trouw  Club)
06.05.09 – Brussels, Belgium (L’Orangerie)
06.06.09 – Nurburgring, Germany (Rock im Ring Festival)
06.07.09 - Nurnberg, Germany  (Rock im Park Festival)
06.12.09 – Manchester, TN (Bonnaroo)
06.13.09 – Chicago, IL (Park West)
06.15.09 – Toronto, ON (Pheonix Concert Theater)  
06.16.09 – Montreal, QB (Les Saints)
06.17.09 – Boston, MA (Paradise Rock  Club)
06.19.09 – New York, NY (Terminal  5)
06.21.09 – Washington, DC (Rock  and Roll Hotel)
06.23.09 – Minneapolis, MN  (Varsity)
06.25.09 – Denver, CO (Bluebird)
06.27.09 – San Francisco, CA  (Regency  Center)
06.28.09 - Los Angeles, CA (Wiltern)
07.03.09 – Arras, France (Main Square Festival)
07.24.09 – Cambridgeshire, England (Secret Garden Festival)
07.25.09 – Dorset, England (Camp Bestival)
08.07.09 – Tokyo, Japan (Summer Sonic)
08.08.09 – Osaka, Japan (Summer Sonic)
08.22.09 – Chelmsford, England (V Festival)
08.23.09 – Staffordshire, England (V Festival)
10.28.09 – London, England (O2 Academy)

Coincidentally, on the eve of the final Touch and Go record release tomorrow, word comes to us that one of T&G’s biggest selling artist will join former label-alumn’s TV On The Radio as performers on Saturday Night Live this season.

Hot on the heels of Phoenix’s performance this past Saturday, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs will grace the iconic stage this coming Saturday, April 11. Along with Phoenix and TVOTR, this season has seen Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, Kanye West and Fleet Foxes all play the late-night sketch comedy show. Special note for the ladies, Zac Efron will be hosting.

As we told you, the guys in Phoenix dropped by NYC to perform on Saturday Night Live. The performance coincided with release an exclusive iTunes-only EP with tracks from their forthcoming album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

Phoenix performed both “1901″ (a track we previewed for you a while back) and “Lisztomania”, both from the iTunes-only EP and the full-length of the same name. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix hits streets May 25.

Phoenix – “Lisztmania”

Phoenix – “1901″

Get ready to get your fix of Phoenix next weekend as the guys take the Saturday Night Live stage and release an exclusive iTunes-only EP with tracks from their forthcoming album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

Phoenix will perform both “1901″ (a track we previewed for you a while back) and “Lisztomania” from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix on SNL April 4 and will release a special iTunes-only EP by the same name in conjunction with the appearance. The full album hits streets May 26, and the EP will feature four tracks from the LP. The host of the episode will be Seth Rogen. We hope that won’t deter you from watching.

Check out the full tracklisting for the Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix EP below.

01 Lisztomania
02 1901
03 Love Like a Sunset Pt. 1
04 Love Like a Sunset Pt. 2

We’re not terribly sure what the new Phoenix single, “1901″ actually has to do with the year, 1901. But then again, we’re no historians. So we’ll stick to what we know, which is good music. And this? This is good music.

It’s bright, filled with layer after layer of sound and rhythm guitar that we would marry if such unions were legal. With info out today on the band’s upcoming release Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, we only hope the rest of the album is as solid as “1901.”

Phoenix – “1901″

Their single “1901″ has been floating around the blogosphere for a minute, so it was only a matter of time before Paris, France’s Phoenix announced the details behind the imminent release of their forthcoming debut. And the follow-up to 2006’s critically acclaimed It’s Never Been Like That might just have the band riding an unprecedented ego-high.

Why else would they title the May 26 release, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix? Aside from the release date and title, they’ve provided us with the track list and the little bit of unfair knowledge that they will be playing select American shows this summer, but that details on these shows will be “announced soon.” Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix will be a split release between Glassnote Records and the band’s own newly-formed imprint Loyaute.

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix track listing
01. Lisztomania
02. 1901
03. Fences
04. Love Like A Sunset Pt. 1
05. Love Like A Sunset Pt. 2
06. Lasso
07. Rome
08. Countdown
09. Girlfriend
10. Armistice

From the press release: Born out of restlessness and a steady hunt for inspiration, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a career-defining album, filled with the band’s signature melding of synthetics and organics, sharp, danceable rhythms, infectious choruses with a considerable dose of aural panache, and candy-colored pop sensibilities. These songs are some of their most exuberantly playful, yet also some of the most complex they’ve recorded, more layered and intensely propulsive than previous efforts. Indeed, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is nothing short of elative, creating what is sure to be the soundtrack to late-night summer adventures all over the globe. Staying true to what makes Phoenix so special, a sense of whimsical breeziness envelopes these songs, as if they’ve sprung fully-formed from the band’s collective creative hands in a state of utter pop perfection.

From opener and first single “Lisztomania,” it’s clear this is Phoenix light-years beyond anything they’ve done before, a testament to the record’s finely-tuned intricacy and melodic structures. “1901” leaps out of the speakers, already vying for the Best Song of 2009, with its fizzy power synths, rollicking drums and downright anthemic chorus. “Fences” is velvet-smooth and soulful, twinkling like a disco ball above the dancefloor with shimmering keys, chugging acoustic guitars and Thomas’ lovelorn croon, while “Love Like A Sunset” is the band at their experimental best, allowing the song to build in billowing sound and unhinged keyboard noises until it all melts away, leaving only Thomas’ transcendent vocal at the end. “Rome” will inevitably be the score to a film scene where the male lead turns his back on his love, with its cinematic, psychedelic keyboard chorus, syncopated guitar and lyrical declarations of a love that’s fallen like the ancient European capital. Closing track “Armistice” is coiled and sinister, ending the album with staggered keyboard notes left hanging in the balance.