Test Spin: Phantom Planet

Phantom Planet is most notorious for their creation of the undeniably catchy song, “California,” the theme to the hit TV show, The O.C. Now, the SoCal rock quartet has returned to the music scene in an attempt to break away from their categorization as one-hit wonders.
Their new album, Raise the Dead, includes a collection of songs with an easy-to-listen-to, California-rock sound that holds together fairly well. While a couple tracks don’t deliver anything special, quite a few are surprisingly enjoyable. “Do the Panic” begins with a slow tempo, but eventually transitions into a bold chorus that begs the listener to sing along. In addition, “Leader,” is a fun song with a catchy chorus and quite a few instrumental breaks. Released just in time for the warm weather, Raise the Dead would be the perfect choice for laying out on a sunny day or a long drive to the beach.