Los Angeles'
Phases are a four-member outfit who make melodic, dance-oriented, '80s new wave-influenced indie pop. Originally, the group came together in late 2008 as a side project called
JJAMZ, featuring
the Like vocalist
Z. Berg,
Phantom Planet vocalist
Alex Greenwald,
Rilo Kiley and
Bright Eyes drummer
Jason Boesel, and
Maroon 5 guitarist
James Valentine. They released a debut album, 2012's
Suicide Pact, on Dangerbird Recordings. However, as several of the members' main bands broke up,
JJAMZ developed into a full-time project and
Valentine eventually announced he had left the band to focus on
Maroon 5. In 2015,
JJAMZ renamed themselves
Phases and released the singles "I'm in Love with My Life," "Betty Blue," and "Cooler" on Warner Bros. Debut album, For Life, followed later in the year. ~ Matt Collar