Phoenix are winding down a big year — the recent SPIN cover stars cracked our 50 Best Songs of 2013 on the strength of Bankrupt!‘s inscrutably unforgettable “Trying to Be Cool” — and they found an enthusiastic audience today on Ellen. The French leftfield-popsters’ live performance of opulent Bankrupt! breeze “S.O.S. in Bel Air” was assured and charming as per usual, but they got a boost from a studio crowd that can be seen clapping along (this was even before the Ellen-goers got their complimentary copies of the album). When host Ellen DeGeneres emerged for episode-ending handshakes, she made it clear she’d been wanting Phoenix on her show for some time. Phoenix, who also appeared in SPIN’s Best Live Photos of 2013, recently performed at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas. Watch their Sofia Coppola-directed “Chloroform” video, their hour-long Austin City Limits episode, their Versailles-invading “Entertainment” video — or, oh yeah, go watch their Ellen clip above.
See Phoenix’s ‘S.O.S. in Bel Air’ Inspire ‘Ellen’ Clap-Along
