Undermind

For years critics have tried to kill off the stigmas surrounding Phish. Personally, I thought they were full of it. To me, Phish was just an extension of the Grateful Dead, a band whose spirit I greatly admire and, in my early teens, cherished. Earlier in the year I had been listening to a mixture of complex rock and jazz fusion. A friend of mine started playing me Phish albums on a regular basis. Little did I know it would be just what I needed. Approachable and always happy, Phish seemed to be all the things my current rotating stack of albums wasn’t; and so it happened that I gained a behind-your-back appreciation for Phish. I’d even become somewhat of a summertime fan. 

The Phish “hippie” thing is overdone. Though they do embrace the spirit, they are really, for the most part, just a goofy rock band who deliver jazzy pop tunes tailor-made for the hottest nights. Undermind wouldn’t work in a small venue, nor in cold weather. Phish are the embodiment of a summer tour band who have the ability and chops to play all night long. Fan-base and merchandise aside, that’s about where the hippie thing ends.

For what is to be their final studio album together, Phish enlisted Tchad Blake (of Pearl Jam fame) for what is surely their most effectively produced album yet. Blake must be a fan; more than any other producer yet, he has been able to make Phish sound authentic and oftentimes vintage. Recording again at their Vermont Studio, The Barn, Undermind builds on the often panned mellow jazz sound of 2002’s Round Room (which I happen to quite like).

Following a quiet opener comes “Undermind,” a pop tune with the bounce needed to jumpstart Undermind and lead into the first single, “The Connection,” easily one of their most classic-sounding songs this side of “Farmhouse.” Aside from the four temperately extended jams (“A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing,” “Army of One,” “Scents and Subtle Sounds” and “Secret Smile”), Undermind is short and welcoming. “Nothing” sees Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon defining what Phish do best through an otherwise great pop song that should transition nicely live. Gordon’s “Access Me” is sweet and catchy, while his R&B-tinged “Army of One” nearly steals the album altogether.

As usual, the majority of the album is comprised of Anastasio-penned tunes. Most notable is “Crowd Control,” a somewhat vexatious song that is likely to be chanted all summer long as Phish finish up what is said to be their final tour. Anastasio has a great outlet for solo work that should allow him to experiment with new ideas that he might not have otherwise been able to examine. It’s sad to see any band this side of Creed break up, especially after releasing an album as great and defining as Undermind.

Do Tchad Blake a favor and forget all that hogwash about Phish only living up to their potential in a live setting. Undermind joins Hoist and Farmhouse as Phish’s three outstanding contributions to the folk/jam genre. All three albums are excellent artistic works that are sure to enhance any summer (or fall) evening. If you’re a Phish fan in need of a new band to follow, drop your O.A.R.’s and String Cheese ASAP and check out The Jicks Pig Lib album.    7/10

Written by G. William Locke