phil shoenfelt

AMPLIFIER MAGAZINE, USA Vol. 3 by Tom Semioli	"Some people maintain that Jim Morrison never died in Paris 27 years ago. If that myth holds truth, then the Lizard King has finally surfaced with a searing new album. Forget Other Voices, this is the real follow-up to L.A. Woman. Actually, the artist is Phil Shoenfelt, an Englishman who resides in Prague and was once active in the New York City art, film, and literary circles in the early 1980s. The title song, which starts off the album in evocative fashion, lifts the bass line from 'Love Her Madly' as Shoenfelt's roadhouse baritone preaches 'blue highway has taken her away ... left me in this hotel room where the crazy shadows play.' Fuzz guitars, jazzy drums, a moody keyboard, and tales of alcohol despair and loneliness are all coalesced to keep the listener absorbed throughout the journey. Tracks such as 'Black Snake Woman', 'Ghosts Of My Dead Lovers' and 'House Of Pain' are an unholy mixture of country and goth. Give any musicologist a blind-fold test and Southern Cross would surely be mistaken for Krieger, Manzarek, and Densmore. And if those similarities to Mr. Mojo Risin' aren't spooky enough, Shoenfelt will soon author of a book of poetry. If you wake up in the morning and get yourself a beer, then ride the Blue Highway."
MIND WARP, Helsinki, Finland by Katriina Etholén	"Phil Shöenfelt is an English musician, singer/guitarist, who live nowadays in Prague and who likes Nick Cave, The Doors, Iggy Pop, aussie blues ... Blue Highway (1997) is his fourth album. The Doors' influence can be noticed already in the title track. But that's just a good thing. When I first listened to this song - which also was my first contact to Phil's music - the Doors was the first thing that came to my mind, but I also became very interested in it. All the songs on the album are written by Phil. Very mysterious music with deep dark atmosphere, no hope, no light to be seen. Melancholy and disconsolate lyrics, pain and misery, loneliness and broken relationships. Just think about the names of the songs: Draggin' Me Down, The Ghosts Of My Dead Lovers, Back In The Underworld, Lonely Street, House Of Pain ... Sometimes fascinating and even dreamlike scenes can be found, for example in a song Black Snake Woman, allegoric and mythic tale, which brings very filmic images before your eyes. That's one of the strong points in Phil's music: they are so powerful that you can see the songs, you can't just listen to the music but you have to listen to the lyrics - you have to know what they are about. The lyrics are also translated into Czech, which also shows how important they are."
Hobo.demon.co.uk	"Essential riffs incessantly worm their way ... or something like that"

Phil Shoenfelt	vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitars, slide guitar
Josef Pavlovsky	electric guitars
Pavel Krtous	bass guitar
Jarda Kvasnicka	drums, percussion
Jiri Schmachtel	saxophone
Gastmusiker:
Emma McClune	violin
David Kabzan	keyboards

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