Phish
Lawnboy (1990)
Track Listing:
1.)
The Squirming Coil (Anastasio, Marshall) - 6:04
2.)
Reba (Anastasio) - 12:27
3.)
My Sweet One (Fishman) - 2:07
4.)
Split Open and Melt (Anastasio) - 4:42
5.)
The Oh Kee Pah Ceremony (Anastasio) - 1:41
6.)
Bathtub Gin (Anastasio, Suzannah Goodman) - 4:29
7.)
Run Like An Antelope (Anastasio, Marshall, Pollak) - 9:52
8.)
Lawn Boy (Anastasio, Marshall) - 2:32
9.)
Bouncing Around the Room (Anastasio, Marshall) - 3:52
This album was re-released by Elektra in 1992; the original recording contained the version of "Fee" available on Junta, so for simplicity's sake, I've just chosen to do this write-up on the Elektra re-release. It is the same, aside from the absence of "Fee" on the recording, and a sped up "Lawn Boy" which was the result of an Elektra mixing error upon its re-release.
While its predecessor,
Junta, remains at the top of my favorites list,
Lawn Boy is a superb album in its own right. More accessible to the average listener, yet still in a style that could only be Phish, this album is about as solid as they come. From the rollicking jams fans have come to expect of the band (Reba, Run Like an Antelope) to poppier, more mainstream pieces (Lawn Boy, Bouncing Around the Room) and even a little touch of bluegrass, (My Sweet One) this album delivers - both as a quality recording and a pleasant addition to nearly any music collection.
Stellar musicianship is immediately apparent from the opening track, "The Squirming Coil".
While not a traditionally jammy track, McConnell really shines through on this particular song with some superb work on piano. Anastasio also delivers a beautiful, almost delicate bit of guitar playing which tailors perfectly to the arenas that at the time of recording, the band could only dream of playing. Fishman's drums and Gordon's bass complete the piece, making for a lovely and overwhelmingly splendid track indeed. The track fades out with McConnell's solo piano outro, going into the much funkier "Reba", a song which is definitely the Phish expected by those familiar with the band's earlier work.
"Reba" is full of whimsy, catchy and goofy lyrics, and one of the finest instrumental interludes ever to come out of the state of Vermont. While "Reba" is something of a bizarre song to those not accustomed to Phish, "My Sweet One" is somewhat odd even for seasoned phans; it's bluegrass.
The above is a live, acoustic version of the song taken from 2009's Festival 8.
As a studio recording, "My Sweet One" recalls traditional bluegrass, although the lyrics are even goofier than the goofiest of bluegrass. ("Herbivores ate well 'cause their food didn't never run") It's a fun track - a nice little treat on a very eclectic recording.
Lawn Boy certainly isn't lacking as far as diversity is concerned. One of my personal favorite songs, "Bathtub Gin", keeps the recording interesting as its sixth track.
"Bathtub Gin" sounds to me musically like being happy drunk. The music is jazzy, even a little funky, but the notes and progression itself seems to sway drunkenly, grinning and making everyone around feel great. The sounds of pouring within the track, superimposed sounds of laughter and talking beneath the music itself, and the silly lyrics come to be expected from the band make this a truly enjoyable song.
Like "Bathtub Gin", "Run Like An Antelope" is a track I'd almost guarantee to put a smile on even the grumpiest of faces, but it also offers the complex and intricate composition of such Phish classics as "You Enjoy Myself". It is fun; there is a bit of silliness pervading the lyrics - but it's so goddamn
good.
"Run Like An Antelope" is a brilliant and complex foray into the world of Phish. Bassist Gordon drops funk bombs on the listener, drummer Fishman offers some of his most complex rhythmic work on any recording, pianist McConnell perfectly places phenomenal bits of piano into the piece, and Anastasio plays like a man possessed. As the song progresses, the tempo speeds faster and faster, and the playing becomes progressively more uninhibited. Faces are melted, minds are blown, and the band plays on. It's truly a wonderful bit of music, one of Phish's best, and I still feel as though I can not sing its praises enough.
After Antelope, the album chills out a bit with the overall solid "Lawn Boy" and the very radio-friendly "Bouncing Around the Room".
"Bouncing Around the Room" is, to me, kind of a strange Phish track. It's not particularly exploratory. It's not especially goofy. In fact, it really feels pretty much like Phish just wanted to sit down and write a good ol' pop rock tune. In that way, it delivers. It's catchy, and I suppose it's fairly enjoyable. It's certainly not the Phish you'd be expecting, but Gordon and McConnell do have really strong bits within the song itself. For that, it's almost worth it...I still think it's the weakest track on the album.
Overall,
Lawn Boy is a pretty awesome album. There's a lot of diversity, and none of the tracks fall completely flat. It's enjoyable - I'd recommend it to someone not particularly familiar with the band's work in a heartbeat.
GRADE: A
(93/100)