This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
There’s “no more fish in the sea,” claims singer-guitarist Trey Anastasio. And no more Phish on the scene either, apparently. The neo-jam eccentrics’ 10th studio release Undermind will also be their last if Trey and co. follow through on recently announced plans to call it quits.
Either way, Anastasio — the only bandmember who seems capable of sustaining a successful solo career — already seems to be on his way out the door. “The time has come for change / Do something or I will,” he writes on Crowd Control, one of several cuts here filled with musings on evolution and impermanence.
Even without the 20/20 hindsight that colours lines like “What I hoped might linger is swept off instead,” Anastasio’s increasing independence from his bandmates is written all over these grooves. Sure, he’s always been the frontman, but here his dominance seems so pronounced it’s almost regulated — Trey supplies 10 songs while each of the others makes do with a Token Mid-Album Solo Number.
Thing is, once you hear the difference between their mostly slight efforts and Anastasio’s more evolved work, it’s no contest. From the baroque Zombies pop of Scents and Subtle Sounds (Intro) to the bumptious roots-blues of the title cut, Trey’s tracks strike a perfect balance between uncomplicated, honest songcraft and intriguing production. As a result, he not only pens a fairly satisfying conclusion to this musical saga — he displays an artistic maturity that puts him leagues ahead of his talented cohorts.
No wonder he seems tired of being the big Phish in this small pond.
