Years active 2001–present | Members Matthew Houck | |
 | ||
Origin Athens, Georgia, United States Instruments Vocals
guitar
piano
bass
drums
ukulele Website phosphorescentmusic.com Genres Indie rock, Indie pop, Indie folk, Alternative rock Record labels Dead Oceans, Misra Records, Warm Albums Muchacho, Here's to Taking It Easy, Live at the Music Hall, To Willie, Aw Come Aw Wry Profiles | ||
Phosphorescent is the working moniker of American singer-songwriter, Matthew Houck (born 1980). Originally from Alabama, Houck began recording and performing under this nom de plume in 2001 in Athens, Georgia. He is currently based in Brooklyn, New York.
Contents
Overview
Before recording under the name Phosphorescent, Matthew Houck traveled the world playing under the moniker Fillup Shack and self-released a limited pressing of the album Hipolit in 2000. Houck later changed his recording name to Phosphorescent, and released the full-length LP A Hundred Times or More in 2003. Notably, in the liner notes of A Hundred Times or More, Fillup Shack is credited with the drum recordings. The album was released through Athens-based independent label Warm Records. The following year, he released the EP The Weight of Flight. Phosphorescent rose to wider critical acclaim after releasing Aw Come Aw Wry in August 2005 and Pride in October 2007. The latter was named the 12th best album of 2007 by Stylus Magazine and received an 8.0 rating from indie website Pitchfork Media. In 2009, inspired by Willie Nelson's tribute album to Lefty Frizzell To Lefty From Willie, Houck crafted a tribute album to Nelson himself entitled, To Willie which was released through Dead Oceans. Phosphorescent released Here's to Taking It Easy in 2010.
Muchacho, Phosphorescent's sixth studio album was released in 2013 to critical acclaim.
In popular usage
The song "Wolves" from 2007's Pride was used in the 2011 film Margin Call, starring Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons.
The song "Nothing Was Stolen" from 2010's Here's to Taking It Easy was used in the 2012 film The Vow, starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum.
The song "Song for Zula" from 2013's Muchacho is the most widely used Phosphorescent song in popular media, having appeared in the films The Spectacular Now (2013), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Burying the Ex (2015), The Boy Next Door (2015), Before We Go (2015), and Captain Fantastic (2016). It is also used in season 1 episode 2 "Signal and Noise" of the television series Frequency.
Songs
Song for ZulaMuchacho · 2013
Ride On/Right OnMuchacho · 2013
Sun - Arise!Muchacho · 2013