Phish - Farmhouse May 15, 2000 - Nude as the News By Rroy Carpenter Album Review - Farmhouse The Burlington, Vermont quartet Phish remains an idiosyncratic band in today's major-label world. Annually drawing hundreds of thousands of rabid fans to their always sold-out tour schedule, Phish remains largely inept when it comes to making successful studio recordings. The band has tried a number of different approaches - to little avail - attempting to produce a record as satisfying as their live performances. Phish's eighth studio LP, Farmhouse, is not the final solution to this strange conundrum, but it's a nice diversion, and a pleasant listen. Recording at guitarist Trey Anastasio's renovated 150-year old barn on the outskirts of Burlington, Phish was able to relax during the making of Farmhouse, and this simple step is what makes the record succeed. Phish's four members have been playing together for 15 years, and evolved as complementary musicians to the point where they can collectively turn on a dime in the middle of a twenty-minute jam in a live setting. The band members feed off each other, and consciously let each others' ideas float democratically through the music. This works extremely well in concert. But past studio efforts like 1996's Billy Breathes and 1998's Story Of The Ghost have been weighed down by these ideals, losing focus and direction in the name of democracy. For Farmhouse, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman and keyboardist Page McConnell graciously set their egos aside and let Anastasio direct most aspects of the album. Anastasio wrote all the songs and did most of the arranging in the studio/barn, along with producer Bryce Goggin and engineer John Siket. This leads to a much more confident set of songs played with relaxed enthusiasm. From the homey lilt of the opening title track to the bluegrassy "Back On The Train" to bouncy first single "Heavy Things," Anastasio's presence is dominant, bolstered by the strong, complementary musical voices of his bandmates. Of course, this is not always a good thing. Anastasio can get a little over-the-top, and some of the results (the aforementioned "Heavy Things" and the nonsensical "Gotta Jibboo," instant contender for worst Phish song ever) are not fun to listen to. But every Phish album has a track or two that invites pressing the skip button. Far from seeming left out, Gordon, Fishman and McConnell appear looser and more in tune with the natural progression of the songs. Since it was essentially a home studio, there were no deadlines, and the recording process was more party than stress, coming through in the slow-building, multi-layered jam of "Piper" and the punctuated riffage of "Twist". None of this really matters, however. This is not an albums band. If you know Phish well, you probably know if you want or don't want to buy this album. If you don't know them well, don't buy any of the albums (except possibly A Live One), just go see them play. That's where the band excels in all areas, and if you don't mind the hippy scene that follows them, you will be in for a treat.