A masterpiece and maybe a concept album?

Phish Albums
#1

This is without a doubt my favorite phish album. I think it was the one album even more than billy breathes that transcended the obvious elements that people usually associate phish with whether to praise or to insult. It doesnt feel like a “jamband” album even though there is “jamming”. It almost seems like it has more in common with talking heads or radiohead then the grateful dead or frank zappa. I’m not exactly sure if its considered a concept album but it definately feels like one for musical and of course lyrical reasons. There’s a very child like perspective to it. The ghost being the main characters imaginary or maybe just invisible friend or so it seems. I think that maybe some of the other songs are the characters feelings of nostalgia in their older days like frankie says, the moma dance “the moment ends” and maybe even Brian and Robert. Roggae is another that has a childish feel to it with the circus imagery going on. In guyute it says “He sucks from me my only breath that I had breathed since I was ten” So we have the circus, imaginary freinds, The MOMA dance, learning jigs when youre six. Am I just pulling this out of my ass. It definataley has me questiong the rest of the songs in relation and maybe lyrically they dont all fit together but atleast musically I feel like each song has that sound and connection to the greater whole Even guyute and water in the sky which are the ones that people say dont fit seem to play on that common sound that i cant even really explain.

Something that really gets on my nerves is when people diss phish’s lyrical aspect especially when listening to this album. The lyrics through out the whole album are beyond comprehension they are so good. Tom marshall is one of my heroes. Phish definately has a sense of humor when it comes to some of their lyrics but thats because their good at not taking themsleves too seriously and they know how to just have fun. Although, like this album proves when they wanna say something profound or important they do.

I could go on and on but I basically wanted to see if others have picked up on the possible concept thing going on not just with the music but the lyrics.

#2

yeah i’ve always considered this a very deep album…Phish plumbing the depths of their collective subconcious, playing with themes of madness and immortality. still, it’s a “light” madness as compared to say, Dark Side of the Moon.

i do remember getting shivers the day SOTG was released, driving down a dirt road on a grey fall day and hearing Shafty for the first time.

#3

Frank Zappa is jamming like the GD? Me thinks not…

#4

SOTG is a concept album, no doubt about it.

As is Rift.

And Billy Breathes, to some extent.

#5

No trust me, I know, thats not what I saying. PHISH has been compared to both off and on. They are two very different bands but they’re also two bands that have in some way shape or form influenced phish.

#6

Song for song, this cd might have the most lyrical weight. Most of the lyrics are “real worldly”, or at least more relatable to than say “David Bowie! UB40!”.

As a concept album, I’m not sure what the concept is, but I think there is a “sound” to this album. And when Trey sings Ghost’s lyrics over Moma I think that ties the whole album together, with those lyrics book ending the songs. I’m excluding End of Session from that because they don’t play it.

All in all, there’s a lot of ghostly lyrics. Ghost, Meat, Guyute, and Water in the Sky mention ghosts or other wordly beings. I can’t quite grasp a central concept to this album…but there’s enough there for individual listeners to draw their own connections.

#7

And where is Neil?