This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Aspiring rock stars could learn a lot from Phantom Planet — about what not to do.
Lesson 1: Don’t blow all your momentum by waiting four years to follow up your promising 1998 debut.
Lesson 2: Once said followup finally begins to catch on — thanks to the swelling West Coast pop of the hit single California, aka the theme song to The O.C. — don’t suddenly ditch your sound for something completely different on your next album.
Lesson 3: If you do decide to do something different, try not to sound like a Strokes tribute band. Tough as it is to fathom, that’s precisely what Phantom Planet have done on their self-titled third CD. Forget the big hooks, soaring melody and sunshine-laden pop of The Guest; these 11 cuts are all slavish clones of Is This It and Room On Fire, from to the choppy guitar riffs, post-punk grooves and fuzzy production to the walkie-talkie vocals and jaded ennui. Granted, the Planet boys do it very competently — in fact, on infectious, spiky numbers like The Happy Ending, Big Brat and Making A Killing, they could easily be mistaken for Julian and co. In a way, I guess that’s a compliment. But let’s face it: A meticulous forgery is still just a forgery. And ultimately, that’s the only term that fits this blatantly derivative and sadly misguided offering. Let this be a lesson to Phantom Planet.
