Legendary Band Reunion Album by Phish is a ‘Joy’

Phil Huber ’11
Staff Writer

Rock-jam band Phish reunites for the first ime since 2004 with their new album 'Joy,' pictured above. | Photo Courtesy of Glide Magazine

Earlier this year, rock-jam band Phish reunited for the first time since 2004 for a three–night run in Virginia and a full summer tour.

The band broke up after enduring a period which was generally recognized for a lack of communication between band members, a large amount of drug use, and sloppy performances.

This, however, is not what one would think of when upon hearing their new album “Joy.” This album reflects a band that is well grounded and energetic.

“Joy” starts off with “Backwards Down the Number Line,” a ballad concerning time and friendship. Like the other ballads of the album, band members are often featured harmonizing with their own voices. This song also features an impressive solo by guitarist Trey Anastasio.

Following the first track is an energetic rock song titled “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan.” This tune captures the vibe of the band’s other rock tunes, and is highlighted throughout with mellifluous riffs by keyboardist Page McConnell.

Next is the title track, “Joy,” which is essentially dedicated to Phish’s fan base. The song starts off with Anastasio on acoustic guitar, and is pretty mellow in contrast to the first two tracks. While the lyrics in this tune may be slightly over-the-top, they pull it off well.

The fourth track on the album, “Sugar Shack,” is the only one written by bassist Mike Gordon. It also serves as the funkiest track on “Joy,” with McConnell laying down some quasi–percussive riffs on the clavinet. Gordon’s vocals are potent, and although the melody is very sweet, the lyrics serve as a deep reflection concerning the band’s break up. One such example is “A mosaic of lies I tried to arrange in ways that shelter the blame.”

The seventh track is “Light.” The intro to this song is without doubt one of the best moments on the album, a minute and a half of delayed-driven exploration. Segments like this seldom make it onto a studio Phish release. The song itself is rocking and upbeat, and contains some sweet lyrics.

The next tune, “I Been Around,” is short and jazzy, and demonstrates how much fun the band is having. On more than one occasion on this track, you can hear McConnell’s enthusiasm as he yells in encouragement to his bandmates.

“Time Turns Elastic” is by far the longest and most complex piece on the album, and was written in the same light as some of Phish’s earlier heavily composed songs. Like those songs, “Time Turns Elastic” contains a lot of movement. It starts off mellow, and it builds energy throughout the piece until it peaks toward the end. Jon Fishman’s work on the drums is particularly innovative in this song, with extensive use of symbols, toms, woodblocks, and an array of other percussion instruments used in uncommon contexts.

“Joy” is an impressive collection of songs which were delivered well in the studio. Producer Steve Lillywhite did a good job of balancing his signature refined sound in the mix without taking away from the band’s playing. It’s not nearly extensive as a concert, but most likely no studio album recorded by Phish ever will be. Needless to say, “Joy” is certainly above par for the band’s studio work, and it’s worth hearing.