Phantogram (SCQ's Year-End Questionnaire Part I)

Eyelid Movies is among the few records in recent memory to take an overlong period of time (in this case, four years!) and then prove itself worth every minute. The brainchild of Phantogram (Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel) never overlooks or skims on a golden opportunity, and their resulting success looks likely to continue heating up over 2011. In a flash-interview, Carter and Barthel lay down the top picks and memories of a band on the rise.

SCQ: Every list-lover's favourite question: what are your top albums of 2010? Feel free to include any older yet worthy records you discovered this year.

Phantogram: Beach House - Teen Dream
Twin Shadow - Forget
Caribou - Swim
Oh No- Ethiopium
Baths- Cerulean

SCQ: What were you listening to a lot of while recording the excellent Eyelid Movies?

Phantogram: I remember listening to a lot of Snowden that year as well as Why? Madlib, and Flying Lotus. In Rainbows came out then as well and we analyzed the hell out of it.

SCQ: Be cocky for once in your life: what was the finest thing you did all year? That moment where you actually thought "shit, I nailed that..."?

Phantogram: We were pretty happy with the reviews that we got with the record. I remember opening up SPIN to check out what they gave us and was very proud to see they gave us an 8 out of 10. I grew up on reading SPIN so it was a huge honor for me.

SCQ: Effect and Cause: 'When I'm Small' first caught my attention ricocheting off of Ottawa's downtown buildings during what turned out to be the best soundcheck I've ever seen. Okay, your turn: confess a true tale that inspired one of the songs on Eyelid Movies.

Phantogram: Speaking of "When I'm Small" a lot of the metaphors we got for the lyrics were based on a rat infestation in our recording barn. They crawled all around our feet and above our heads. "Lucy" turned into being a character that was based off of a rat.

SCQ: If all the reasonable and implausible ideas in your head came to fruition in 2011, what would they be?

Phantogram: we would love to play some of the bigger well known festivals like Lollapalooza, Coachella and ACL next year. We also want to get the chance to make it out to Japan and Australia. thank you!