The Phoenix Foundation: Merry Kriskmass EP (Phoenix Foundation)

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The Phoenix Foundation: Everybody's Money
The Phoenix Foundation: Merry Kriskmass EP (Phoenix Foundation)

If you believe the anti-hype, this isn't exactly the Phoenix Foundation's cash-in on Christmas but has been inspired by The Krisk who is -- and I am just quoting here -- "a small stuffed white man who rides a reindeer". It is he who appears on the cover, has inspired this six-song EP (plus uncredited but uninteresting soundscapes buried away at the end) and is the subject of the opener, a piece of bouncy pop.

So not a jingle bell in earshot -- but on Everybody's Money the spirit of Beatles '67 is conjured up on a delightful piece of psychedelic pop, and Forget It is a chipper post-Flying Nun slice of indie-rock with fairground swirling organ. Party Below is a mildly menacing mood piece with odd noises, Wrestling With Demons is almost a seasonal singalong (except it is about walking into the wilderness) and the instrumental The Man Next Door again messes with your head in discreetly psychedelic/soundtrack way.

So, not quite a cash-in or knock off for Christmas, but the sound of a band enjoying themselves (for your sake) in the studio while recording their forthcoming album.

The signs here -- especially Everybody's Money and the slightly eerie The Man Next Door -- suggest it will be worth waiting for. Meantime . . . 

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