Phish basks in new found progression October 29, 1996 - The Daily Beacon By Andy Jones Album Review - Billy Breathes The liner notes for Phish's latest release, Billy Breathes, contain a line which sums up the album quite well: "The PHISH stuff is pretty slow for now." Billy Breathes is Phish's seventh album and has done for the band what each previous album has also accomplished. With each CD comes proof of the band's growth and maturation, and this time there has been an obvious effort to strengthen lyrics, making the songs easier for the listener to relate to. Lyrics have progressed from "I look into the finance box to check my status / I look into the microscope I see the Golgi Apparatus" ("Golgi Apparatus," 1988) to "So if I'm inside your head, don't believe what you might have read / You'll see what I might have said, to hear it / Come waste your time with me" ("Waste," 1996). But Phish's penchant for innovative arrangements, odd rhythms and beautiful solos has not been lost in the change; there has simply been a shift to more ballads over the funkier tunes found on 1992's A Picture of Nectar. Billy Breathes opens with "Free," the addictive current single. Longtime Phish fans will notice a different overall sound on this single and on the album in general. This slicker and more listener-friendly sound comes in part from producer Steve Lillywhite, who recently produced the Dave Matthews Band's Crash. This influence has yielded shorter and more personal songs, which will quite possibly result with Phish getting more airplay than ever. Concerts are already moving into larger venues with faster ticket sales. The highlight of the album is the last few songs, which are all tied together. This set begins with "Bliss," a soothing instrumental which leads directly into "Billy Breathes," a gorgeous song which calls to mind some of the later Beatles ballads. The two following songs, "Swept Away" and "Steep," have nearly the same lyrics but are very different versions, similar to the Beatles' treatments of "Revolution" on The White Album. Billy Breathes concludes with "Prince Caspian," a straightforward song which shows off Phish's incredible harmonies. Fans who pay careful attention to the lyrics on this album will notice a theme of birth (and some related flying imagery). This album appears to be a concept album chronicling the childhood of Billy. Guitarist and lead vocalist Trey Anastasio recently became a father, and it is reasonable to assume his own child is the major influence behind this album. While longtime Phish fans may find the listener-friendly Billy Breathes one of their least favorite albums (the band's Internet newsgroup is full of messages on whether Phish has "sold out" or not), this is an enjoyable album that will surely bring new faces to their live shows. Copyright © 1996 The Daily Beacon