Break out the veggie burritos. Crack open the patchouli. Phish has a new studio album. Seeing the band live is seeing it in its element, where a four-minute song can turn into a zany, improvisational opus, and where tens of thousands of people noodle their way into psychedelic bliss. Perhaps the pleasure in listening to Farmhouse comes from trying to decipher how the band would enhance the tracks in concert.
Farmhouse also contains a handful of tracks that exist quite nicely outside the live context.
Such tracks as these legitimize Phish's need to release studio albums, showing the band's rather fine ability in non-improvisational songcraft. Farmhouse doesn't show that vibe in full effect, but it instead allows a much broader look into one of rock's most enduring and eclectic groups. Inc. All rights reserved. Images may not be copied, modified, or reused.