By Viviana Castañeda
Dear God, we can’t get enough of Phantogram’s latest album Ceremony.
It’s been four years since the duo released their last full-length album Three and they’re back with 11 new tunes. Frontwoman Sarah Barthel took to Instagram to share her perspective on the album. Impacted by the loss of her sister Becky and heroes from suicide, Barthel confesses how the sadness took a toll on her and her bandmate Josh Carter.
Phantogram’s last album defined the weight of sorrow the duo experienced after losing Becky. With the past on replay, Barthel said “performing these songs every night was like reliving the feelings over and over again,” even making tour impossible to get through.
“Life after losing someone from suicide is very confusing,” wrote Barthel. In an interview with Spin, the artists discuss how their profession can often feel as if they’re putting their lives on hold. “I think we needed to go back to a life of normalcy and see what it was like to be a normal human being for a while,” said Carter.
Feeling lost, conquering struggles and getting through the day inspired the creation of Ceremony. “How do we save ourselves from this seemingly endless cycle of love and loss?” That mindful question resulted in the slight alteration of the band’s musical influence. After Barthel found a home to call her own, the two produced part of the new album in her studio. Experimenting with new sounds and styles, Phantogram found a way to balance this new chapter of music by sticking to their roots in songs like “Dear God” and “In A Spiral.”
Phantogram- In A Sprial (Official Lyric Video)
Listen to the full album below.
Photo: Getty by Rick Kern in Austin, TX
