London Guitar Academy Great Albums You May Have Missed 

2016

It’s heading towards the end of the year and LGA reviewer, Paul Wood, casts his eyes (and ears) over his albums of 2016. These are albums which are probably not going to appear on the “popular” mainstream music journals’ list of albums of the year, but which we certainly think are worthy of your attention.

Phantoms

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First up this year is the self titled debut album from U.S. band “The Phantoms”. Released on Rum Bar Records, the album is a classic mix of garage, crunchy power chords and typically loud rock’n’roll. Throw in some glam influences and a country boogie number and you’ll quickly realize these boys know how to get your attention!

Albums You May Have Missed 2016

The Phantoms hail from San Diego and comprise:

Xavie Anaya – Lead guitar

Victor Penalosa – Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

Ed Masi – Drums

Chris Iandolo – Bass guitar

Victor Penalosa is probably the only name that’s well known in the UK – he’s played with the Zeros (brother Hector was a founder member) and was last seen over here this year as the powerhouse drummer with the reincarnated Flamin’ Groovies.  In the Phantoms, Penalosa steps out front with a set of songs that melds influences as diverse as the Stones, T.Rex , Mott the Hoople (and the Groovies) into one fine set of original songs.

Crunchy powerchords and a nifty rock riff lead into the album opener “Baby Loves Her Rock’n’Roll” and it’s a bona fide classic. Here’s a link to the video track posted on Youtube by Chris Iandolo:

“Chump change” starts with a spoken monologue diatribe and then bursts into life with more crunchy rills and a great opening line of “Starting the day with the look on your face, so tragic”

“One For The Road” is a country boogie and “Atomic Fireball” brings to mind a rocked-up T-Rex.

“Ditch Digger” is like an amped up Loney-era Groovies rocker with production from the team behind The Sweet’s glam rock stompers.

The album closes with another straight rocker “Stab My Broken Heart” and it’s the sort of closer that makes you to put the album on repeat. Here’s a link to the video track posted on Youtube by the Phantoms:

Any band that titles one of their songs after the bass player in Mott The Hoople (“The Ballad of Overend Watts”) deserves a listen – give them a try and you won’t be disappointed. The whole album is high energy rock’n’roll at its best!

Buy the album from Rum Bar Records:

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-phantoms

And check out:

Website: http://phantomsrock.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/The-Phantoms-125680487549627/?fref=ts

Live Action

Here’s a link to a live video clip posted on Youtube of the band cranking through the Stonesy-rocker “Tears Me Up Inside”

Now all we want is for the band to announce some European dates!