Phoenix and Passion Pit | Rumsey Playfield

Phoenix

French indie rockers Phoenix have been underground favorites for nearly a decade, but mainstream U.S. success has eluded them, despite an increasingly poppy, straightforward sound. Thanks to a new relationship with Glassnote Records, a boutique label run by savvy industry veteran Daniel Glass, their Stateside moment may have finally arrived. Passion Pit was originally created as a six-song valentine to frontman Michael Angelakos’ girlfriend, which morphed into 2008’s acclaimed "Chunk of Change" EP. In the blink of an eye, the maniacally catchy single "Sleepyhead” was turning up in PSP and MTV ad campaigns and Passion Pit—now a five-piece band (3 synths, bass and drums)—were creeping into critics’ top 10 lists.

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