Live Phish series spawns six new guppies April 28, 2002 - Entertainment Weekly by Marc Weingarten Album Review - LIVEPHISH 07-12 click on thumbnail for larger image Those who prefer to pick over old Phish bones can always turn to the Live Phish series. A wildly ambitious attempt to sate hungry fans with an abundance of recordings every six months, this latest batch brings the total CD count to 34. A lot of Phish standards get multiple play, but with wildly varying results: Vol. 11's "You Enjoy Myself," for example, trumps Vol. 7's mangled version of the song. And the band's trademark covers are hit-and-miss: Vol. 8's take on Los Lobos' "When the Circus Comes" is affecting, while Vol. 7's cover of "Purple Rain" is a train wreck. For sheer anthropological interest, Vol. 9--which was recorded at a 1989 Vermont family picnic--is the most compelling, "Funky Bitch" notwithstanding. Young Phish sound endearingly tentative at the gig, originally captured on cassette. And you've gotta love Anastasio's set-concluding stage patter: "Play miniature golf, and we'll be right back." Trey Anastasio: B+ Live Phish, Vol. 7: A- Vol. 8: B Vol. 9: B+ Vol. 10: B+ Vol. 11: B Vol. 12: B+