Phantom Planet Is Breaking Up

It's a sad day for fans of Phantom Planet (and subsequently fans of "The O.C."), as the power-pop wunderkinds have announced their imminent demise, effective December 12. In a short message on their Myspace, the band writes:

This could be the most difficult piece of news we have ever had to post. Sadly, Phantom Planet will be playing our last show, December 12, at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, the same venue that we played our very first live all ages gig, back in 1994. We have had an amazing time playing together for 15 years, but we have officially decided to go on hiatus, and will not be playing any more live shows or making any new records, indefinitely. There is so much more to write, but at this time, we just want to say thank you, to everyone, for their support, friendship, inspiration, attendance, and love.

-alex, darren, jeff and sam.

...Ah yes, the age-old "indefinite hiatus." Dudes, if you're breaking up, just call it a break up. It's a lot easier on yourselves and your fans. Don't lie to us and say you're going on hiatus, only to leave us waiting patiently for your return. (We're still waiting for you to come back, At The Drive In.)

The band is best known one of two things: actor Jason Schwartzman used to be their drummer, and they're responsible for the hit song "California", from the 2002 gem The Guest and of course, "The O.C.". While they never quite achieved the same popularity after Schwartzman left and the show ended, they kept trucking along and delivered two underrated albums ('04's self-titled and this year's Raise The Dead.) Plus, they slayed live when we caught them back in August... so admittedly, we're pretty bummed about the whole thing. Here's hoping they'll eventually come back. (But probably not.)

Phantom Planet Isn't Missing, New Album Out Today

It feels like forever since Phantom Planet was relevant, and by all accounts, it has been. The band disappeared after 2004's underwhelming self-titled album, but miraculously, they've made a substantial comeback this year, first surprisingly signing to Fueled By Ramen, and then announcing a joint tour with the likes of Panic At The Disco and Motion City Soundtrack, all leading up to today's release of Raise the Dead. If it seems like a calculated effort to win back the fanbase that the band achieved with "California", the indelible theme song from The O.C., it may very well be. Having heard the album, though, let's push all marketing efforts to the wayside, because the resulting work is actually way more than half-decent. There's something for everything to like, as it feels like the logical midway point the band skipped between 2002's Costelloesque The Guest and the forced garage rock album that followed it up two years later. It doesn't feel contrived; rather, it's a natural collection that finds the band comfortably playing their brand of jagged pop while avoiding the temptation to jump on any particular trend.

You can hear the entire record over at Phantom Planet's Myspace, where it's currently up for streaming.

Now if only Jason Schwartzman would rejoin the band...

-Andrew Daniels