Phiiliip

Phiiliip amassed over 1,000 songs in his formative years, but almost none of them saw the light of day until Pet Cancer. He spent a good part of those teenage years writing for the Village Voice, the New York Press, and obsessing over literature and kitschy music-making. So, it's rather fitting that Momus' American Patchwork label should release Phiiliip's Pet Cancer, since so many parallels can be drawn between the two artists. At times, Phiiliip seems almost the reincarnation of Momus in his younger, youthful folly. Tracks like "(Inside The) Sleep Pavilion" and "Pet Cancer" have similarly subtle pop sensibilities as Momus' work, even dating back to Momus' days in the Happy Family. Other tracks like "I Like the Mission" sound more akin to Genesis P- Orridge, just to draw up the range of this youngster's talents. Like Momus' Circus Maximus, Phiiliip combines soft synths, disaffected, breathy vocals, and folky acoustic guitars for a dazzling, yet minimal effect. His true songwriting capacity shines through without being covered up in tawdry treatments. Phiiliip's instrumental mélange no doubt resembles the biggest purveyors of postmodern pastiche, the Beta Band, but Phiiliip does it all on his own computer and with a bit more humility. On occasion, electronic beats slip into the mix, but these songs are truly based on melody and structure. A bright career lies ahead for this young performer. ~ Ken Taylor, All Music Guide