Phish becomes impossible to describe December 17, 2002 - Iowa State Daily By Jeff Mitchell Album Review - Round Room You knew they wouldn't stay apart for long. Just a little over two years after the band went on hiatus, Phish releases "Round Room" and proves it never missed a beat. In fact, the time between this album and 2000's "Farmhouse" is roughly the same amount of time the band spent between "Farmhouse" and 1998's "The Story of the Ghost." It seems the break was a good thing, as each member of the band got a prolific amount of creative side project work out. But back to the new Phish. This album is for the fans -- recorded in four days with more jam than structure, this is closer to a live recording than a studio album. The sound quality isn't the best, especially with the drums, but it's hard to tell if the band could have recaptured the album if it had been reworked. "Round Room" starts off with an 11-minute jam, then moves on to a list of 12 songs that runs from stripped-down -- but never simple -- jazz to arena rock. The tracks don't always mesh together, and a few don't really have a place on the album -- including, interestingly, the title track. Also distracting are the few annoying sound effects the band tried to throw between songs. The rest of the album, though, is a strong mix of a new Phish sound. The standout track is the dynamic "Walls of the Cave," which moves from anthemic rock to the most delicate of Phish sounds, with one of the most solid song structures the band has produced. "Mock Song" hits with a strong, straight-forward jam, and "46 Days" rocks with organ-infused funk. "Thundercloud" does just the opposite, sanding down all of the non-essential noise for a light jazz feel. It is impossible to really describe the album on paper -- unless of course you include the nonsensical lyrics. It is possible, however, to imagine the band members sitting in the studio, jamming together and not worrying about the thousands of people waiting to hear them live again. That's what "Round Room" is about. Copyright © 2002 Iowa State Daily