Phantom Phorce

Image:Super Furry Animals Phantom Phorce Arcade Cabinet.jpg.]]

Phantom Phorce features remixes previously available on the DVD version of Phantom Power. According to drummer Dafydd Ieuan the band didn't have the money to pay the artists involved for these remixes so, in order to provide them with royalties, promised to release an album featuring the tracks on their own label.

The record features remixes of every track from 2003's Phantom Power presented in sequence, along with extra versions of "Valet Parking" and "Hello Sunshine" which appear at the end of the album. The remixes vary from radical reworkings such as Killa Kella's beatbox treatment of "Golden Retriever" and Wauvenfold's "unrecognisable" version of "Sex, War and Robots",{{cite web|last=Miller |first=Derek |title=Super Furry Animals: Phantom Phorce |work=Pitchfork Media |date=2004-09-20 |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22147-phantom-phorce |access-date=2009-03-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516094312/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22147-phantom-phorce |archive-date=May 16, 2008 }}{{cite web|last=Lundy|first=Zeth|title=Phantom Phorce|work=PopMatters|date=2004-07-06|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/superfurryanimals-phantomphorce|access-date=2009-03-04}} to the likes of Mario Caldato Jr's take on "Liberty Belle" and High Llamas' "Valet Parking" which are merely "spruced up".{{cite journal|first=Dan|last=Stubbs|title=Phantom Phorce|journal=Q|volume=214|pages=108|date=May 2004}}{{cite web|title=SUPER FURRY ANIMALS - PHANTOM PHORCE|work=Uncut|date=2004-10-20|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/super_furry_animals/reviews/7434|access-date=2009-03-08|archive-date=19 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519205544/http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/super_furry_animals/reviews/7434|url-status=dead}}

The remixes are interspersed with anecdotes from 'Kurt Stern' (actually the band's road manager) who supposedly made the decision to make these remixes after being unhappy with the original Phantom Power. According to bassist Guto Pryce this "running commentary is tongue in cheek, it's our road manager pretending to be a producer, and he ends up sounding like a... twat!" These anecdotes give the actual release a different track listing from that which appears on the back of the album.

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = Exclaim!

|rev1score = (favourable){{cite web |first=Cam |last=Lindsay |title=Review: Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce |url=http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=63&csid2=850&fid1=16877 |date=October 2004 |publisher=Ian Danzig |access-date=18 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713150558/http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=63&csid2=850&fid1=16877 |archive-date=13 July 2007 |url-status=dead }}

|rev2 = The Guardian

|rev2score = (favourable)

|rev3 = musicOMH

|rev3score = (favourable)

|rev4 = NME

|rev4score = (7/10)

|rev5 = Pitchfork Media

|rev5score = (7.0/10)

|rev6 = PopMatters

|rev6score = (favourable)

|rev7 = Q

|rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}

|rev8 = The Times

|rev8score = {{rating|3|5}}

|rev9 = Uncut

|rev9score = {{rating|4|5}}

|rev10 = Western Mail

|rev10score = (4/5)

}}

Initial copies of the album came bundled with the Slow Life EP in packaging which could be folded into the shape of a video game arcade cabinet, or "personal console" as described on the instructions section of the sleeve. The CDs themselves were housed in individual sleeves designed to look like 3.5" floppy disks. Zeth Lundy, reviewing the album for PopMatters, commented that he constructed the arcade cabinet with "sheer geeky delight" while CokeMachineGlow called the packaging "nostalgic but infuriating".{{cite web|last=Lundy|first=Zeth|title=Phantom Phorce|work=PopMatters|date=2004-07-06|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/superfurryanimals-phantomphorce|access-date=2009-03-08}}{{cite web|last=Sinacola|first=Dom|title=Phantom Phorce/Slow Life EP|work=Cokemachineglow|date=2004-10-20|url=http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/2161/super-furry-animals|access-date=2009-03-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720033957/http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/2161/super-furry-animals|archive-date=2008-07-20}} Phantom Phorce was also issued on gold-coloured vinyl.{{cite web|title=Phantom Phorce|work=Discogs|date=c. 2004|url=http://www.discogs.com/Super-Furry-Animals-Phantom-Phorce/release/1255635|access-date=2009-03-12}}

Critical reaction to Phantom Phorce was generally positive with Uncut stating that the album features an "inspired overhaul" of tracks from Phantom Power, the Western Mail describing the record as a "mind-bending collection that radically re-works each track from the original record to create something entirely different, but equally appealing" and musicOMH calling it "an innovative and thoroughly enjoyable set of remixes".{{cite web|last=Welsh|first=David|title=Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce (Placid Casual)|work=musicOMH|date=2004-04-12|url=http://www.musicomh.com/albums/super-furry-animals-2.htm|access-date=2009-03-08|archive-date=2008-10-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003223110/http://www.musicomh.com/albums/super-furry-animals-2.htm|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Rees|first=Christopher|title=Super Furry Animals, 'Phantom Phorce' (Placid Casual)|work=Western Mail|date=2004-04-12|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/entertainment-reviews/music-reviews/2004/04/12/super-furry-animals-phantom-phorce-placid-casual-91466-14141096/|access-date=2009-03-08}} Some reviews pointed out that the album compares favourably with other remix albums with The Guardian calling Phantom Phorce "stimulating and often rather beautiful, bucking the trend set by most other self-indulgent and pointless remix albums" and the NME stating that "hearing a rock band get the remix treatment is usually a mildly diverting experience rather than a life-changing one. So it's an extremely pleasant surprise to be faced with a whole album of the buggers ... and be thoroughly entertained."{{cite web|last=Empire|first=Kitty|title=Super Furry Animals, Phantom Phorce|work=The Guardian|date=2004-04-11|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/apr/11/popandrock5|access-date=2009-03-08}}{{cite web|last=Woodhouse|first=Alan|title=Super Furry Animals: Phantom Phorce|work=NME|date=2004-04-20|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/super-furry-animals/7383|access-date=2009-03-08}} Q stated that the commentary by 'Kurt Stern' was one of the best features of the album and The Times expressed surprise that these "'amusing interludes' between tracks are actually funny",{{cite web|last=Edwards|first=Mark|title=Super Furry Animals: Phantom Phorce|work=The Times|date=2004-04-11|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article1056818.ece|access-date=2009-03-08}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} however Pitchfork Media found that 'Stern' "gets in the way more than he helps" and claimed that, by the time the listener had heard the full album he or she would "likely consider redubbing it without ['Stern's'] contributions". Reviewing Phantom Phorce for DiSCORDER magazine, Jordie Yow called it "good, but not exceptional" and claimed that the remixes simply made him want to listen to the original versions of the tracks while website Angry Ape was scathing, calling the album a "bland & uninspiring package to put you off remixes for life" and suggested that it was merely a "cash-in" by the band.{{cite web|last=Yow|first=Jordie|title=September 2004 reviews|work=DiSCORDER|date=September 2004|url=http://www.discorder.ca/oldsite/reviews/04september.html|access-date=2009-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011020208/http://discorder.ca/oldsite/reviews/04september.html|archive-date=2008-10-11|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=R|first=Dave|title=Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce (Placid Casual)|work=Angry Ape|date=2004-04-18|url=http://angryape.com/reviews/2004/04/18/super-furry-animals-phantom-phorce|access-date=2009-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201195331/http://angryape.com/reviews/2004/04/18/super-furry-animals-phantom-phorce|archive-date=2008-12-01|url-status=dead}}

{{track listing

| extra_column = Remixer(s)

| all_writing = Super Furry Animals

| title1 = Hello Sunshine

| extra1 = Weevil

| length1 = 4:22

| title2 = Liberty Belle

| extra2 = Mario Caldato Jr.

| length2 = 2:59

| title3 = Golden Retriever

| extra3 = Killa Kela

| length3 = 2:33

| title4 = Sex, War & Robots

| extra4 = Wauvenfold

| length4 = 3:23

| title5 = The Piccolo Snare

| extra5 = Four Tet

| length5 = 7:08

| title6 = Venus & Serena

| extra6 = Massimo

| length6 = 2:57

| title7 = Father Father

| extra7 = Boom Bip

| length7 = 4:54

| title8 = Bleed Forever

| extra8 = Bravecaptain

| length8 = 6:12

| title9 = Out of Control

| extra9 = Zan Lyons

| length9 = 4:56

| title10 = Cityscape Skybaby

| extra10 = Minotaur Shock

| length10 = 5:55

| title11 = Valet Parking

| extra11 = High Llamas

| length11 = 5:06

| title12 = The Undefeated

| extra12 = Llwybr Llaethog

| length12 = 3:43

| title13 = Slow Life

| extra13 = Sir Doufous Styles

| length13 = 5:06

| title14 = Valet Parking

| extra14 = Force Unknown

| length14 = 5:06

| title15 = Hello Sunshine

| extra15 = Freiband

| length15 = 10:31

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Full track listing, including 'Kurt Stern' commentary

| title1 = My name is Kurt Stern...

| length1 = 0:32

| title2 = Hello Sunshine

| note2 = Weevil remix

| length2 = 4:22

| title3 = Liberty Belle

| note3 = Mario Caldato Jr. remix

| length3 = 2:59

| title4 = Well, the band said that they wanted to be challenged...

| length4 = 0:09

| title5 = Golden Retriever

| note5 = Killa Kela remix

| length5 = 2:33

| title6 = Sex, War & Robots

| note6 = Wauvenfold remix

| length6 = 3:23

| title7 = It's a lovely little number here...

| length7 = 0:17

| title8 = The Piccolo Snare

| note8 = Four Tet remix

| length8 = 7:08

| title9 = I think the band will have a tough time...

| length9 = 0:06

| title10 = Venus & Serena

| note10 = Massimo remix

| length10 = 2:57

| title11 = I have to smile here...

| length11 = 0:22

| title12 = Father Father

| note12 = Boom Bip remix

| length12 = 4:54

| title13 = Something truly odd...

| length13 = 0:20

| title14 = Bleed Forever

| note14 = bravecaptain remix

| length14 = 6:12

| title15 = Lately a fire brigade of bands...

| length15 = 0:44

| title16 = Out of Control

| note16 = Zan Lyons remix

| length16 = 4:56

| title17 = On such a lovely song as this one...

| length17 = 0:24

| title18 = Cityscape Skybaby

| note18 = Minotaur Shock remix

| length18 = 5:55

| title19 = This is Daf's turn to get a bit loopy...

| length19 = 0:24

| title20 = Valet Parking

| note20 = High Llamas remix

| length20 = 5:06

| title21 = And uh, coming up here you're gonna hear...

| length21 = 0:20

| title22 = The Undefeated

| note22 = Llwybr Llaethog remix

| length22 = 3:43

| title23 = Slow Life

| note23 = Sir Doufous Styles remix

| length23 = 5:06

| title24 = OK this is rock star time...

| length24 = 0:23

| title25 = Valet Parking

| note25 = Force Unknown remix

| length25 = 5:06

| title26 = This song worked equally well we discovered..."

| length26 = 0:14

| title27 = Hello Sunshine

| note27 = Freiband remix

| length27 = 10:31

| title28 = It's always a battle collaborating with someone else...

| length28 = 0:18

}}

The following people contributed to Phantom Phorce:

• Gruff Rhys – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Huw Bunford – Lead guitar, backing vocals
• Guto Pryce – Bass guitar
• Cian Ciaran – Keyboards, backing vocals
• Dafydd Ieuan – Drums, backing vocals

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Weevil
• Mario Caldato Jr.
• Killa Kela
• Wauvenfold
• Four Tet
• Massimo
• Boom Bip
• Bravecaptain

{{col-2}}

• Zan Lyons
• Minotaur Shock
• High Llamas
• Llwybr Llaethog
• Sir Doufous Styles
• Force Unknown
• Freiband

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Jonathan 'Catfish' Thomas – pedal steel guitar on tracks 4, 13
• Kris Jenkins – percussion on tracks 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15
• Rachel Thomas – backing vocals on tracks 3, 4
• Gary Alsebrook – trumpet on tracks 6, 7
• Savio Pacini – trombone on tracks 6, 7
• Rico Rodriguez – trombone on track 13
• Eddie Thornton – trumpet on track 13
• Ray Carless – saxophone on track 13

{{col-2}}

• Marcus Holdway – cello on tracks 4, 7, 13, 14
• Sally Herbert – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Brian G. Wright – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Gill Morley – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Ellen Blair – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Pete Fowler – Kaoss flanges on track 14
• Neil McFarland – Kaoss flanges on track 14

{{col-end}}

• Pete Fowler – Illustration & design
• John Mark James – Illustration & design

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0qF-DdNGpIgEJxPh3qE-9S2sDhFRFTnj Phantom Phorce] at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
• {{MusicBrainz release|mbid=98656150-2d70-4775-83f9-dde1a11566bb|name=Phantom Phorce}}

{{Super Furry Animals}}

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Category:Super Furry Animals albums

Category:2004 remix albums

Category:Albums with cover art by Pete Fowler