Published on May 9, 1999
I remember when I first got into Phish back in 1991. (Okay, so I
was a late bloomer, like so many other groups I listen to
nowadays.) I had been sent their most recent release,
A Picture Of Nectar, to review, and I immediately fell in
love. Not long after, I picked up
Lawn Boy, their major label debut (
Junta was originally an independent release that was
re-released by Elektra)… and was somewhat startled by what I
heard. Was this the same band that whipped out tasty, jazz-based
riffs that I had quickly fallen in love with? Compared to
A Picture Of Nectar, this seemed rather, well,
lazy. I was so disillusioned with the disc that I filed it
away in the Pierce Memorial Archives.
I honestly haven’t listened to this disc in about six years, so
it was like approaching
Lawn Boy with fresh ears. And while it’s nowhere near the
disaster I once thought it to be, it it’s not as strong of a
portrait of Trey Anastasio and crew that it could have been.
The group – vocalist/guitarist Anastasio, keyboardist Page
McConnell, bassist Mike Gordon and drummer John Fishman (what the
hell do they mean that he played
vacuum?) – builds on the quirkiness that made
Junta such an enjoyable album – as well as an occasionally
difficult listen. There is no doubt that Anastasio is one of the
best guitarists alive today; his riffs change shape like a lava
lamp, going from free-form psychedelic to biting jazz-rock,
sometimes within the same movement. And in the course of the song,
it all sounds completely natural.
Lawn Boy contains some fan favorites, like “Bouncing Around
The Room,” a track that is sure to inspire free-form dancing
wherever it is played, and “Run Like An Antelope,” a track that
gives each band member a chance to expand on their instruments to
shape the song. (I did, however, find that I preferred “Run Like An
Antelope” to be an instrumental; when the vocals kicked in at the
end, it tended to distract from the song.) Another song that is an
incredible trip is “Split Open And Melt,” yet another fan
favorite.
There still is evidence of the playful goofiness that has made
Phish so special, as in some of the lyrical references on “Reba”
and on “Bathtub Gin”. “Reba” is a song that, at first, doesn’t seem
like it’s going to amount to much, even though it’s well over 12
minutes in length. But when Phish goes into its instrumental
interlude, the true magic begins, and keeps you locked in – that
is, until the vocals come back in to allow the song to resolve
itself.
With all these strong moments, it’s surprising that
Lawn Boy is still a bit of a disappointment. The title track
is a little too cosmic, although it is brief enough, and “The
Squirming Coil” is not the strongest way that Phish could have
kicked off this album. (I personally would have opened with
“Bouncing Around The Room,” and saved “The Squirming Coil” for the
end.) And even in the strong songs like “Reba” and “Run Like An
Antelope,” there are weak moments like the ones already
mentioned.
While each member of Phish is essential to the band’s sound, I
would have turned down McConnell’s keyboards a little bit;
sometimes, it seems like the keyboards dominate the mix a little
too much. (This is a rare criticism for me to make; usually, I’m
griping that something should have been turned up in the final
mix.)
Lawn Boy still has some moments which are pleasing, and it’s
always worth the price of admission to hear Anastasio put the
six-string through a workout. But while the album does show a band
poised on the brink of greatness, it suggested they still had a bit
of work to do… and we all know how this story turned out just one
album later.