Round Room
| Round Room | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 10, 2002 (US] | |||
| Recorded | October 5, 6, 18, 19, 2002, The Barn, Vermont | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 77:51 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Bryce Goggin | |||
| Phish chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
| Rolling Stone | [2] |
Round Room is the ninth official studio album by the American rock band Phish, released on December 10, 2002, by Elektra Records. The album was recorded and released in the lead up to Phish's reunion concert on New Year's Eve 2002 at Madison Square Garden, which marked the end of the band's two-and-a-half year break.
As with previous Phish albums, the songs originated in collaborative writing sessions between frontman Trey Anastasio and lyricist Tom Marshall (with two songs contributed by bass guitarist Mike Gordon). Round Room is unique, however, in that the final tracks were taken from the band's unedited rehearsal sessions at The Barn, Anastasio's studio in Vermont. Rolling Stone notes that this approach gives the album a "decidedly live" feeling, and "breathes with an anxious, edge-of-the-seat intensity that's missing from their previous studio efforts."[3] Though largely positive, the review criticizes Anastasio's singing and the "Phishspeak" quality of the lyrics.[4]
Phish appeared on TV twice before their official return to the stage on New Year's Eve 2002. "46 Days" was debuted live on the December 14, 2002, episode of Saturday Night Live,[5] and "All of These Dreams" debuted five days later on the Late Show with David Letterman.[6]
About a week after the release of Round Room, Phish recorded an impromptu jam session in a studio in New York City, excerpts of which were later scheduled for release as The Victor Disc. However, this instrumental album has not yet been officially released.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Pebbles and Marbles" | Anastasio, Marshall | 11:39 |
| 2. | "Anything But Me" | Anastasio, Herman, Marshall | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Round Room" | Gordon, Linitz | 4:13 |
| 4. | "Mexican Cousin" | Anastasio, Marshall | 3:16 |
| 5. | "Friday" | Anastasio, Herman, Marshall | 6:31 |
| 6. | "Seven Below" | Anastasio, Marshall | 8:27 |
| 7. | "Mock Song" | Gordon | 4:29 |
| 8. | "46 Days" | Anastasio, Marshall | 6:15 |
| 9. | "All of These Dreams" | Anastasio, Herman, Marshall | 4:08 |
| 10. | "Walls of the Cave" | Anastasio, Marshall | 9:59 |
| 11. | "Thunderhead" | Anastasio, Marshall | 3:19 |
| 12. | "Waves" | Anastasio, Herman, Marshall | 11:05 |
Personnel
- Trey Anastasio - guitars, vocals
- Page McConnell - keyboards, vocals
- Mike Gordon - bass guitar, vocals
- Jon Fishman - drums, vocals
References
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "Round Room - Phish | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ Moon, Tom (2011). "Phish: Round Room : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on January 19, 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Moon, Tom (2011). "Phish: Round Room : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on January 19, 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Moon, Tom (2011). "Phish: Round Room : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on January 19, 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Phish.net Setlists: 2002-12-14 Phish.net. Online. Accessed: Sept. 2, 2011.
- ^ Phish.net Setlists: 2002-12-19 Phish.net. Online. Accessed: Sept. 2, 2011.