The Phoenix Foundation Wait for Me 12″
The PHOENIX FOUNDATION’s Wait for Me is a one-sided, four-track 12″ from this Finnish band, who’ve been putting out records since the early 2000s. The touchstones floating around them are HÜSKER DÜ and LEATHERFACE, but don’t go in expecting much of the abrasion that made those bands great—this is the smoother, more radio-friendly cousin. The singer delivers a gliding, upper-register performance that feels perpetually on the verge of giving out, riding high over tight, ringing guitars in a way that’s appealing enough but never quite matches the urgency of the drummer. The second song, “Intro,” an instrumental, reminded my buddy Jason of SUPERCHUNK or the bands on Merge Records in the ’90s, and when I told him they were Finnish, he said “That tracks.” This is going to sound crazy, but some of the music brought to mind the BIG BOYS’ song “Which Way to Go,” which might be a more interesting comparison than the band probably deserves. It’s fine, but unlikely to fight its way into regular rotation.