Reviews: Phish @ Alpine Valley [Crawdaddy!]
Soon enough, the nostalgia faded and the music stood on its own. The band is sober, tight, and each one’s virtuosic skills on their instruments, as well as amazing improvisation skills that have enabled them to play different takes of the same songs for over 20 years, served to remind me that Phish delivers on a wide range of sound—be it piano-driven ballads, bass-y funk tunes, meandering guitar jams, experimental opuses (and they can literally cover just about anything). They aren’t just a jam band—they’re way too skilled as musicians for such a generalization, especially now as they are regaining their show legs.
Phish: 06/04/2009 Meatstick [VQ: B-, AQ: B+]
Songs: Summer Tour Debuts [Phish Thoughts]
As we turn the page on a new chapter of Phish history, one of the most exciting facets of this era is the plethora of new songs that were introduced in June. As we begin our reflections on the past tour, I thought that their new songs would be a good place to start. Showcasing diverse songwriting and various musical styles, the band has come out with a slew of new material- with more waiting in the wings. Let’s take a look at each song one by one, in the order of their summer premieres.
Phish: 06/06/2009 Fluff’s Travels [VQ: B, AQ: B+]
Phish: 06/12/2009 FOB Manchester, TN
Phish: 06/20/2009 Ya Mar [VQ: A-, AQ: C-]
Reviews: The High Gear of My Soul [The Ginger File]
Phish: 06/20/2009 Lizards [VQ: C-, AQ: B]
Phish: 06/18/2009 Schoeps MK41 Burgettstown, PA
Joy: Phish Create Joy [Consequence of Sound]
Phish: 06/16/2009 While My Guitar Gently Weeps [VQ: B-, AQ: B+]
Phish: 06/09/2009 Kill Devil Falls [VQ: B, AQ: C-]
Phish: 12/30/1994 Chalk Dust Torture - Letterman [VQ: A+, AQ: A+]
Phish: 06/19/2009 Split Open and Melt [VQ: C, AQ: C]
Phish: 06/19/2009 Lawn Boy [VQ: B, AQ: C+]
