Trey Anastasio goes soloing with 'Plasma' May 30, 2003 - Daily Californian By Adam Blum Album Review - Plasma BERKELEY, Calif. -- Trey Anastasio hardly needed another musical outlet. The past several years have brought him a variety of fruitful collaborations with a dream list of musicians, ranging from blues legend B.B. King to 20th century composer Phillip Glass. His group Oysterhead picked up where his semi-retired phenomenon, better known as Phish, left off two years ago, jamming from coast to coast in folky/funky euphoria. The overflow fans from these projects have a new treat in "Plasma," Anastasio's first live album with his nine-piece band of key, horn, and percussion virtuosos. "Plasma" sounds exactly like one would expect -- an effort for an incredibly talented musician to explore the musical realms from which his other projects restrict him. The concert opener, "Curlew's Call," stretches towards Latin trendiness and resists the often inescapable grooves of a Phish jam session. Similarly, the title track capitalizes on the rock stylings of his electric guitar where his other projects reserve his talent for noodling over blues progressions. Not that there isn't a healthy share of Phish-style soloing here. The atmosphere, however, is somewhat lighter; the liner notes thank an array of interesting "inspirations," from Ben Folds' fictitious alter ego, Reinhold Messner, to children's author Shel Silverstein to pop diva Carole King. Surprisingly, none of them seem inappropriate against thebackdrop of the album, which is ultimately a very listenable, effervescent foray through genres in which Anastasio finds a new sound for himself, but that still allow him to shine. A listener still wants for something more consistent; Phish's "A Live One" or even a live album from the Dave Matthews Band, which has always brought as much talent to the table, but has been exploring extra-jamband territory for years. Like most Anastasio projects will probably be, "Plasma" is an essential for the Phish head and the jam-o-phile, but is not much more than a pleasant backdrop. Article © 2003 Daily Californian