Phosphorescent (musician)

Last updated

Phosphorescent
PhosphorescentBand1.jpg
Phosphorescent at The Echo in Los Angeles, California
Background information
Origin Athens, Georgia, United States
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
  • bass
  • drums
  • ukulele
Years active2001–present
Labels
Website phosphorescentmusic.com

Phosphorescent is the stage name of American singer-songwriter Matthew Houck. [1] [2] [3] Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Houck began recording and performing under this nickname in 2001 in Athens, Georgia. He is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Contents

Overview

Before recording under the name Phosphorescent, Matthew Houck toured under the name Fillup Shack and self-released a limited pressing of the album Hipolit in 2000. [4] Houck later changed his stage name to Phosphorescent and released the full-length LP A Hundred Times or More in 2003 through Athens, Georgia-based independent label Warm Records. The following year, he released the EP The Weight of Flight . Phosphorescent rose to wider critical acclaim after releasing Aw Come Aw Wry in August 2005 and Pride in October 2007. The latter was named the 12th best album of 2007 by Stylus Magazine [5] and received an 8.0 rating from the online indie magazine Pitchfork . [6] In 2009, inspired by Willie Nelson's tribute album to Lefty Frizzell To Lefty from Willie , Houck crafted a tribute album to Nelson himself entitled To Willie , released through Dead Oceans. Phosphorescent released Here's to Taking It Easy in 2010.

Muchacho , Phosphorescent's sixth studio album, was released in 2013 to critical acclaim. [7] [8] [9] The full studio album C'est La Vie followed in 2018. [10]

In January 2024, Phosphorescent announced their new album Revelator , to be released in April on Verve Records. For the first time, it features a song written by someone other than Houck - his partner and collaborator, Jo Schornikow. [11]

Discography

Phosphorescent performs in Colorado, Nov. 2018 Phosphorescent.Denver.jpg
Phosphorescent performs in Colorado, Nov. 2018

Studio albums

YearTitleLabel
2003 A Hundred Times or More Warm
2004 The Weight of Flight EP
2005 Aw Come Aw Wry Misra
2007 Pride Dead Oceans
2009 To Willie
2010 Here's to Taking It Easy
2013 Muchacho
2015Live at the Music Hall [12]
2018 C'est La Vie
2024 Revelator Verve Records

Singles and other releases

YearTitleLabelDescription
2005"I Am a Full Grown Man (I Will Lay in the Grass All Day)"The Great Pop SupplementUK limited 7" release
2010Live / Ghost Lights EP Dead Oceans Limited-press tour EP
2021The BBC SessionsBandcampDigital Album
2022Trying to get to HeavenTrying to get to HeavenSingle

Compilation appearances

YearCompilationSong
2003Esopus Magazine Number 1 Public Domain"Home on the Range" (trad.)
2006Awful Bliss Records: Songs For Another Place"One of My Turns" (Pink Floyd)
2009Live at KEXP Vol.5"Wolves" (solo, live)
2009Splice Today: The Old Lonesome Sound"Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)"(Stephen Foster)
2009St. Ives Records: It Happened Here"South (Of America)" (live)
2010MOJO Magazine: Let It Be – Revisited"Across the Universe"(Beatles)
2010More Townes Van Zandt by the Great Unknown"Why She's Acting This Way"(Townes Van Zandt)
2011MOJO Magazine: Harvest – Revisited"Are You Ready for the Country?"(Neil Young)
2011Margin Call Soundtrack"Wolves"
2014The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack"Song For Zula"
2016 Day of the Dead Compilation"Sugaree" (Grateful Dead)
2019Matthias et Maxime by Xavier Dolan Soundtrack"Song For Zula"
2021Can't Get You Out of My Head - Part 6: Are We Pigeon? Are We Dancer? by Adam Curtis Soundtrack"Song For Zula"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Nelson</span> American country singer (born 1933)

Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country singer, guitarist and songwriter. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. The critical success of his album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.

<i>Red Headed Stranger</i> 1975 studio album by Willie Nelson

Red Headed Stranger is the eighteenth studio album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1975. Following the success of his recordings with Atlantic Records, coupled with the negotiating skills of his manager, Neil Reshen, Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records, the label that gave him total creative control over his works. The concept for the album was inspired by the "Tale of the Red Headed Stranger", a song that Nelson used to play as a disc jockey on his program in Fort Worth, Texas. After signing with Columbia, he decided to record the song, and arranged the details during his return to Austin, Texas, from a trip to Colorado. It was recorded at low cost at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland, Texas. The songs featured sparse arrangements, largely limited to Nelson's guitar, piano, and drums. Nelson presented the finished material to Columbia executives, who were dubious about releasing an album that they at first thought was a demo. However, Nelson had creative control, so no further production was added.

<i>The B-52s</i> (album) 1979 studio album by the B-52s

The B-52's is the debut album by American New wave band the B-52's. The kitschy lyrics and mood, and the hook-laden harmonies helped establish a fanbase for the band, who went on to release several chart-topping singles. The album cover was designed by Tony Wright.

"Pancho and Lefty", originally "Poncho and Lefty", is a song written by American country music singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Perhaps his most well-known song, Van Zandt recorded his original version of this song for his 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. The song has been recorded by several artists since its composition and performance by Van Zandt, with the Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard version selling the most copies and reaching number one on the Billboard country chart. In 2021, the Townes Van Zandt version was ranked number 498 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

<i>I See a Darkness</i> 1999 studio album by Bonnie "Prince" Billy

I See a Darkness is the sixth album by American musician Will Oldham, released on Palace Records on January 19, 1999, as the first album under the name Bonnie "Prince" Billy. The album features appearances from Bob Arellano, Colin Gagon, Paul Oldham, David Pajo, and Peter Townsend.

<i>Piracy Funds Terrorism</i> 2004 mixtape by M.I.A. and Diplo

Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume 1, usually referred to simply as Piracy Funds Terrorism, is a mixtape produced by British recording artist M.I.A. and American DJ Diplo featuring vocal tracks intended for M.I.A.'s debut album Arular mashed up with samples of other recordings. The mixtape was produced by the two artists at Diplo's home studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was not officially released, but was distributed at M.I.A.'s live shows and via the internet to promote the release of her much-delayed debut album. Despite its unofficial status, the mixtape received general acclaim among critics. Several music publications included the mixtape in their listings of the best albums of 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jana Hunter</span> American songwriter and musician

Jana Hunter is an American songwriter and musician based in Baltimore.

<i>Change</i> (The Dismemberment Plan album) 2001 studio album by The Dismemberment Plan

Change is the fourth studio album by The Dismemberment Plan. It was released on October 23, 2001 on DeSoto Records. It was recorded by J. Robbins at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia and it was mixed by Chad Clark.

Liz Durrett is an American singer-songwriter born in Rome, Georgia and now based in Athens, Georgia.

<i>Boxer</i> (The National album) 2007 studio album by The National

Boxer is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on May 22, 2007, on Beggars Banquet Records. Following its release, the album debuted at number 68 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 9,500 copies in its first week.

<i>Da Drought 3</i> 2007 mixtape by Lil Wayne

Da Drought 3 is the sixth mixtape by Lil Wayne, released on April 13, 2007.

<i>Songbird</i> (Willie Nelson album) 2006 studio album by Willie Nelson

Songbird is the 55th studio album by Willie Nelson released by Lost Highway Records on October 31, 2006. It was produced by contemporary country rock musician Ryan Adams. Adams, along with his band The Cardinals, performed on the album's eleven tracks. It peaked at #87 on the Billboard 200 on November 18, 2006

<i>Pride</i> (Phosphorescent album) 2007 studio album by Phosphorescent

Pride is the third album by Phosphorescent and his first on the Dead Oceans label. It was released on October 23, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead Oceans</span> American independent record label

Dead Oceans is an American independent record label formed in 2007 and based in Bloomington, Indiana.

Madeline Elizabeth Adams, known mononymously as Madeline, is a folk singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Jealous Lovers</span> 2002 single by The Rapture

"House of Jealous Lovers" is a song by American indie rock band the Rapture. It was released as the lead single from their second studio album, Echoes, in March 2002, through DFA Records in the US and Output Recordings in the UK. It was eventually re-released in 2003.

<i>Muchacho</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Phosphorescent

Muchacho is the sixth studio album by American indie rock act Phosphorescent, released on March 19, 2013 on Dead Oceans. Self-produced by Matthew Houck, the album was preceded by the single, "Song for Zula". "Song for Zula" was also featured in The Spectacular Now, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and the series finale of Superstore: "All Sales Final".

<i>Keep the Village Alive</i> 2015 studio album by Stereophonics

Keep the Village Alive is the ninth studio album by Welsh rock band Stereophonics. Released on 11 September 2015, it was produced by lead singer and guitarist Kelly Jones, along with Jim Lowe. It is intended to be the second of two album volumes, with its predecessor Graffiti on the Train being the first. It is the first album to feature Jamie Morrison, who joined during the production of Graffiti on the Train in 2012. Keep the Village Alive was met with a similar positive response as Graffiti on the Train and topped the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's first to do so since Pull the Pin (2007).

<i>Cest La Vie</i> (Phosphorescent album) 2018 studio album by Phosphorescent

C'est La Vie is the seventh studio album by Phosphorescent. The album was released on Dead Oceans on October 5, 2018.

<i>Revelator</i> (Phosphorescent album) 2024 studio album by Phosphorescent

Revelator is the eighth studio album by American band Phosphorescent, released on April 5, 2024, as their label debut on Verve Records and their first studio album in six years, following C'est La Vie (2018).

References

  1. Thomas, Fred. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  2. Interview, Exclusive. "Phosphorescent Played, Partied With Robert Plant on His Birthday". Fuse.
  3. "Phosphorescent announces U.S. tour dates, opening for Robert Plant". June 18, 2013.
  4. Fred Thomas, "Artist Bio: Phosphorescent", AllMusicGuide, retrieved October 30, 2008.
  5. Stylus Staff, "Top 50 Albums of 2007" Archived March 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine , Stylus Magazine, October 31, 2007.
  6. William Bowers, "Album Reviews: Phosphorescent – Pride" Archived October 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , Pitchfork Media, October 22, 2007.
  7. Nemo, Nemo. "Phosphorescent: Muchacho De Lujo (Deluxe Edition)". www.secretlydistribution.com/. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  8. Caramanica, Jon; Chinen, Nate (March 18, 2013). "Albums by Low and Phosphorescent". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  9. Barton, Laura (November 28, 2013). "Phosphorescent: 'It's hard to know how far you've slipped, if you're slipping'". The Guardian . London. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  10. Haver Currin, Grayson (August 1, 2018). "Phosphorescent on Parenthood and His First Album in Five Years, C'est La Vie". Pitchfork.
  11. Sacher, Andrew (January 24, 2024). "Phosphorescent announces new album 'Revelator,' shares title track, played private show at The Bitter End (pics)". Brooklyn Vegan.
  12. "Phosphorescent: Live at the Music Hall". Dead Oceans. Retrieved March 13, 2015.