Okay I’m going to pick up Hoist tomorrow, with the usual “Shit I hope they have it” routine I go thru on Record Store Day. I’ve heard horror stories, and I’ve come REAL close (last year there were exactly two copies of the Clutch record my friend and I both wanted) … but I usually get what I’m lookin for.
Phish vinyl review, on Record Store Day Eve:
The White Tape
This LP is a badass mofo IMO. I really didn’t like it, in a way, when I first had some 5th generation cassette of it. But then the CD came out in the 90s, and the sound was so much better, that I kinda decided I enjoyed it “for what it was”. But this LP is great. All pros, no cons. White vinyl is a great touch. The way side A and B break up, and the bands make it evident what track you’re hearing and how long you have to endure its madness 
Throw in the shiny silver to offset the white, and I’m tellin ya, it’s the best possible way - the only way - to fully enjoy this particular album.
Junta
I’d waited years in hopes there’d someday be a Junta vinyl, and lo. This thing is so super deluxe too, it’s kinda silly how awesome it is in that regard. Triple gatefold, triple record, custom labels, heavy duty black inner sleeves (I think most of the JEMP releases have those?), embossed 3D-ish cover art.
I had always envisioned Junta as a double record w/Dinner & A Movie closing the first record, like how it ends side A of the cassette. The triple record layout is a little weird to me, but maybe it’s worth whatever fidelity is saved? I don’t know, seems to me they could throw it on two records, but then I kinda have the same angle on the Lawn Boy and Hoist vinyl layouts. The etching on Junta side six is admittedly great. Extended Contact is good too. The track layout on record two’s kinda wacked. C: Dinner And A Movie/Divided Sky D: David Bowie
Anyway, aside from the weird five sided-ness, which might be just fine anyway, this thing is just crazy, one of my favorite vinyl pieces ever.
Lawn Boy
I didn’t get the JEMP one cuz I spin me an original two-sided single vinyl edition, which is pretty great. Sometimes I think Lawn Boy might be the best album they ever did. Sometimes I want the new double vinyl JEMP records edition too. But then I’m totally happy with the two sided one. Maybe the remaster sounds even better, but what I got sounds pretty sweet. I really like how side A and B of the original record look the same, as I blabbed about in an earlier post.
A Picture Of Nectar
This one’s got a great track layout, love how each of the four sides are split up. It really needs to be a double record, so it’s totally merited. I’m glad Landlady ends the first record, and that Stash stars side 2. Poor Heart makes a great side A closer.
Sound quality of this thing is out of this world. The high end gets a little chunky in places, a little distorted or something, but maybe it’s my system I dunno.
The Tweezer “skip” is a little bit unforgiveable, I don’t know why I haven’t found anyone else who seems to know about that.
The cover art source appears to be low res, so that’s kind of a minus. I read somebody complain that they’d have preferred it didn’t have the “PHISH” across the front cover, since original CD pressings didn’t have that … I sort of agree. Sometimes I wish the plain orange (sans Nectar photo overlay) was the record label (like the CD). Or like, two of the four were the orange maybe. So this is the only one so far where I kind of feel like the artwork is a little disappointing. But I will say that the disappointment is slight.
And hey, I love the big fat glass of milk pic in the gatefold. It’s Nectar on vinyl, don’t get me wrong, it’s a sweet unit. Ultimately I’m happy with it. Not as nice as Junta or Rift, but still quite a nice record for sure.
Tweezer skip is the only real complaint … I bet they didn’t know about it, it’s during that chaotic slowdown at the end of the song. I assume it’s on everyone’s pressing since it’s also on my mp3 download. Anyone hear that?
Rift
What a sweet piece of vinyl this thing is. I got the colored one, was totally worth all the trouble someone else went thru on my behalf (thx PYK), lol. It’s kind of a dark grey/green color that’s somehow not quite a match but not a clash either … but it’s cool looking, so it’s a win.
The sound is incredible. The Rift and Nectar albums have a little more of a ‘processed’ sound I think; Junta and Lawn Boy are more organic. But on the records it all sounds a little less processed somehow. I don’t know why that is. I’m not convinced it’s not an illusion that records seem to sound better or more legit. But I still enjoy the perceived difference. Everything’s bigger. The tracks are visible. It’s broken into album sides.
I love how it sounds to have the music stop at the end of Maze, in the same way that Poor Heart closes the side well. Leads me to my only complaint about this release: I wish they’d let MyF start the second half, like the cassette release did. I got real used to the idea that the first half ended at Wedge. But aside from my being attached to the idea, I find the segue between MyF and Weigh to be the more important one to preserve. I’m assuming the reason for My Friend My Friend to close side B is to preserve it’s crossfade from the Wedge, but isn’t the suspensed chanting into the abrupt laugh into the plucky opening arpeggios of Weigh a more important sequence of noises?
Anyweigh that’s not too bad of a thing ultimately. The labels look great. As I said, the colored vinyl is very nice. The extra art that comes with this is insanely cool, it’s like a blacklight type of deal I imagine … flourescent lite blue almost. So detailed and fun to look at. The main cover art and insert, and the gatefold, are all top quality, just perfect. I just noticed tonight that the INSIDE of the cardboard is actually dark blue.
“That does it” I said to myself, “I’m writing a lengthy post about the Phish records tonight.”
Hoist
Well this puppy comes out tomorrow, we’ll see! I seem to remember this album as a single record length album, so it’s weird knowing they’ve made a double album out of it. Hope to score the colored orange/pink splatter edition. I am smelling a theme here with the short album sides, preserving fidelity as a priority over album side flow sensibilities. Side B Lifeboy/Sample, I understand. That’s weird dudes.
Billy Breathes
Still lukewarm on this album after all these years. 20 of em. Maybe I’m the one who’s still upside down, hahaha. I’ll call the side layout of this eventual release (Fall 2016 RSD??): Side A: Free/Chz0/Waste B: Taste/CTB/Talk C: Theme/Train/Bliss D: Billy/SweptAway/Steep/Caspian
Story of the Ghost
I’m lucky to have nabbed the Elektra one, it’s nice. Torn about whether to buy some two record edition JEMP will hopefully release eventually.
Farmhouse
I’m lucky to have nabbed the Elektra one, it’s nice. Torn about whether to buy some two record edition JEMP will hopefully release eventually.
Siket Disc
This thing is a badass of a record. I’ll be spinning this one again soon. I like that the vinyl edition helps me focus on the individual tracks, you know cuz you can look right at 'em. This record came out very nice. From the matte finish on the cover, to the gatefold pics, to the heavy duty record with the stylish labels, I have zero complaints about this one.
Round Room
Undermind
Here’s to future vinyl excitement! Maybe Round Room will be a triple record, lol…
Joy
Sharp piece of vinyl. I’m fond of the artwork, the layout, the labels. Record two is kinda cool how it relegates TTE & 20 Yrs Later to this no mans land second record that you have to put on, on purpose! I feel like it’s helpful somehow, in digesting the Joy material. Some of those tunes are gold, others you need to kinda … be ready for!
Party Time
Similar to Joy, I find this album has like two or three songs that I really have to be intentional about embracing. But the vinyl is truly killer. Again, having it on this format is truly worth all that my (other) friend went thru to obtain it for me (thx clevername). Having it broken down into four sides is helpful for ease of digestion. The layout is a little bit awkward because some of the worst songs open album sides, IMO. But overall I really dig Party Time. It’s strong moments are fuckin’ great. I doubt I’d appreciate it as much without the record.
Fuego
Orange vinyl awwww yeaaaahhh. I think my needle has trouble with this one sometimes, like the record’s made of unusual material or has gunk in the grooves … but it’s a record I’ve spun a bunch, very nice packaging. Blank side four is like whatever, I guess you like your weird vinyl layouts Phish. I dig this album mostly, kind of cold on some songs, but love the rest of it.
MSG 12/31/95
I’m starting to want this finally, now that the sticker shock has been absorbed. I’m in no hurry certainly. But I bet I’d love it.
Two Soundchecks
Wish I’d nabbed this @ face. Don’t have this either.
Alright, that’s that. What’d I forget. When’s A Live One comin out. I’ll buy it I swear ta gahd
