Undermind: The Best Phish Album

Phish Albums
#1

I’m going to say it. I believe that Undermind is the best Phish studio album. Of all the stuff that they’ve put out in the past twenty years, including Joy, this album embodies what a record should be.

The main reason I feel this way is that, for the first time, most of the album is produced in a manner that would make it impossible for a four-piece Phish to pull off. There are strings, multiple guitar tracks, multiple keyboard tracks, and it sounds GREAT. The performances are detailed and energetic, lacking the usual cautious slowness of most studio cuts. At the same time, everything is extremely complete, and for the first time since “A Picture Of Nectar”, Fish sounds like he’s awake.

If you can find it on YouTube or something, watch the “Specimens Of Beauty” movie. If you can get past how screwed up Trey is, you can see everyone putting real effort into recording “Crowd Control”.

The other selling point that makes it a great standalone album is the jams; or the lack thereof. Every song on this album was conceived without a major jam linked to it (and even though ASOS and S&SS grew a lot in 2004, those jams weren’t entirely essential and weren’t always there). Having a jam vehicle like “You Enjoy Myself” or “Tweezer” is a good thing in a concert, but having them without those in the studio isn’t always as good an idea; and remember that a studio album is supposed to feature definitive versions of songs (or at least feel that way), and there’s no way 1999 Phish could have gotten the 2004 SPAC “Piper” ready for “Farmhouse.”

It’s not that I don’t love all the other albums (except SOTG and Lawn Boy, which both feel really unfinished), but the fact is that Undermind doesn’t wilt and shrivel away when compared to its live counterparts. It’s not just that Phish circa 2004 wasn’t too great (in fact, there were KILLER versions of “Scents And Subtle Sounds” and “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing” that year… see: SPAC), but the fact that all the songs feel like they were written without expecting there to be decades of live development. There is not a single song (and I don’t count “Maggie’s Revenge” and “Tomorrow’s Song”) where I was left thinking “man, this could have had a lot more in it”. Everything is DONE.

Call that pop or radio-friendliness if you want, but I believe that recording something in a studio and putting it on a record means that you’re ready for that version to be definitive. If you can’t do that, well, just don’t record it yet! That’s what makes live albums and bootlegs a justifiable thing!

#2

I can’t disagree more.

#3

It was an album they threw together at the last minute after Trey knew he was going to end Phish, so they could honor their contract to ELEKTRA or whatever label they were on. That alone hurts it’s credibility.

that’s besides the facts that there are a handful of terrible songs and the album has no distinct feel or flow

#4

I fear your on an island on that opinion.

The main disagreement is that I never thought phish’s albums were supposed to be recorded like every other band. I love phish mainly for NOT being like other bands and being able to have that audience without catering to the masses.

If that is what you like though I won’t knock it too much.

#5

also this should probably be moved to album discussion

#6

I thought it already was in album discussion.

#7

It is

#8

Everyone’s entitled to their opinion.

While I might disagree with what he has to say, I’ll defend to the death his right to say it.

I still don’t own this album. However, I plan on going to BB today to pick up Joy and this one. I like tangible stuff I can feel, and see, and smell, and caress, and taste, and rub against my bum.

#9

I love Undermind! It is a great studio album with great Phishiness, but I can’t say it’s the best. I’m not sure what I think is their best studio effort, but UM is not the best, IMO.

#10

I like the Undermind album quite a bit. Somehow I enjoy the two post-hiatus records more than anything since Rift. Otherwise though, yeah, totally disagree with the notion that it’s their best, and find that heralding it as superior to Lawn Boy, well, that just means we like different bands. Or something. Need to see other people.

#11

I’m on the boat that it is a really good album. But I do think it’s far from their best album. That’s stretching it a bit. But yes, you are entitiled to your opinion.
But I certainly think that Undermind is far better than Round Room. RR feels to me like a band that has thrown in the towel and just didn’t give a crap anymore. I know that it’s supposed to have that “live” feeling to it as they just went into the studio and hit “record”, but it sounds sloppy and uninspired.
At least UM has a good “studio” feel to it, like a studio album should have. If I want to capture the live feeling of Phish, I’ll buy LP volume whatever, or go see the band.

#12

I’ve been listening to Undermind in my truck over the past few days and it’s really grown on me. There was quite awhile there where I wouldn’t listen to it because it just didn’t feel right to me. Now, I’ve come back to it with an open mind and found that there are really some musical gems on this album. Undermind really is a great track, I think. ASIHTOS is another really great, moody track that kind of encapsulates this era of Phish. Dark, brooding, kind of moody. Scents and Subtle Sounds is another one that just has a darker tone to it. That’s what I think I wasn’t ready for when I first listened to this album. But now, I think this is going to serve as a good “fall” record for me. It’s starting to get a little overcast here in the Midwest and music that’s a little darker and moody is good for this time of year, I think.

It’s not their best album, but it’s certainly not bad in any regard. A band that has been as prolific as Phish and kept the quality level this high is to be commended.

#13

Yep…

#14

While Undermind is clearly NOT a good album, UM as a song has grown on me. Also, ever since Festival 8, who knew that Undermind was a kickass jam??? who knew??

#15

Hampton and Knoxville 09 would like to have a word with you.

#16

yeah, yeah . . .I wasn’t at Knoxville. And I went to the bathroom during Undermind at Hampton :yawn:

#17

I guess my major point was I felt those two versions are fantastic, and Festival 8 version was a bit :yawn:

#18

Really? I thought it was great, IMO.

To each his own, I guess.

Truce, William??

#19

Am I the only one who really doesn’t like the live Underminds so much? I think it’s a great song, but way prefer the studio version. The new groove just doesn’t do it for me. I mean I’ll take it, it sounds good, I just prefer the album.

It’ll always be weird to me, how when a song is played live, especially if it’s jammed out, fans think of the song totally differently from that point.

#20

to my ears, Ghost is their best album.

i really do like me some Undermind though. it’s a very solid album front to back, and encapsulates a mood that i enjoy.

throw in Rift and Billy Breathes and there’s my top 4. what would five be? hmmm…probably Farmhouse. i agree that much of the earlier, proggier, jammier stuff didn’t translate well on an album (i’m talkin to you Junta and Lawn Boy. PoN was closer, but…eh. Rift is where they finally hit the nail on the head for that era.), and Hoist is too goofy for my taste.

got a love/hate for Round Room and Joy is fine and plesant and all, but nothing great to my ears.

i think that about covers it.