Phosphorescent (musician)

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Phosphorescent
Phosphorescent at The Echo in Los Angeles, California
Phosphorescent at The Echo in Los Angeles, California
Background information
OriginAthens, Georgia, United States
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
  • bass
  • drums
  • ukulele
Years active2001–present
Labels
Websitephosphorescentmusic.com

Phosphorescent is the stage name of American singer-songwriter Matthew Houck.[1][2][3] Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Houck began recording and performing under this nickname in 2001 in Athens, Georgia. He is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Overview[edit]

Before recording under the name Phosphorescent, Matthew Houck toured under the name Fillup Shack and self-released a limited pressing of the album Hipolit in 2000.[4] Houck later changed his stage name to Phosphorescent and released the full-length LP A Hundred Times or More in 2003 through Athens, Georgia-based independent label Warm Records. The following year, he released the EP The Weight of Flight. Phosphorescent rose to wider critical acclaim after releasing Aw Come Aw Wry in August 2005 and Pride in October 2007. The latter was named the 12th best album of 2007 by Stylus Magazine[5] and received an 8.0 rating from the online indie magazine Pitchfork.[6] In 2009, inspired by Willie Nelson's tribute album to Lefty Frizzell To Lefty from Willie, Houck crafted a tribute album to Nelson himself entitled To Willie, released through Dead Oceans. Phosphorescent released Here's to Taking It Easy in 2010.

Muchacho, Phosphorescent's sixth studio album, was released in 2013 to critical acclaim.[7][8][9] The full studio album C'est La Vie followed in 2018.[10]

In January 2024, Phosphorescent announced their new album Revelator, to be released in April on Verve Records. For the first time, it features a song written by someone other than Houck - his partner and collaborator, Jo Schornikow.[11]

Discography[edit]

Phosphorescent performs in Colorado, Nov. 2018

Studio albums[edit]

Year Title Label
2003 A Hundred Times or More Warm
2004 The Weight of Flight EP
2005 Aw Come Aw Wry Misra
2007 Pride Dead Oceans
2009 To Willie
2010 Here's to Taking It Easy
2013 Muchacho
2015 Live at the Music Hall[12]
2018 C'est La Vie
2024 Revelator Verve Records

Singles and other releases[edit]

Year Title Label Description
2005 "I Am a Full Grown Man (I Will Lay in the Grass All Day)" The Great Pop Supplement UK limited 7" release
2010 Live / Ghost Lights EP Dead Oceans Limited-press tour EP
2021 The BBC Sessions Bandcamp Digital Album
2022 Trying to get to Heaven Trying to get to Heaven Single

Compilation appearances[edit]

Year Compilation Song
2003 Esopus Magazine Number 1 Public Domain "Home on the Range" (trad.)
2006 Awful Bliss Records: Songs For Another Place "One of My Turns" (Pink Floyd)
2009 Live at KEXP Vol.5 "Wolves" (solo, live)
2009 Splice Today: The Old Lonesome Sound "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)"(Stephen Foster)
2009 St. Ives Records: It Happened Here "South (Of America)" (live)
2010 MOJO Magazine: Let It Be – Revisited "Across the Universe"(Beatles)
2010 More Townes Van Zandt by the Great Unknown "Why She's Acting This Way"(Townes Van Zandt)
2011 MOJO Magazine: Harvest – Revisited "Are You Ready for the Country?"(Neil Young)
2011 Margin Call Soundtrack "Wolves"
2014 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack "Song For Zula"
2016 Day of the Dead Compilation "Sugaree" (Grateful Dead)
2019 Matthias et Maxime by Xavier Dolan Soundtrack "Song For Zula"
2021 Can't Get You Out of My Head - Part 6: Are We Pigeon? Are We Dancer? by Adam Curtis Soundtrack "Song For Zula"

References[edit]

  1. ^ Thomas, Fred. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  2. ^ Interview, Exclusive. "Phosphorescent Played, Partied With Robert Plant on His Birthday". Fuse.
  3. ^ "Phosphorescent announces U.S. tour dates, opening for Robert Plant". June 18, 2013.
  4. ^ Fred Thomas, "Artist Bio: Phosphorescent", AllMusicGuide, retrieved October 30, 2008.
  5. ^ Stylus Staff, "Top 50 Albums of 2007" Archived March 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Stylus Magazine, October 31, 2007.
  6. ^ William Bowers, "Album Reviews: Phosphorescent – Pride" Archived October 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Pitchfork Media, October 22, 2007.
  7. ^ Nemo, Nemo. "Phosphorescent: Muchacho De Lujo (Deluxe Edition)". www.secretlydistribution.com/. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  8. ^ Caramanica, Jon; Chinen, Nate. "Albums by Low and Phosphorescent". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  9. ^ Barton, Laura (November 28, 2013). "Phosphorescent: 'It's hard to know how far you've slipped, if you're slipping'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  10. ^ Haver Currin, Grayson (August 1, 2018). "Phosphorescent on Parenthood and His First Album in Five Years, C'est La Vie". Pitchfork.
  11. ^ Sacher, Andrew (January 24, 2024). "Phosphorescent announces new album 'Revelator,' shares title track, played private show at The Bitter End (pics)". Brooklyn Vegan.
  12. ^ "Phosphorescent: Live at the Music Hall". Dead Oceans. Retrieved March 13, 2015.

External links[edit]