Phish: Classic New Year's Eve 1995 Concert
Written: Dec 15 '05 (Updated Dec 15 '05)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Outstanding sound, lots of songs, very appealing arrangements...
Cons: errrr...uhhh...
The Bottom Line: Phishheads and non-fans alike will enjoy this 3-disc set. It's emotional, rich, entertaining, and humorous. Seriously--this is one to add to your collection.
|
|
|
| lambchops's Full Review: Live Madison Square Garden New Year's Eve 1995 - P... |
Phish is definitely one of the most famous jam bands to come out of the 1990s. Picking up where the Grateful Dead prematurely left off, their concerts represented their music and life than mere studio albums. In fact, as any Phishhead will tell you, it is impossible to fully know and appreciate the band without experiencing a live show. I am not a “true” fan of Phish and I admit to not loving their studio releases, so when it came to checking out Live at Madison Square Garden: New Year’s Eve 1995 I felt it was my duty to do so.
Recorded at the zenith of their popularity, the concert was called one of the greatest of the 1990s by Rolling Stone. It only seems fitting that ten years later it be released so that everybody can hear the enormous quality of the show. Twenty-seven songs long, it showcases many of the best Phish songs in addition to cover songs, theatrical stunts, Trey Anastasio’s narration, and the musical thesis Gamehenge Time Phactory which opens the third disc. The annual New Year’s Eve concerts went on for a decade, yet it was this one in 1995 that garnered the most attention from press and fans alike.
Having enjoyed a successful career through the early 1990s, Phish released a series of albums between 1991 and 1995…A Picture of Nectar (1991), Lawn Boy (1991), Rift (1993), Hoist (1994), and A Live One (1995). Regardless of whether they got airplay or landed on the charts, the band toured obsessively. What I find most amazing about Live at Madison Square Garden: New Year’s Eve 1995 is that the sound quality is impressive—so good that I almost forget about how much I usually despise live albums. It sounds like I’m at the Garden rather than the comfort of my couch or desk.
This set invites everybody to sit back and chill out. Don’t take life too seriously, laugh a little bit, and above all simple be happy. Anastasio (vocals, guitar), Jon Fishman (drums), Mike Gordon (bass), and Page McConnell (keys) exist to make you groove. If there is one thing clear on this album it is that Phish knows how to command the stage. Their music is definitely more about “feeling” than “thinking” which is why in turn it doesn’t translate well to the studio. Classic Punch You in the Eye starts things off with a bang. It is at the beginning of this track that we hear the crowd most distinctly. The fact that cheers and yowls are somehow completely imperceptible for the bulk of this disc pleases this exceptionally jaded reviewer.
As the album continues there are innumerable unforgettable moments. Indeed—don’t miss out on gems on the first disc including the fast and lighthearted Reba, the dramatic and uber-entertaining Maze, the surprisingly poignant “joke” Collective Soul cover Shine, and the honky-tonk goodness of Sparkle. Each song flows into the next. There are no cuts, no breaks, and no pauses. It’s just Anastasio speaking to the crowd and the band playing their outstanding songs. I finally am privy to the secret of Phish’s incredible appeal.
Next up we get another cover, this time of The Who’s Drowned from Quadrophenia. Before you bawk, realize that earlier in 1995 Phish actually covered the Who album. They clearly know how to play the song, understand the nuances, and despite the fact that Anastasio’s voice doesn’t exactly soar he does still manage to be earnest and urgent as with the original. The strongest tracks here are, at least in my humble non Phishhead opinion the kinetic Axilla (Part II), the obvious fan-favorite Runaway Jim, and the touching Strange Design. I also can’t forget the traditional song Hello My Baby. You know the one…even if you don’t know the title. It is because of diverse and unexpected songs like this that I find myself drawn to this outstanding and representative release
The final disc begins with Gamehenge Time Phactory which is of course part of a larger musical movement which also includes a number of other songs on this release. While I must admit to not understanding the idea one whit, I will say that I do still understand the individual pieces. Songs that follow like the reinterpreted electric guitar and keyboard driven Auld Lang Syne not to mention the delicate and sparkly The Who song Sea and Sand, Edgar Winter’s grinding classic rocker Frankenstein and as an encore Johnny B. Goode. Indeed this is a surprising, relevant, entertaining, and overall incredible live album.
Fans of Phish will certainly find great, great joy in Live at Madison Square Garden: New Year’s Eve 1995. It is a rich and expressive show that highlights the band’s best elements. They are emotional, creative, and humorous beings—and all these things are apparent across the three discs. I personally haven’t ever enjoyed their studio albums much, but this set has made me realize that Phish is definitely worth the hype. I think a lot of people who have been unimpressed by them in the past will certainly enjoy this release. “Wow” just about covers it.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
Disc 1:
01. Punch You in the Eye
02. The Sloth
03. Reba
04. The Squirming Coil
05. Maze
06. Colonel Forbin’s Ascent
07. Fly Famous Mockingbird
08. Shine
09. Fly Famous Mockingbird
10. Sparkle
11. Chalk Dust Torture
Disc 2:
01. Audience Chess Move
02. Drowned
03. The Lizards
04. Axilla (Part II)
05. Runaway Jim
06. Strange Design
07. Hello My Baby
08. Mike’s Song
Disc 3:
01. Gamehenge Time Phactory
02. Auld Lang Syne
03. Weekapaug Groove
04. Sea and Sand
05. You Enjoy Myself
06. Sanity
07. Frankenstein
08. Johnny B. Goode (Encore)
__________________________________
Related Reviews::
Rift (1993)
http://www.epinions.com/content_163846327940
Hoist (1994)
http://www.epinions.com/content_92137098884
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
lambchops
|
 in Music |
 - Top 50 |
|
Member: Shelly T.
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
Reviews written: 1170
Trusted by: 843 members
About Me:
I have hope.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.