When Phish played their Halloween set this year, hopes were high...super-high for an epic "costume" cover of anything from David Bowie to Michael Jackson. Instead, they gave us what could possibly be THEIR next album...It was epic in my opinion.
Below are the thoughts that I wrote out after listening to the set a few times.
Phish could have their "Touch of Grey" on the next album. The new songs show a more complete band oriented level of songwriting. The band is more mature...conscious, alive, and unafraid. Not to take chances, no, they do that on a nightly basis. Phish knows who they are. They are completely aware of the music that they make and are capable of conceiving, given the atmosphere that is to be emoted. The trick played on Halloween night in 2013 was a reinvention of the band. The songs, while also harkening back to ideas and compositions from previous decades material, sound like a reawakening of a full band spirit, not seen in previous incarnations of the bands sound. After listening through the "Wingsuit" set, the songs that follow in the late 3rd set are somewhat of an afterthought. Not that they are poorly played, mostly exceptional and glorious (as usual). More so, those 12 songs from set II leave you wanting more, and to dig a little deeper. At times you hear sounds that could have been left out of Junta, a reimagining of a cut off of Farmhouse, or a snippet from a sick tweezer jam from a year that you just cannot place.
Production could be the key to the success of the Wingsuit songs on the next album. The first 3 songs have a wonderful flow, and I thought John Siket could do wonders with the record as a whole or even on just a few songs. Now we find out that Bob Ezrin has come on to produce "Wingsuit" (if that's even the final album name that they end up going with - I like it), who is known for his work with everyone from KISS to Taylor Swift. But, it's his work with Pink Floyd that is really intriguing, even co-writing songs like "Learning To Fly" and "Take it Back" for The Division Bell. Alice Cooper even went so far as to call him "Our George Martin". Treys voice is still a work in progress. It does shine when paired with one, if not all of the other band members. While not poppy to an extreme, songs like Monica, Waiting All Night, and Devotion To A Dream could have some wider appeal and make it onto adult-contemporary play charts. Trey wasn't lying when he said how much fun they were having writing together, and that is so very apparent throughout. Mike Gordon especially benefitted from writing a solo album and fronting it's touring band, as his touch is all over the songs in one way or another in a more honest and assertive tone.
While The Grateful Dead did not need a new group of fans, nor does Phish. But, as the Dead grew older and more popular, the mainstream music industry took notice, not only for their devoted fan base, but also for the genius in their music. This is what you get when you pair 30 years of friendship and a desire to make true and unique music.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
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