Phish - Billy Breathes January 31, 1997 - South China Morning Post By Steve McCarty Album Review - Billy Breathes Phish - Billy Breathes (Elektra) Swimming against the "this way to stardom" tide, US outfit Phish are the latest folk heroes of rock - doing it "their way" and not "selling out", apparently. But whether their approach is a gimmick or not is irrelevant given this consistently excellent offering. For the record, Phish, founded in 1983, spawned a legion of fans who devotedly built the band's reputation by word of mouth (so the story goes). Existing beyond the known radio/TV/record deal universe, Phish became a phenomenon, selling out concerts across the US and stealing down the industry's blind-side to crash the Billboard Top 20. Whatever the truth, this is a clearly accomplished serving. Free sticks the boot in to kick everything off; the ballad Prince Caspian soars with the best of 'em; Waste begins deftly and builds unstoppably; and Taste is a rare species indeed: a piano-driven rock song wandering off into the realms of jazz. Sparkling musicianship to the fore throughout, there isn't a CD collection anywhere in which Billy Breathes would not earn its space, so you'd better just buy it. Article © 1997 South China Morning Post