Lanegan Band, Mark: Phantom Radio LP

Phantom Radio is the 2014 full length from the Mark Lanegan Band produced by Alain Johannes, is Lanegan’s ninth release under his own name, his 20th if you include his collaborations, and close to his 50th if you include his guest appearances. Lanegan's chief compositional tool on Phantom Radio was his phone – specifically an app called Funk Box. “I didn’t bother to hook up my 909 and 808 this time,” he says, “because the app had ’em. I’d write drum parts with it then add music with the synthesizer or the guitar.” The album grew organically from these synthetic roots, taking in Mark’s ongoing love of Krautrock and also an ’80s new wave show on Sirius satellite radio, his favored aural companion as he drives around Los Angeles. “They have a few good shows but the ‘80s one in particular I like,” he adds. “That’s the music that was happening when I started making music. And although the Trees drew on Nuggets psychedelia, 13th Floor Elevators and Love, we were actually listening to Echo And The Bunnymen, Rain Parade, the Gun Club. A lot of British post-punk. We loved that stuff. I just waited until I was in my late forties before I started ripping it off.”  British guitarist Duke Garwood assisted with "I Am The Wolf," violinist Sietse van Gorkom co-wrote "The Killing Season," and Lanegan's girlfriend Shelley Brien added vocals to the set's "Floor of the Ocean."