After a decade of anonymity, French quartet Phoenix broke out with “Wolfgang Amadeus,” its 2009 album filled with electro pop hits such as “Lisztomania” and “1901.” Phoenix’s recent album “Bankrupt!” reflects on its recent success and combines a smooth tone with clever lyrics.

In “Trying to Be Cool,” lead singer John Mars laments the transformation of Phoenix from an underground indie band to one in the public eye. He sings, “I’m trying to be cool, and it’s all because of you.”

In other songs, lines like “fake rituals, oblivious tales” reference the shallowness of their newfound “Hollywood lifestyle.”

While the first half of the album speaks negatively about society, the second has a smooth dream-like quality. The songs are slick but not memorable – they tend to blend into each other and have little meaning.

A few songs effectively layered a plethora of sounds and drew inspiration from multiple artists and genres of music. The album’s opening song “Entertainment” begins with an Asian melody reminiscent of David Bowie’s “China Girl.”

Unfortunately, the album’s namesake leaves much to be desired. The six-minute song “Bankrupt!” seems like an experiment gone wrong, with a jumbled mix of fast and slow beats that do not mesh.

Although the album, released April 23, fails to live up to its predecessor, its songs are catchy enough to earn it a place in summer playlists.