Phish frames ‘Picture’ with many styles

Spencer Patterson

Friday, July 9, 2004 | 8:47 a.m.

Critics are fond of writing that Phish has never released an exceptional studio album.

If they're talking about something on the order of "Revolver," "London Calling" or "Exile on Main Street," it's an accurate assessment.

But really, how many bands can actually boast those sorts of credentials? Such ultra-classic discs are few and far between, and holding a group accountable for not meeting those lofty standards seems ridiculous.

To my ears, several Phish albums are worthy of praise, and merit consideration by any adventurous fan of rock music.

Chief among them: "A Picture of Nectar," the quartet's third effort, released soon after the band signed to Elektra Records in 1991.

On "Nectar," the jam-band giants ooze confidence, as if (correctly) sensing that their cult following was about to expand a thousandfold.

The four musicians -- vocalist Trey Anastasio, pianist Page McConnell, bassist Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman -- all get into the songwriting act, resulting in some of the group's most far-reaching work.

From the jazz of McConnell's "Magilla" to the bluegrass of Gordon's "Poor Heart" to the rock assault of Anastasio's "Chalk Dust Torture," the 16 tracks veer wildly from genre to genre, yet manage to sound fairly cohesive.

Those who slag Phish's studio output typically point out that it doesn't capture the magic of the band's world-renowned live experience. That's true, but it's also not such a bad thing. On "Nectar," the Vermonters simply present a series of ideas, which mushroomed and took on lives far outside the context of the disc in the concert setting.

One example is "Tweezer." A relatively straightforward nine-minute rock ditty on "Nectar" (nine minutes can be considered a ditty by Phish standards), the song blew up into a showstopper in latter years, ballooning to well over an hour-long bash in some cases.

Enjoyable as the live standards on "Nectar" are -- "Llama," "Cavern," "Stash," "Guelah Papyrus" and "Chalk Dust Torture" among them -- the album is also home to several great secondary cuts.

"The Mango Song," "Glide," "Eliza," "Faht" and a cover of Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca" were concert rarities, which may be why they still sound so vibrant to someone who saw the band more than a dozen times over the years.

Sure, Phish's lyrics can be on the silly side. But I defy even the most serious music fan to keep from singing along with Anastasio on the glorious finish to "Cavern":

"Give the director a serpent deflector / A mudrat detector, a ribbon reflector / A cushion convector, a picture of nectar / A virile disector (sic), a hormone collector / Whatever you do, take care of your shoes."

Artist: Phish.

Title: "A Picture of Nectar."

Year of release: 1991 (Elektra).

Tracklisting: "Llama," "Eliza," "Cavern," "Poor Heart," "Stash," "Manteca," "Guelah Papyrus," "Magilla," "The Landlady," "Glide," "Tweezer," "The Mango Song," "Chalk Dust Torture," "Faht," "Catapult," "Tweezer Reprise."