It goes without saying that the pandemic was tough on everyone to varying degrees. Some found it uniquely difficult to navigate, like those in the music industry for instance. Tours were scuttled, albums were delayed, and bands who weren\u2019t in quarantine together had to come up with unique ways to not fade from the fickle and short attention spans of fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then there was Phantogram<\/strong><\/a>. The fourth record from the electronic rock duo, Ceremony<\/em>, came out in 2020 just weeks before the lockdown went into effect. Trying to get people to give a shit about new music when they couldn\u2019t find toilet paper was no small task. But Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter kept at it. They toured whenever they could, relentlessly, and approached writing for the next LP at a staggered, more natural pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe didn’t really care so much about time because we didn’t know if the world was going to end or not,\u201d Carter told Vanyaland<\/em> ahead of tonight\u2019s (February 10) show at Citizens House of Blues<\/a>. \u201cSo, we just made music that we wanted to listen to for usual and took our time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last October\u2019s Memory of a Day<\/em> was the result, a dozen tracks of dreamy synths, robust beats, and swirling guitar melodies. Lyrically, it\u2019s wistful examinations of days past, the moments both large and small that stick with you forever. Mining the talents of collaborators familiar and fresh, while reaching back to the foundation of artists who collectively influenced them most, Phantogram\u2019s goal was to provide the soundtrack to memories for a new generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the weekend before taking the stage in Philadelphia, Barthel and Carter checked in with Vanyaland<\/em> for a 617 Q&A (Six Questions; One Recommendation; Seven Somethings<\/a>). The pair discussed their partnership, which endures mainly due to an effortless dynamic where they innately understand where the other is coming from. They also talked about when things don\u2019t work and aren\u2019t so breezy, as well as how to avoid the pitfalls of overanalyzing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael Christopher: Let\u2019s start with the important questions. Sarah, in 2017 at The Governors Ball, you rocked <\/strong>a Van Halen \u201cTour of the World 1984\u201d t-shirt<\/strong><\/a>, and you also have <\/strong>an Instagram archive<\/strong><\/a> named \u201cPanama\u201d from when you visited the country where you give multiple shout-outs to the band. Are you a big Van Halen fan?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarah Barthel: I do remember that, and I am a huge Van Halen fan, but that shirt was not mine. It was my boyfriend\u2019s — my boyfriend at the time — and unfortunately, he took that shit with him and it’s one of the biggest things that I miss about our relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What about you, Josh? Are you a big fan of the mighty Van Halen?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Josh Carter: I don’t know. I like the songs I’ve heard… \u201cJump\u201d and stuff. I like David Lee Roth, \u2018cause he\u2019s kooky. He\u2019s up, like, jumping around…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Barthel: Hell yeah. He\u2019s jumping everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carter: So, if that makes me a fan, then hell yes. But I don’t know their music, really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you have any bands or artists that you think people would be surprised that you listen to?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Carter: I think because I sample music so much, I don’t think people would be surprised if I listen to, like, The Doodlebops or Kidz Bop or something. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t listen to that, so I don’t know. [turns to Sarah]<\/em> Do you think anybody would be surprised by anything I listen to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Barthel: No… because you\u2019re all over the map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carter: I don’t have guilty pleasures or anything like that. What I like is what I like. If I was a big Madonna fan, I’d tell you so yeah, it’s no surprise. Open book, baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n:: SIX QUESTIONS<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n