March/April 2007 Issue

Phantom Punch

<i>Astralwerks</i>. Slashing electric guitar and clattering drums intensify Lerche’s melancholy romanticism.

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Charming Norwegian Lerche embodies tasteful multinationalism, boasting lush melodies that echo Brian Wilson and Burt Bacharach and easy crooning inspired by Brazil’s Caetano Veloso. But lately, excessive polish has left Lerche in danger of sounding like Bing Crosby for the younger set. The exciting Phantom Punch rectifies that problem by upping the noise; slashing electric guitar and clattering drums intensify Lerche’s melancholy romanticism. The breathtaking “Say It All” sets heartbreak to a jumpy beat, while the angry chords of “Happy Birthday Girl” portray longing in cataclysmic terms. He’s the perfect role model for quiet guys who urge to erupt.

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We just keep seeing it happen: Newsrooms owned by billionaires and corporations are spinning their own narratives, overwriting the truth, following only stories that keep them in the pocket of those with even more power.

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Our mission is to find the truth and amplify it. That’s why we’re independent, nonprofit, and, crucially, funded by readers. The investigations on our website will always be free to read, watch, and listen to, but our newsroom is powered by readers who pitch in what they can so we can keep asking the hard questions.

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