Bankrupt! (Deluxe Edition)

Phoenix’s fascination with the poetry of translation—borne out by their decision to be a French band who only sing in English—comes to the fore on this record. In fact, it may be their most directly American album. Bathed in propulsive freeway-ready synths (“Real Thing”) and West Coast ephemera (“S.O.S. In Bel Air”), Bankrupt is both a sure-footed step forward and an intriguing, hit-packed glance in the rearview.