Parisian band Phoenix tries too hard

Music is an itch.

There is a fine balance even in refinement. There lies a tug-of-war between essence and perfection. Musicians sometimes dig too deep and claw at that creative itch, only to tear away at the dermis and ruin the skin. Musicians need to know when to stop with refinement and learn how to make their records sound like they should.

Such is the case with Parisian rock group, Phoenix.

On its latest record, Alphabetical, the band mines old vinyl crates, finding nuggets of all things vintage. It dives into disco, folk, soul, R&B and funk to create a sound that is exciting as well as recognizable. While some groups present un-arousing pastiches of disparate genres in an effort to cover all the "musical-bases," Phoenix does not imitate nor does it need to prove anything; the groove-centric music is entirely organic.

The album begins with the record's standout track. "Everything is Everything" starts with a long-sizzling cymbal roll and then kicks into an up-tempo, danceable pop ditty. Thomas Mars croons and rhymes delivering catchy lines.

With choruses reminiscent of swirling disco escapades, the track does what any good pop song should do. A spin of this single will inevitably plant that melodious seed in your mind. And maybe why this is a successful piece is that it is too perfect.

While the pop treatment worked well for the preceding track, the import to polish the songs detracted from the momentum of the album. While there are a few more gems scattered throughout the album, a majority of the songs lacked the spit and grit to sustain any sort of interest.

When Phoenix rolled into town Tuesday, it wasn't all vanilla.

It was the group's first ever U.S. tour, and it did not fail make an impression. Playing cuts off of its debut, 2000's United, and longer jam versions of songs off the latest release, the group turned the Chop Suey, a venue on Capitol Hill, into a humid dance-den of electrified sweat.

The group delivered more than an hour's worth of music. It worked the crowd, urging people to clap their hands during the set, because "[they've] come a long way."

A highly energized showing, Phoenix rolled out snoozers on its album and revamped them.

On "I'm an Actor," the stutter-step soul tune was augmented with jutting fuzz guitar. With a kicked up bass thump, Mars couldn't help but abandon his crooning ways and letting loose with a guttural howl. The new additions boosted the dynamics of the piece, turning a dull tune into a forceful hybrid of soul and rock.

Too bad glossy exteriors outshined everything else on Phoenix's latest release. It was fret with over-produced tracks that could have been helped if the group channeled the raw energy of their live performances on record.