Minerese: Vol. II
12.31.09 (W.Rogell)
Yesterday’s post turned out to be so much fun, I figured we’d segue right into “Minerese, Volume II.” Yesterday we tackled some basic terminology, though I’ve been known to use more colorful language to paint the picture of a Phish jam. Today, I plucked out some of more vibrant terms I’ve dropped from time to time, and dug up some audio excerpts to define them.
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“Colorful Molasses”
When the music gets so thick you feel like you are swimming through a larger-than-life ocean of groove, you’ve entered the realm of colorful molasses. These tar-thick rhythmic textures create a liquid reality where the gooey grooves engulf your existence. In this case I’ve juxtaposed a classic dose with a portion from ’09.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/molasses2.mp3] [audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/molasses1.mp3]***
“Drone Landscapes”
11.21.09 (W.Rogell)
Often times, Phish enters a phase of the jam characterized by its total lack of melody. Often in conjunction with more eerie experiments, these segments are comprised of heavily effected, and often repetitive, musical phrases. These landscapes resemble alien sonic brews that Phish creates in migrating between musical planes.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/drone1.mp3] [audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/drone2.mp3]***
“Crack-like Grooves”
These grooves feel so good, you just gotta’ have more! These fiercely-addictive dance patterns are the musical equivalent of choice hubba rocks. Time and space stand still when high on Phish crack.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/crack1.mp3] [audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/crack2.mp3]***
“Bass-led Jihad”
Michael Gordon (T.Stack)
This eclectic term is reserved for those segments of absolute Mike-driven annihilation. In these crusades, Gordon’s bass lines anchor the rhythm while, simultaneously, carrying the lead melody. Trey and Page settle into the background while Mike steps front and center as the dynamic leader of the band. Taking no prisoners, Mike’s offerings shower the audience with relentless attacks of bass warfare.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/jihad1.mp3] [audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/jihad2.mp3](For those trying to identify these excerpts, the task should be much easier today with more well-known selections.)
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Jam of the Day:
“Mike’s Song > Sparks > Curtis Loew” 8.2.93 II
A classic sequence from Tampa, Florida, kicking off August ’93.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ph93-08-02d2t02.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ph93-08-02d2t03.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ph93-08-02d2t04.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ph93-08-02d2t05.mp3]=====
DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
6.11.00 Hibiya Outdoor Theatre, Tokyo, Japan < Torrent
6.11.00 Hibiya Outdoor Theatre, Tokyo, Japan < Megaupload
Hibiya Park, 6.11.00 (J.Greene)
This afternoon show took place a half-day after Phish ended their show the night before at Zepp. Taking place within Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, this show facilitated connections between Japanese and American fans in a way that small nightclubs couldn’t. Check out my take on the show, written only hours after it concluded.
I: First Tube, Punch You In the Eye, Horn, Ginseng Sullivan, Stash, Dirt, Possum, It’s Ice, Farmhouse
II: Birds of a Feather, Free, Beauty of My Dreams, Bug, David Bowie, When the Circus Comes, Back on the Train, Harry Hood
E: Character Zero
Source: Unknown
Tags: Culture
Robear- Someone emailed it to me and I thought to myself, “self- you should put that on phishthoughts” figured maybe the late night crowd could make sense of it because I cannot.
Also, why I’m pleading for people to dive into Feb ’03 makes no sense either. Their loss.
phish-win. robear-win. meastick (with and without alternate japanese lyrics)-win. feb ’03-win.
flarrdogg-the jury is still out .
Buenas noches, bb!
@flarrdogg – I went to 5 shows in Winter ’03: both Cinci shows, meadowlands, Worcester, and Nassau. Of those 5, only Meadowlands was a dud, and that was probably due to the extremely heavy prospect of playing with BB King. Second set started strong with a Halleys>Hood. After Heavy Things, I thought seriously about the possibility of an all “H” set (ala the 11/15/96 M set), but then it was just nothing.
still, those other 4 shows were chock FULL of amazing. 1st night Cinci was mostly a rocker, loved the Lifeboy bustout and a great Boogie On>Antelope. But second night Cinci had one of the best jams I’ve ever heard live: the monstrous 22 minute Gin. When Trey comes back with the main riff but in a different rhythm, all over a crazy polyrhythmic beat from Fish, it’s money. Tube from that night is choice, too. From Worcester, the YEM opener is, of course, “the bomb,” but it’s ALL about that first set Moma Dance, and one of the most “out there” Mazes you’ll ever hear. Second set Stash is on par with any great version from the late 90s (it kills the Hampton ’98 version, IMO), and the Ghost through Ya Mar segment is lots of fun, with some Lady Madonna teases in there alongside the Low Rider jam. Of course, every knows about the Destiny, the Gin, and the Tweezer from Nassau. But my favorite jam from that show, oddly enough, is the GBOTT. So much good stuff in February ’03 (don’t forget that killer Disease>7 Below>Disease from Vegas), such a fun week of shows.
jake- Those Cinci shows (especially night 2) were epic. Chicago was GREAT too- my first since Shoreline 2000. Ususally I’m biased towards shows I attended, but damn-Worcester and (obviously) Nassau are all-timers and remain in the rotation for me. Very envious of those who were at those shows.
Great Phish IMO.
really out now
I haven’t heard most of those afore-mentioned 03 shows, but the Nassau show is an all-time favorite; of the entire show, I revisit the Tweezer most often. Its jam is a version of what I perhaps like most about Phish: gorgeous, uplifting improv. Whole show is stellar, that goes without saying
What I wonder, often, is why the music from the IT festival is basically never mentioned here, and when it is mentioned, it’s usually in passing. IT was two days of usually amazing music, and yet it’s pretty much always overlooked.
WTF?
@Chef
I haven’t heard 8/3 at all, but 8/2 is a great show. Waves has a nice drone landscape, and set 3 is killer.
R n R > 7 Below > Scents and Subtle sounds > 7 Below > Spread it Round > Bug. Pretty much all true segues.
IT had way too many long jams, Chef. that’s why i hardly talk about it. the chariots of fire part is cool.
@ chef,
No ‘Tweezer’ @ ‘IT’. probably why it’s not featured here often 😉 jk
peeps love on the ‘Waves’, ‘Ghost’, ‘Tower Jam’ quite a bit. Beside the ‘Ghost’ and ‘Waves’, I like the ‘Ya Mar’ opener, the insane ‘Chalkdust’. I hit that show for songs, more than listening through.
maybe gets overshadowed by 7/29/03?
i never listen to much IT but when i do i like it. i listened to 46 days for the first time in probably years today, and i enjoyed certain parts of it a lot. some of it went on a little long but its a success for sure. \
also i mean you cant talk about it without talking about that fuckin ghost…. phew
oh yea the 2 28 03 tweezer is great, and the bott is good but that show is a little bit over rated. maybe not so much on this board as it is overrated among some of my friends… but those kids are just regurgitating what their brothers tell them cuz their brothers happened to be old enough to hit some 03 and 04 shows, and 2/28 holds up against a lot of 2.0 shows.
although that tweezer truly is a great sucess of a jam. it would have blended right in if it was played in the late 90’s
THAT’s what I wanted to see! Seriously. You all brought up high points of the IT Festi. I was beginning to wonder if I’d imagined the highlights of that weekend. Every time Ghost is mentioned here I wonder why no one mentions the IT Ghost. Is it funky? Not particularly. Is it one of the hands-down outstanding uber-improvised Ghost jams ever? I’d say yes, and one of the most effective.
Agreed, Set 3 night 1 was stellar. Limb, Reba, Brother, DWD, Ghost, P&M, RnR, it goes on.
Just glad I’m not alone in the IT love here, y’all
@PurpleHumbackWhale
I don’t really think that Tweezer would get overshadowed in a 90s show. It’s a great, huge jam, and it’s followed by Soul Shakedown to a real dark Bowie. Those 3 songs hold up in any era imho
One thought about this Limestone “rumor” floating around. Would Phish do a festival anymore without ample hotels nearby, so they could offer packages or whatever the deal was, a la 8? Are there hotels in Limestone? I really have no clue.
looks like no one is up late
gonna drop this b/c I was uploading it for a friend, might as well share
PROPS TO ALBERT WALKER – a lot of this stuff comes from him. IF you pulled a bunch of his new african music shares, you’ll have a lot of this already.
These are my “favorites” playlists of a bunch of African artists, taken from stuff I’ve picked up and stuff albert has shared. I think these should good make introductions to these styles of african music, which I have been really enjoying recently.
http://tinyurl.com/africanmusic
10 zipped samplers of:
Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate (Mali) – acoustic guitar and kora, separately and together. Sparse, peaceful, beautiful.
Tinariwen (Tuaregs, northern Mali) – “desert blues” – a very romantic and au courant band. if you like it you’ll love it, or it will bore you; seems pretty much 50/50 and you can obv. count me in the former camp – touring the US in June, very psyched. worth googling for the story.
Mulatu Astatke (Ethiopia) – the Ethiopiques disk is everywhere, I’m sure you’ve heard it. The other zip is a mix of mostly his current stuff. Makes me feel like I am in a secret agent movie with mysterious ladies and an nefarious, fez-wearing villian. Can’t get enough Mulatu right now.
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo (Benin) – aka the Tout Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – the bomb as far as I’m concerned. Straight motherfucking for-real voudou rhythms with sophisticated horn arrangements and superb guitar. Blowing up on the world music scene right now after nearly 40 years of existence. Stunning, hypnotic groove of the highest order.
70s Nigerian Afrobeat – basically the cream of a couple comps with some lesser-known Fela and Tony Allen tracks from the era thrown in. They were having some fun in Lagos despite the trouble in this era, you can tell.
Tony Allen (Nigeria to Paris and beyond) – some stuff from a couple of his modern albums. He’s having a bit of a revival these days, a deserved one, putting out some solid albums. Even the best songs from these albums basically serve as frameworks for him to show off his ridiculously sophisticated and swinging drum skills…I have never heard anything like him, the casual fluidity of the beats, the sharp little hesitations and fills…amazing. I tossed in a sweet little track that fits the vibe off another modern comp as filler.