Review: Phish takes a decisive step forward in ‘Evolve’

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Evolution
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Long known as one of the leading lights of the post-Grateful Dead wave of jam bands and populist critics, Phish have gone from being known simply as festival favorites to innovative songwriters capable of veering from stage to studio with equal aplomb. While the conspiracy remains the same. Evolutiontheir sixteenth album to date, clearly lives up to its billing. A blend of craftsmanship and creativity, making it one of the band’s most melodic efforts to date.

[RELATED: Phish’s Trey Anastasio Honors Steely Dan With Medley of the Band’s Hits for Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction]

This focus on melody should not be taken for granted. In the past, Phish’s distinctive sound has emphasized their musical prowess while leaving song structure as a byproduct of arched arrangements. Here, they find a kind of compromise that was perhaps less likely before, and in the process, they manage to expand their boundaries and find an audience beyond their traditional fans. This certainly comes with a risk, but other bands with a similar style have succeeded in the past, the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers being obvious examples.

Guitarist Trey Anastasio said the riffs were recorded in two or three takes, which he insists is the way Phish usually works. Regardless, it’s clear that these songs were thought out in advance and a great deal of care was put into their execution. The delivery of the funk-filled “Hey Stranger” and the pure R&B echoes of “Oblivion” create a distinctive sound early on. With the delicate touch of “Mercy” and “Lonely Trip,” the introspective perspective of “Monsters,” and the resilient and assured “Ether Edge,” it soon becomes clear that the band was careful to differentiate each entry and give them a distinctive character. Presence. Not that this hinders their progressive stance; on the Steely Dan-sounding “Pillow Jets,” the band flies off the initial concept and moves into some unexpectedly turbulent terrain.

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Finally. evolution is everything its name suggests, a decisive step forward for a band that has always combined an eclectic attitude with an improvisational approach. Thankfully, it’s never sounded more compelling or convincing.