OK Phish fans, which albums should I get

[MikeLastort2]

In an effort to expand my musical horizons?

Thanks!

[Glenwood Lane United]

In an effort to expand my musical horizons?

Thanks!

My favorite is probably Billy Breathes.

Glad I got here before the trolls come cascading in.

[BlueMeanie]

The first one, which is called Junta. You Enjoy Myself, David Bowie, Contact, Fluffhead, Dinner and a Movie, Fee, Divided Sky, et al.

But I'd recommend some of their live stuff first. They've put out some good shows. My favorite of their officially released live shows is 7/16/94, from Sugarbush in Vermont, right around the time the Hoist album came out.

If you want one comprehensive live set, get the 6-cd Hampton Comes Alive, if you can find a copy. It's two full shows, 11/20 and 11/21/98, and has a good chunk of the best of the Phish catalog up to that point.

[afgrijselijkheid]

meh... get "hoist" and leave it at that

[nicodemus]

meh... get "hoist" and leave it at that
My top 5 Phish studio albums:

1. Billy Breathes
2. Rift
3. Story of the Ghost
4. Lawnboy
5. Farmhouse

They've put out 28 concerts in their entirety and then two other live albums in addition to that (1 compilation and 1 partial show.)

If it's live stuff you're looking for, I could give you some recommendations on that.

This coming from someone that saw them 25 times in concert and has listened to hundreds if not thousands of hours of them in concert from bootlegs. :D

[nicodemus]

meh... get "hoist" and leave it at that
I like "Hoist," but it was a big shift for Phish and there's too many guests on it for it to be the definitive Phish album for me. Between string sections, soul singers, Alison Krausse, etc., I just can't recommend it first. However, some songs off of "Hoist" went on to become fantastic songs live. "Wolfman's Brother" for instance was a mediocre album song that became wonderful in concert. "Down With Disease" became infinitely better on stage as did many other tracks off of that disc. "Sample in a Jar" though is probably one of their best recorded songs and it appears on "Hoist."

[nicodemus]

As far as the officially released live shows, I'm a big fan of (in no particular order)

Live Phish Vol. 12: 8/13/96, Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, Indiana
Live Phish Vol. 6: 11/27/98, The Centrum, Worcester, Massachusetts
Live Phish Vol. 10: 6/22/94, Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, Ohio
Live Phish Vol. 4: 6/14/00, Drum Logos, Fukuoka, Japan
Live Phish Vol. 7: 8/14/93, World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, Illinois

[shwantzme]

Mike,

I have a bunch of live shows and would be happy to burn a couple of my favorites for you.

IMO the best way to enjoy this band is by listening to their performances although I really do like Farmhouse and Story of the Ghost if you want to start off with studio stuff.

feel free to PM me if you want me to send you some good shows.

-S

[shwantzme]

My top 5 Phish studio albums:

1. Billy Breathes
2. Rift
3. Story of the Ghost
4. Lawnboy
5. Farmhouse

They've put out 28 concerts in their entirety and then two other live albums in addition to that (1 compilation and 1 partial show.)

If it's live stuff you're looking for, I could give you some recommendations on that.

This coming from someone that saw them 25 times in concert and has listened to hundreds if not thousands of hours of them in concert from bootlegs. :D

I will miss those concerts. Everything about them were top notch, the music, the light show and the energy.

I think you should consider buying a DVD as well. You could probably just add some to your Netflix queue or get them at the video rental joint. It's one thing to listen to them, but to see them play just adds that much more. I know videos won't give you the full experience, but they are all that is left. I suggest Bittersweet Motel. There are some great performances as well as some insight to the members of the band.

I hope you like them. It took me a while to get used to it, but I will never forget the moment that I turned the corner. I had been listening to A live One every day at the suggestion of my girlfriend who is now Mrs. Shwantzme. One afternoon, I had it on while cleaning my apartment, YEM was playing and I literally got consumed by it. After the song was over, I said "Man that was somne gooood sh.i.t!!"

I have been hooked ever since. Great thing about that band is that they have played so many shows and they are all pretty much available whether it be through www.livephish.com or bootlegs.

Enjoy!

[MikeLastort2]

Mike,

I have a bunch of live shows and would be happy to burn a couple of my favorites for you.

IMO the best way to enjoy this band is by listening to their performances although I really do like Farmhouse and Story of the Ghost if you want to start off with studio stuff.

feel free to PM me if you want me to send you some good shows.

-S

Check your PMs.

BTW, Nico, I bought Shake Off the Dust... Arise and Live at Stubb's off iTunes Music Store today. Good stuff.

[nicodemus]

BTW, Nico, I bought Shake Off the Dust... Arise and Live at Stubb's off iTunes Music Store today. Good stuff.
Cool. I've really been diggin' on those lately.

[MikeLastort2]

Cool. I've really been diggin' on those lately.

The jam at the end of Fire and Heights on Live At Stubb's is awesome.

[_chachi]

phish has studio albums???????? :D

[JeffS]

I like Farmhouse, although it's not as much of a "Jam" album as the earlier ones (which long time Phish phans tend to prefer). But I really like it's songs the best.

Then I like Billy Breathes, then The Story of the Ghost.

A Taste of Necter is pretty good, too.

[nicodemus]

I like Farmhouse, although it's not as much of a "Jam" album as the earlier ones (which long time Phish phans tend to prefer). But I really like it's songs the best.

I've been a fan since '93, and I used to prefer the earlier songs for their "jamming." However, as I've gotten older and have experienced a trainload of their music, those songs aren't jammed at all. They're composed. Sure, they get jammed out in concert, but "Divided Sky" is composed, as is "You Enjoy Myself." Great tunes, but as far as Junta goes, they're compositions.

I prefer the later CDs because the songs tended to be shorter (except for on Round Room). I love the big jams and have all 30+ live CDs they've put out, but sometimes I'm in the mood for short and sweet, and the later CDs provide that.

Not only that, I think those later songs were actually more conducive to creative jamming. They were more open ended instead of being so rigid like the earlier material. I like it all equally, but for different reasons. If you listen to the Fukuoka, Japan Live Phish release, you'll hear them taking short songs off of Farmhouse into ridiculously awesome jams, that I don't think would ever have happened had they kept writing 10 minute studio tunes.

[Gunner Phan]

all of them in order of release date