Mod-A-Day: The Phobes

In a recent post about the Slickee Boys I mentioned that Washington DC had spawned some good bands over the years. Perhaps none had the unrealized potential -- three full length releases not withstanding -- of the late 90s group The Phobes. Combining equal parts mod, power pop, and garage punk sounds, the band had a sound that was super sharp, and very compelling. From the slow, soulful, organ based R&B song "Lesson Learned", to the spikey power pop of "Pick It Up", the band showed a wide range of ability. And some top notch production values didn't hurt -- such as on the song here "He's Alright" a straight ahead mod tune that is my favorite from their sophmore release The Beginning Or The End. The band broke up in 2005, but it seems they've reunited for some gigs in Spain just in the past few months. Perhaps some US shows? A new records? One never knows, but one can hope.

The Phobes -- He's Alright



The Phobes -- Hold On Tight