From the opening chords of “Entertainment,” the lead single from Phoenix’s fifth studio album Bankrupt! (out April 22), it’s evident that the French pop rockers are expanding their sound.

Members of the band have said that their follow-up to the 2009 blockbuster Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix would be more experimental, and Bankrupt!’s 10 tracks provide ample support for that notion.

As “Entertainment” kicks in, there is an East Asian riff that fans might recognize from songs like Carl Douglas’ “Kung Fu Fighting,” “China Girl” from David Bowie and, perhaps most-notably, The Vapors’ “Turning Japanese.” It’s unmistakable.

With a punch-up from heavy use of synthesizers, the single takes the listener on an exotic journey through lands unknown, helped along the way by singer Thomas Mars’ trademark falsetto.

Still, while the upbeat nature of “Entertainment” might seem to set the stage for an entirely uplifting record, a look at the lyrics suggest otherwise. …

Read the full preview here > Album Pick of the Month: Phoenix’s Bankrupt! | Fender Picks (April 8, 2013 / Fender.com)