Yes
So do I.
It was Yoko’s fault.
here comes a rant. i speak the truth, not because i defend everything the boys do and allow them to piss in my ears. i havent read this entire thread, so im not sure this has been said, but Phish/Trey are not these guys anymore…
[attachment=2]phish_2-2.jpg[/attachment]
this is them…
[attachment=1]25th+Anniversary+Rock+Roll+Hall+Fame+Induction+bcrNq5_SvrUl.jpg[/attachment].
I would hope that a band that has been around for 20+ years would to continue to evolve creatively and not keep giving the same thing over and over. trey is not going to write another YEM, Reba, or Fluffhead, accept it. trey especially is not the same person. so everyone just calm down (or maybe i should) and enjoy what you got. remember where we were '04-'08?
Remember this?
[attachment=0]phish-trey.jpg[/attachment]
Trey has gone through an emotional roller coaster the last few years, and is in a new part of his life. im not surprised his lyrics are in a new direction.
ill take sappy, girly, cheesy lyrics by a healthy rockin band than have nothing or get one of these performances…i challenge you to get through the entire video!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcQl0DbS5Sw&feature=related[/youtube]
ok, im done. discuss. 
::Ignores rant from guy who hasn’t read what his rant is about::
Seriously dude, your perspective is well represented in this thread, not to mention carefully considered throughout my posts.
Look, I tried writing a song last night. It’s not as easy as it sounds. I think I wrote a piece of crap last night.
I can dig a new direction. I can dig cheese & sentimentality. But if I don’t find the craftsmanship to be quality than I’m not into it, isn’t that fair?
I’m not trying to rag on Trey and say what he should or shouldn’t write. I just want to express my view about it, which happens to be a critical one. I love Trey, one of my top musicians ever. Please allow people room on here to be critical of the WORK, mkaythxbai
objective
subjective
You know the rest. Especially if you are a musician.
Uhg,… 
I’m not sure what is worse.
The band’s playing or that dude who keeps talking/singing in the background. 
Bingo. Bland, boring ballads do not equal “artistic evolution.” I do think some of Phish’s new music is unique, interesting, engaging and creative. Somehow it all ended up on the throwaway album that they didn’t release (“Party Time”) but at least it’s a sign they can still create something compelling and new that is true to their roots.
G’head and post Coventry videos if you want, just don’t pretend that somehow bolsters your point. They’re irrelevent.
objective
subjective
You know the rest.
wow, you people are testy today.
This hypothesis doesn’t hold water. If I recall. FEFY debuted on the same day as Axilla. 
When Rift songs came out, I do not recall an instance of people saying Phish sold out. In fact the songs were very well received. Rift was when theme albums were where that cohort of bands was at. Save His Soul by Blues Traveller is another one. I think some of each bands best work is on these 2 albums. Maze, Mound, It’s Ice, Rift. You gotta be kidding me. For the record. I have always loved FEFY. The old vets like the dude from Inflight in K-Zoo would tell me things like "Holy Shit!, You caught a Wedge.’ when I’d get back from Colorado shows. No my friend. The sold out shennanigans started with the DWD videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNt1IdNEJ-c
and that was a few years later. Now possibly you could correlate the DWD video with PHISH 3D. For selling out. NO REGRETS.
^ I’m not referring to the whole album Rift. Fast Enough For You was one of the first songs that really got bashed from the get go. Phans were worried about the direction the band (Trey) was heading in with slow ballads. Look I wasn’t there. I didn’t hop on tour until 1999, but I’ve read numerous accounts of this.
A lot of phans hated Hoist. And goes on from there. Year after year.
Also wanted to point out that sure you can be critical and discuss the direction that Phish (Trey) takes. It just seems all the bashing is singled out to Trey ALWAYS. I rarely hear a negative word when discussing Mike or Page. It’s always this is Trey’s fault. Trey can’t write. Trey isn’t the same. Trey lost his chops. You get where I’m going with this.
I think it’s pretty sweet that new music is being written for Phish. Hell I thought Joy was incredible all things considering. First album back since a 5 year layoff. Let’s just wait and see how the band is this summer before we start worrying/speculating/bashing.
So maybe Trey is going all Lady Antebellum on us. I bet he pulls it off better than most. 
I’d still go to shows if Jon was the only one singing. If you listen to I Didn’t Know from 4/18/93. Then all questions regarding who’s fault it is shall be answered by Page.
This goes back to Trey dominating Phish albums.
I understand the argument that these concerns have been raised before. I was somewhat disappointed after my first listen to hoist. It was definitely poppier than anything they had done. But, while the transformation has been gradual and there are examples of songs that don’t fit the mold, it doesn’t mean the trend isn’t there.
And come on, does anyone really think that FEFY is at all comparable to the smultzy crap that is Love is Freedom and Let Me Lie.
Basically, if Phish was a brand new band, and Joy was their first release… would anyone follow them around the country?
When rift came out I felt it was a departure from the previous albums. I was relatively new to the music and, to me there was a noticable change… not is a sell-out sort of way but in a more cohesive, succinct manner of song writing. All things reconsidered Rift has ended up being my favorite album. A year later came Hoist and there was an even more noticable change… along with the aformentioned first “single” and release of the disease video. I loved Hoist but it did play to a larger audience. I thought rift was trying to do this but failed because it still retain the edge… and where rift failed at that, hoist did not… i could play it for people and they liked the rocker that julius is… i remember being at 7-15-94 and they play julius and these older guys behind me are like “alright woohoo!”… completely missing the far-out melt and beauty of dsky. From then on it has more or less been the same story… but now we get some extra cheese on the phish pie!
Anyway that edge was lost long ago and what has emerged is a much different version of song writing… I don’t expect trey to write songs like bowie or maze… in fact those songs are a little immature in context to who he is now… as a middle aged-man… but the thing is he cannot escape his past and cannot escape the edge of his own guitar playing… he can write all the cheesy songs he likes but when it comes down to mid-jam he does what he can do, seemingly spontaneously… which is what he has done all along… so the exterior may take on a different look (cheesy song writing) but his essence stays the same (wailing, improv, searing rock guitar).
Therefore I don’t care if trey collaborates with Leanne Rymes or the Jonas Brothers… he will never escape who he really is.
Not relevant whatsoever to my point. I’m pointing out that it’s a pattern.
The sell out rhetoric is ridiculous.
An argument can be made that they sold out the minute they signed with Elektra.
The whole sell out discussion is trivial and is best left alone. You would never have heard many of your favorite bands unless they “sold out.”
Again another irrelevant point to the discussion at hand. What does this have to do with anything?
I 100% agree, but it’s happened throughout Phish’s career.