C’est la vie

Released five years after the breakthrough success of Muchacho, C’est La Vie represents a significant evolution in Matthew Houck’s Phosphorescent project. Recorded at his own Spirit Sounds studio in Nashville, the album documents a period of profound personal change, including a move from New York, the birth of his children, and a near-death experience with meningitis. Sonically, the album moves away from the raw, lo-fi edges of his early work toward a more 'hi-fi' but still deeply analog and textured sound. It is characterized by the use of the Mellotron, vintage synthesizers, and Houck's distinctive 'choir of one' vocal arrangements. The record is bookended by two instrumental pieces, 'Black Moon / Silver Waves' and 'Black Waves / Silver Moon,' creating a circular narrative that emphasizes the cyclical nature of life suggested by the title. Critics, including those at Pitchfork and Stereogum, noted the album's successful balance between experimental textures and accessible, almost pop-leaning songwriting, particularly on tracks like 'New Birth in New England.'