Phish - Round Room January 6, 2003 - Music Today By George C. Lanum, III Album Review - Round Room Round Room, the fruit of Phish's recently ended two-year hiatus, signifies a redirected and refreshed band. Its surprising release precedes the band's highly anticipated New Year's Eve regrouping in New York, a three-night stand in Virginia's Hampton Coliseum, and more dates later in the Winter. Round Room is the first impression of a band enveloped in rediscovery. Isolating themselves completely, the four members of Phish and producer Bryce Goggin emerged following four days of recording with 12 tracks that make up the album. "There was something nice about hearing the first time we played together in two years captured on tape," recounted guitarist and lead vocalist Trey Anastasio in a press release from Elektra Entertainment. The results show Phish's continued willingness to move in new directions and and the Vermont group's always present ability to surprise its listeners. For Phish, a band more known for stunning live performances than studio work, the freshness of the new material is a departure from the group's past releases, which often featured songs that evolved on the road. With its rough vocals and occasional flubs, Round Room trades "smooth" production for an emotional inlet that allows fans to be flies on the wall during the writing and recording process. "Pebbles And Marbles," the impressive 11-minute opener, features some excellent jamming, particularly on the outro. The second track, "Anything But Me," is a slow, more emotional tune (a la "Dirt" from Farmhouse) that exudes hope and uncertainty, and reflects the continuing maturity of Phish's lyrical content. The title cut, one of the more stylistically innovative tracks on the disc, begins calypso-style (much like the String Cheese Incident). Phish misses the mark on a few tracks, however, notably "Thunderhead" and the plodding and forgettable "All Of These Dreams," both of which could have been left on the editing room floor. Songs like "Friday" and the Stones-esque "46 Days," on the other hand, feature solid songwriting and catchy lyrics, and have the potential to achieve wide appeal on the airwaves. "Seven Below" features a groove that sneaks up from nowhere and some incendiary jamming that surpasses much of the band's recent studio work. The album closer, "Waves," is one of Round Room's high water marks, beautifully recreating the tones and textures of water through music and group improvisation. The new album and subsequent tour mean, if nothing else, the kings of jam rock have returned to regain their throne. "We're back, simple as that," says keyboardist Page McConnell. "We went away and came back recharged, which was the goal." It appears the goal was accomplished, based on Round Room, a fresh and energetic spin on a theme that blossomed and grown throughout Phish's 18-year career. Although fans who were expecting another Hoist or Farmhouse will be sorely disappointed, Round Room represents an evolutionary step for a band that continues to make a livelihood out of reinvention and spontaneity. © 2003 Music Today