"Inside In" - Mike Gordon August 25, 2003 - Associated Press By Scott Bauer Album Review - Inside In Mike Gordon, bass player for jam band Phish, refers to his first solo album, "Inside In," as his own "Abbey Road." It's not quite that good, but it is interesting and mostly listenable. The disc took four years to complete and is clearly a labor of love for Gordon. The disc evolved from a soundtrack for Gordon's independent film venture "Outside Out," which tells the story of a guitar teacher who "unlearns" his students all they ever knew. The results are experimental without being self-indulgent or boring. The album benefits from guests including banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck, who lends his assistance on three tunes. Just when "Inside In" starts to feel like a country album, thanks to the pedal steel guitar, it veers off into freeform jazz. And then Gordon lays down a haunting track like "Exit Wound" that takes the disc into an entirely different direction. Review © 2003 Associated Press