Sloppy album leaves 'Room' for improvement January 19, 2003 - Marquette Tribune By Dave Rossetti Album Review - Round Room After listening to Phish's Round Room one thing is absolutely clear: Even great bands need to practice. Working together for the first time since October 2000, Phish laid down the tracks for what would be its much ballyhooed, hiatus-ending studio album after only two weeks of rehearsal. It wasn't a bad idea, but instead of sounding fresh Round Room captures a tentative band's glut of awkward "getting to know you, again" moments. Well, that's not entirely fair. The rhythmic groove of the extended rocker "46 Days" allows for some impressive instrumental ad-libbing, especially from hotshot guitarist Trey Anastasio and keyboard ace Page McConnell. Above all, it's a fun song, and picturing Anastasio's ear-to-ear grin as he shouts the track's boisterous refrain, "46 days and the coal ran out," requires little stretch of the imagination. As far as vintage Phish moments go, "46 Days" is all Round Room offers. However, "Waves," an extended, mellow jam, does close the album on the positive note that the opener "Pebbles and Marbles" seems to want so desperately to deliver. Despite some profound lyrics, the track?s slow 11-minute buildup simply flatlines into pointless instrumental noodling and a dizzying letdown. Round Room's nine remaining tracks provide proof that Phish simply needs more time to work off some rust. The band sounds tired on achingly slow ballads like "Anything But Me" and "Friday," and there are far too many similar songs occupying the album. Merely average at best, the album's half dozen slow numbers serve as fine sleeping pills for the Phish-head looking for the band to pack a little musical punch. Worse than the ensuing snooze fest, someone on the Phish team decided that recording "Mock Song" was a good idea. As this ditty plods along, bassist Mike Gordon sings line after line of hollow lyrics like "Gas/Thirsty/Rattle/Tick/A bone to pick." Yes, it's supposed to be a joke, but it's complete gibberish and a waste of four and a half minutes. Listening to "Mock Song" will leave listeners laughing at Phish rather than laughing with Phish, which, hopefully, isn't what the band had in mind. "Mexican Cousin" trudges along at an equally excruciating clip. Anastasio struggles vocally throughout the track, sometimes failing to even step up to the mic before singing. Saved somewhat by Anastasio's own killer fretwork, the track still sounds as if it's been hastily thrown together - all the while speaking volumes about the rest of Round Room. Phishmates Anastasio, McConnell, Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman are all consummate professionals. But on the rushed, slipshod Round Room they stub their toes on their amazing credentials. Copyright © 2003 Marquette Tribune