The sound of Phish is extremely eclectic. They began in 1983 at the University of Vermont and over the course of 25-plus years have toured extensively and have sold out some of the greatest venues in the world numerous times. They also have had hundreds of thousands of people show up to their 6 2-day festivals over the years (their next festival will be a 3 day stay in the desert of southern california over Halloween). Phish is most definitely known for it's prowess of a live act. They inherited the throne left by the Grateful Dead in 1995 when Jerry Garcia passed. Each concert is something new where songs are rarely repeated and when they are, many of them do not sound the same. It's an adventurous 3 hours going to a Phish show, and I always enjoy it.
The story of the Phish scene however, much like their predecessors the Grateful Dead (It's worth noting that Phish and the Grateful Dead actually do have remarkably different sounds, but are oft compared due to their ever changing set lists and extensive jamming), is one of tragedy. The role of drugs sunk Phish at their "breakup" in 2004. Drugs most notably took a toll on frontman, Trey Anastasio. He was arrested in upstate NY in 2006 for possession of heroin. Trey had hit rock bottom, and before that "Phish" collectively had hit rock bottom.
On October 1, 2008, Phish announced a comeback weekend March 6,7, and 8th at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA. Trey had cleaned up his act, served some time (mostly community service) and the band followed suit showing up the reunion acts sober. Shortly thereafter Phish announced a new album and full summer tour in which every show sold out within a couple of minutes of tickets being released. This post is about Phish' new album, Joy. It is a story of tragedy and triumph, a story of falling and flying, and I figured I could relate the theological elements to their story. Phish is by no means a Christian act, none of the band members to my knowledge are Christians. But in a culture so seduced by getting so far ahead and leaving others behind it is refreshing to listen to music that tells a story lyrically AND musically. Joy fits that very paradigm. Without further ado, here it is:
Backwards Down the Number Line: While in the very thick of his troubles with the law on account of a drug addiction, Trey Anastasio (last name from the Greek word "resurrection") received a poem from his longtime friend and longtime Phish lyricist, Tom Marshall. The lyrics tell the story opening up with the first two words being, "Happy, happy." There are those Phish phans who would hear this song and say it is pop crap. But there are much more, most I would say, who cherish the song for the message it contains in the lyrics. "We pushed through hardships, tasted tears, made a promise one to keep." Marshall wrote the poem for Anastasio on his birthday. The song speaks of remembering your friends and giving them a loving ring on their birthday. The chorus rings with new beginning, "resurrection" as it were. "You decide what it contains, how long it goes, but this remains, the only rule is it begins, happy happy oh my friends." From there the song dives into an incredible guitar solo which many are saying is Jerry-esque (that is Jerry Garcia). The solo goes on for a good 2 and a half to 3 minutes and never becomes tiresome. It captures the lyrics by continuing on with a fun, and full sounding jam that speaks of new beginnings. It was the song of the summer on tour, and was debuted at the start of the second set their very first night back March 6th, I was there, you could tell the band was serious about starting again. The only rule is it begins is a great way to start their first studio album in over 5 years.
Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan: From the outset the song let's you know the direction it is taking, "I've got a blank space where my mind should be..." I also saw this songs debut at Jones Beach Ampitheater on Long Island in June. Although the main chorus of the song, Gotta blank space where my mind should be, will no doubt be heralded by some phanners into "the scene" I think Trey and the band were writing about failure. The songs somewhat upbeat nature does not lend to this, but lines like that and "I've got memories of being free" lead me to believe Phish is showing us the blank spaces of their past while forging ahead to an unknown but hopefully a profitable (in the sense of "life) future. This song is also complete with a dirty guitar solo and jam that swings quite nicely back into the refrain. Phish has to steal time from their faulty plan of the past to fill that emptiness or that "blank space where my mind should be."
Joy: The title track is a beautiful ballad with strong emotional meaning. Just this past summer Anastasio's sister, Kristie Anastasio Manning, died of brain cancer. Trey wrote this song for his sister as she was in the final days of battling the disease. This song shows a lot of the struggle between despair and well, joy. The words of the chorus, "We want you to be happy, don't live inside the gloom, we want you to be happy, come step outside your room, we want you to be happy cause this is your song too" drip with emotion. Trey is singing to himself as much as he is singing to others. The band is looking also to find its own Joy. "When we were young we thought life was a game, but then somebody leaves you and you're never the same." This song shows the incredible struggle life can be, how it is unfair and how it is difficult to overcome. But at the end of it all is a hope, and that hope is Joy, as St. Paul writes in Philippians chapters 3 and 4.
Sugar Shack: Written by Phish bassist, Mike Gordon, it is one of my favorite tracks on the album. "Standing on the edge of a cliff, I start to slip. Don't mind if I slide off." Have you ever been at that moment in time where you just wanted to give up and really couldn't care any less? Mike is showing us where he was during the Phish breakup. The chorus talks about running through the dark woods to that sugar shack. Sugar gives us energy, it is quite biological and essential to "life" as it were. "I was followed and chased and caught up and tied by the hay right until I made my escape." Run to that old sugar shack for some rejuvenation.
Ocelot: A fun "dead-like" (Grateful Dead) tune that talks about finding oneself again. The opening line, "Ocelot, Ocelot, where have you gone?" It's a journey through ordinary days of life and wondering where the goodness of life has gone. "Don't be the only one left on the block" seems to indicate not to be left behind in what life was but to step outside your door and experience life as it is coming. "Ocelot, Ocelot, where are you now?" Well, where are you now? Are you up? Are you down? Are you prancing "with the beast that parades every night," or are you with the "herd and float(ing) with the flock?" Phish seems to be exploring their creativity with this song that turned into somewhat of a fun jam vehicle over the summer. Almost as if Phish is calling to their old friends, the phans, and themselves asking everyone, "won't you come out to play?" You'll have to give the tune a live listen to really understand its potential.
Kill Devil Falls: This is the ultimate song about hitting the bottom and falling flat on your face. Trey is no doubt channeling his drug addiction and trouble with the law as he sings each word. It's a fun rocker that lit up the Long Island sky the night it was debuted at Jones Beach.
"How could you leave me, you heard what I said I’d be at the waterfall clearing my head Soaking up nature and thinking of you And leavings the last thing I thought you would do I did not plan to stop at the bar But Kill Devil Falls is really so far Who knew a day would turn into a week But I learned my lesson And I can still remember the last one But this time will be different Until I do it again." Trey is writing as a warning to himself physically and to Phish metaphorically, "Don't go back to Kill Devil Falls." That is to say, it's time to go on and not stay behind where you once were.
Light: In terms of theological relatability, this is my favorite. Jesus is the Light of salvation unto the world, so this comes as no surprise. "In fending off fears, and hearing the call" sings Trey, as he can see his past memories far behind of an old and fallen life, and the Light is growing brighter now. Musically I love this song as well, it starts off ambiguous and strange with no real connection to how the songs develops. But then it drops into certainty and something that shows how for Phish and for the fallen Trey, a new day has dawned. The last lyrics of the song, "Guide us to our goal, purify our soul" obviously clinches why I think this song fits best in relation to theology. The Light of Christ is what purifies our soul. I bet the band did not realize they were being so prophetic!
I've Been Around: This short, fun song, sung by the pianist/keyboardist Page McConnell quickly tells a story of where somebody's been. It starts off with Trey asking Page where he's been, and Page triumphantly tells him, "I've been around a while, I lived in town a while, I threw it down a while, and the town threw down on me." Yet here he is, back in triumphant fashion, ready to take on whatever comes next. In our lives we can sometimes get lost in where we've been and lose sight of how far we've come and where we are headed.
Time Turns Elastic: This piece is a 13 minute plus "progressive rock" song written originally to be accompanied by an orchestra. Yet like most of Anastasio's compositions, they turn into Phish songs and Phish classics (Divided Sky, You Enjoy Myself, Fluffhead, Guyute). Many phans dislike the song for its seemingly awkward changes, mostly due to awkward lyrics. But if there is one thing that can be related in this tune it is that time is very much so elastic. In and out of focus, time turns elastic." This is no doubt, critique it however you want, a song both lyrically and musically about where Trey Anastasio has been and where he is now. And in a common double meaning, it shows where Phish is headed. Phish is a living, breathing organism willing to take on new challenges, and whether or not you like the song, Phish does just that with Time Turns Elastic.
Twenty Years Later: I had the pleasure of seeing four of these songs debuted live. Unfortunately, I did not see any of the other six performed at all. But you take what you can get for sure! I really like this song and especially liked it's placement toward the middle end of the second set during a rain drenched night at the beach. Twenty Years Later shows you where Phish is now. It can be applied by how it speaks of the past in terms of experience, whether good or bad experiences. "Twenty years later, I'm still upside down." Despite all the experiences of life, you are still upside down, and will always be upside down on your own without the intervention of God in your life. This of course is NOT where the band was going with it (again I at least don't think so). "We build a foundation, but where do we stand?" Where do you stand? On a house built on a foundation of rock, the Rock, or sand? Phish built their previous life on a foundation of sand, "where all air is water and all water is land." Yet they look ahead to a new day and a new way that shows building a strong foundation, and how it almost has to occur outside of themselves. Their egos and their drug habits are what brought them down yet, "Feel it turn in circles and you're never the same again." The song takes on a musical edge that shows the road onward and upward. "Inside this silence see, all are free, all are free, the second time around..." The second time around. The first time around, like "Phish" despite the "greatness" or perceived greatness of humanity we failed and were doomed to live in failure, in sin and death. The first man the first time around could not handle it. No we needed the second man, Jesus, the second time around to free us from sin and bondage.
The album begins with "happy, happy" and ends with "the second time around." How true for us to find our happiness, our Joy, the second time around in the second man, Jesus Christ!
1 comment:
nice review of the album, brother. best of luck
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