This album came out two decades ago. Here’s what I had to say about it back then (with some minor editing):
Another new Phish album? Well, yes and no.
Yes, The Siket Disc has just been issued by Warner Music. But no, it’s not exactly totally new. The disc, a 35-minute collection of studio jam sessions recorded by the band’s long-standing engineer John Siket back in ’97, was previously available via Phish’s own Dry Goods label. And just as there’s a fine line between new and old, there’s a fine line between constructive jamming and undisciplined noodling. If you’re a Phish phan, you’ll hear Siket Disc as the former. And you’ll dig the free-wheeling approach the band takes here, skirting the traditional song form in favour or hypnotic tone poetry, syncopated experimentation and psychedelic atmospherics. If, however, you’re not a big fan of the band’s post-grad stoner vibe, Siket Disc will definitely sound like the latter, as the band eschew substance for silliness, spending their time playing in the sonic sandbox, building little soundscapes that don’t really begin, end or go anywhere. So is it any good? Well, yes. And no.
