Recordings - Phish, Hoist May 6, 1994 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch By Mike Boehm Album Review - Hoist "HOIST" Phish (Elektra) As anyone familiar with their live show knows, the guys in Phish definitely know how to play. Writing, though, was another matter. Most of what passed for songs on the band's first three albums was long on jam potential but notably short on tunes. That's not the case with "Hoist." As strong as the playing is, the most memorable moments on this album are strictly melodic, from the funk/rock punch of "Down with Disease" to the mournful country strains of "If I Could." Even better, the band augments its songs with enough vocal harmony to make even the simplest song shine.