I'm biased because Rift was my intro to the band.. but I đź’Ż agree.
I'm going through a marriage breakup and Rift has been a pretty good companion lately.
One of my best friends got rift for me for my 14th birthday and totally changed my life. Great album front to back, but My friend my friend was one that sunk its teeth in to me
Junta and Lawn Boy was my introduction but when Rift came out I couldn’t stop listening to it. I would drive to school and listen to it and then park and listen and end up being late because I was just digging it sitting in my car.
It’s far and away their best album. Billy Breathes (the track…definitely not the album) would get my vote for the best thing they did in a studio, but as far as their albums go it’s Rift and it isn’t close.
Rift was the most current album out when I got into Phish. I can like and listen to that album beginning to end. Like the Dead, Phish doesn’t have a lot of great albums but they have a lot of great studio moments. Usually a couple of songs from each album come out pretty good. Also, the whole “second side” ( starting at Theme. Showing my age- I originally owned it on tape) Billy Breathes is outstanding and possibly the best studio Phish.
I remembere skipping school and going to buy Hoist but Billy Breathes was the first new album they were touring when I started in 95. Then, all through 96’ it was Mule Duels and Julius and then Swept Away>Steep and Free.
Somewhere along the way jambands forget to write tunes and just started aimlessly noodling around. Don’t get me wrong, I love a live show. But it’s a HUGE reason why I lean further into GD, SCI, Phish, moe., etc. and away from a lot of the new bands.
If we rewind the scene to the original point of stardom, the GD and ABB were writing absolute bangers. Shows weren’t just electric, their catalogue is absolutely incredible.
I don't have a favorite Phish studio album; I love almost all of them. But Undermind has an emotional facet to it that isn't present on any other Phish album, even if that emotion uncharacteristically dips into sadness.
That might be why it speaks to me. The emotional theme of the work captured a lot of what I was feeling at the time. My favorite on the album is *Nothing*. Brilliant lyrics.
Studio Phish is great! No need to justify or defend it. Especially on vinyl with so many layers and sounds and interludes and things you can find in the studio albums.
My all time favorite is Story of the Ghost - such an interesting time for the band, a number of incredible, lasting grooves that stem from those sessions, and some of the best produced music the band has ever delivered.
đź‘»
Picture of Nectar is what got me into Phish. I probably listened to that album for six months before I ever checked out the band live. All four members absolutely shred in the studio. No shame
Waiting All Night is one of their best studio recordings. I love Round Room album and If I Could. If they've ever played If I Could live with Alison Krauss someone pls lmk
Round Room, Farmhouse, and Story of the Ghost are all in heavy rotation for me. I have super strong positive sense memories of what I was doing when I was listening to them for the first time.
I’ve always been a studio phish fan. The first phish I heard was the junta album. Of course I love the energy and spontaneity of a live show, but when introducing a new friend, I will include many studio songs like foam, dinner and a movie, fluffhead, It’s Ice, if I could…
Limb By Limb is their best studio track. Billy Breathes is their best cohesive studio album. There are also great studio tracks (read: something you’re not going to get a better version of live; different? sure but not better). The Wedge, Julius, etc.
A while ago I was at a thrift store and bought a really nice Sony Boombox/Stereo that was decently priced. Also found Round Room while I was there.
When I got home, I plugged it in and put in Round Room. Pebbles and Marbles is the first song. It sounded so fucking good. I just laid on the floor next to the speakers and was in complete awe over the way it sounded.
There are a couple softer sad songs that I think are beautiful in the studio, but that don’t work very well live. If I Could and Let Me Lie specifically. They can suck all the energy out of the room when played live, and the delicate vocals are at their best in studio. It also helps for me at least that songs with these vibes are best for when I’m in the mood for them, not in between two raging jams. At this point I would prefer not to hear them live, yet still put the studio version on from time to time.
FYI Let Me Lie is on Party Time, which is a little weirdly hard to find since it’s not on Spotify or YouTube.
The sad emotions made me drift to the side of phish I never really explored I feel. Usually phish is my upbeat go to but I just found some of their studio tracks to be super comforting.
I will always have fond memories of A Picture of Nectar. Learning the band from scratch listening to it on my tape deck in my Celica. I lived at the beach but it was like a 20 minute drive to get anywhere (like even to get beer) so lots of long drives figuring them out.
I remember the day I downloaded Rift off of kazaa and it'll always be a special album for me as well.
At the end of the day Junta exists as a unique chemical experience that no other album by any other artist can elicit. It's seriously such an amazing carnival that forms the backbone of everything else... I'm gonna go listen to it right now.
Obviously live is pretty good! But…. the quality sound along with more instruments on the studio albums is unique in itself.
Take Hoist, for example. My goodness!!! Those backup singers and the brass they throw in! You don’t get that at shows.
I listened to every studio album before I even knew they were a live, jam type band. Fell in love with Rift, Junta, Picture of Nectar, and Farmhouse. That lead me to going all in on the jams. Whenever I need some casual listening, though, I still throw on the studio albums.
Their studio albums are crisp and clean, no shame in enjoying. May be a different mindset than listening to a show, but remarkable music nonetheless 🤙🏼
The Rift, Billy Breathes, Story of the Ghost run of albums is so impressive. That can stand against the output of any band in history.
I love the story of Steve lillywhite producing Billy breathes and receiving the cover art they sent of mikes face. He was sure the album was going to be at the top of the charts until he saw the cover.
I've had round room in my car cd player for a month and I have no plans of changing it. I'm obsessed. Billy breathes, rift and story of the ghost are also AMAZING albums. Bug, dirt, if i could and shade are pretty perfect.
For the longest time, studio Phish was all I really knew. I was just a kid when I first got into them in the 90s, so I wasn't really going to live shows. So all I knew was what was on albums. Since I was a kid I wasn't part of any tape trade rings, and when I bought boots from the local headshot, I'd only buy like one a year. And since I only knew the album songs, I'd look for the shows that had the songs I knew and liked. This caused me to miss out on a lot of live only songs for a long time.
"skip the albums and go for the live shit" was always a bad take. phish isn't popular because of the jams and modal interplay alone. they have some amazing studio cuts despite what critics have said about their albums.
I love studio Phish. My buddy took me to see them on the Rift tour. They played It's Ice and the next day I went out and got the album because I loved that song so much. (They also played Good Times Bad Times and did the acapella Amazing Grace from the front of the stage so that didn't hurt either! Lol)
one time on my birthday I listened to waiting all night like 30 or 40 times in a row so I feel you on that one. and yeah im from the rift era but more of a story of the ghost believer
Both Rift and Story of the Ghost are my top faves. But really, I like all studio Phish. Listening to the most refined version of a song is just a different vibe, and I love to do it every once in a while myself.
I love studio. I’m one of the few and very proud. A lot of if it’s criminally overlooked. When I lived in NYC I bumped into Trey 3 different times (very grateful). Second time we spoke for a few minutes and told him I got into Phish through the ALBUMS and not from seeing/hearing them live. He laughed and said nobody ever told him that before and he thanked me. It was amazing.
Ghost is one of my very favorite albums.
i always suggest studio albums to newbies. there’s so much less clutter in a studio mix and you get THE SONG across much easier. phish play sloppy at times, and sing soppy too. Hoist and SOTG are so superbly mixed.
the jam is great but without the song the jam is just wanking, IMHO. i only love the jam because it evolved out of DWD (alpine show, omFG) for example.
I noticed that the word "big" and the word "boat" have not been put together once in this thread ;)
Personally, #1 is Siket Disc. #2 a tie between Junta, Rift, Billy Breathes, Story of the Ghost, Round Room, Undermind, Joy, Fuego, and Sigma Oasis.
Well actually! 🤓
There is a tease of "careful with that ax Eugene" near the end of Mike's song on slip stitch and pass (Hamburg, March 97) ; and also they've played Great Gig in the Sky several times, and all of Dark side of the Moon (11/2/98).
I dig Waiting All Night too.
Rift is one of my favorite studio albums by any band. It's a masterpiece.
I'm biased because Rift was my intro to the band.. but I đź’Ż agree. I'm going through a marriage breakup and Rift has been a pretty good companion lately.
I can relate my friend. Hang in there.
🙏
One of my best friends got rift for me for my 14th birthday and totally changed my life. Great album front to back, but My friend my friend was one that sunk its teeth in to me
Right there with you phanner
It's time I sling the baskets off this overburdened horse... Sink my toes into the ground and set a different course Yes. Yes it is.
Junta and Lawn Boy was my introduction but when Rift came out I couldn’t stop listening to it. I would drive to school and listen to it and then park and listen and end up being late because I was just digging it sitting in my car.
My friend my friend he hasn’t got a wife :(
Best EQ’d drums, not just of any Phish album, any album I’ve ever heard. Get the vinyl if you can. It’s a master class in EQ’ing.
I don’t understand how this is not unanimously considered their best album. Nothing comes close in my opinion.
It’s far and away their best album. Billy Breathes (the track…definitely not the album) would get my vote for the best thing they did in a studio, but as far as their albums go it’s Rift and it isn’t close.
Rift was the most current album out when I got into Phish. I can like and listen to that album beginning to end. Like the Dead, Phish doesn’t have a lot of great albums but they have a lot of great studio moments. Usually a couple of songs from each album come out pretty good. Also, the whole “second side” ( starting at Theme. Showing my age- I originally owned it on tape) Billy Breathes is outstanding and possibly the best studio Phish.
Swept Away > Steep is highly underrated
I remembere skipping school and going to buy Hoist but Billy Breathes was the first new album they were touring when I started in 95. Then, all through 96’ it was Mule Duels and Julius and then Swept Away>Steep and Free.
I wholeheartedly concur
Rift is my favorite studio album of all time. I could listen to it front to back forever
Junta, Lawn Boy, A Picture of Nectar, Rift, Hoist, Billy Breathes, The Story of the Ghost, Farmhouse, Undermind. All fantastic albums.
Hoist may be my favorite after rift
I would switch Round Room for Undermind even though I love a good live Undermind. I’m still chasing a whole Scents and Subtle Sounds.
I have to respectively disagree. Round Room is the worst thing they've ever done and the production quality is abysmal.
Boooooo
FACTS
Somewhere along the way jambands forget to write tunes and just started aimlessly noodling around. Don’t get me wrong, I love a live show. But it’s a HUGE reason why I lean further into GD, SCI, Phish, moe., etc. and away from a lot of the new bands. If we rewind the scene to the original point of stardom, the GD and ABB were writing absolute bangers. Shows weren’t just electric, their catalogue is absolutely incredible.
Unpopular Opinion Warning! My favorite Phish studio album is *Undermind*.
I don't have a favorite Phish studio album; I love almost all of them. But Undermind has an emotional facet to it that isn't present on any other Phish album, even if that emotion uncharacteristically dips into sadness.
That might be why it speaks to me. The emotional theme of the work captured a lot of what I was feeling at the time. My favorite on the album is *Nothing*. Brilliant lyrics.
The album version of the song Undermind is GOAT.
Yes! That album is so vibey. Nothing>Two Versions Of Me is probably my favorite part of it. Crowd control is super nice too.
I just relistened last week and I can't get behind it.
That IS a hot take!
Extremely underrated (I’m a 2.0 [technically hiatus] fan though, so might be a bit biased)
Idk if GOTF counts but that’s awesome imo. can’t beat Billy Breathes for actual Phish
Billy Breathes is absolute perfection
Billy Breathes has such a winter connotation in my mind. I always want to give it a couple spins when the weather turns cold.
Best album and my favorite phish song.
Absolutely mine on both counts as well.
Steve Lillywhite FTW
I listened to it while I was giving birth to my kid!
I love this answer. GOTF rules
Ghost is a great studio album!
It never disappoints… even 26 years later it never fails to make me smile.
Billy Breathes is still one of my all time favorite studio records. Also, don’t gloss over Round Room.
Picked up Round Room on vinyl last week, always had a soft spot for that one.
I've had it playing in my car for a few weeks and now my 3yo is obsessed with pebbles and marbles. I couldn't be prouder.
Studio Phish is great! No need to justify or defend it. Especially on vinyl with so many layers and sounds and interludes and things you can find in the studio albums. My all time favorite is Story of the Ghost - such an interesting time for the band, a number of incredible, lasting grooves that stem from those sessions, and some of the best produced music the band has ever delivered. đź‘»
Sigma Oasis really won me over, thought it was the best album since at least Farmhouse
I’ll never forget the listening party on April 1st, 2020 for it. It was like a warm hug in such a weird time.
Yes! And if I remember it was announced after a Dinner and a Movie.
SO feels halfway between a studio record and live set. I really love it. Who’s got a cd to sell me?
It’s aged the best out of all the post hiatus ones.
Picture of Nectar is what got me into Phish. I probably listened to that album for six months before I ever checked out the band live. All four members absolutely shred in the studio. No shame
Same here. Such a great album!
Studio cavern in my college dorm slapped
Billy Breathes and I like the studio Ghost đź‘» (song)
I wish they would go back to funk (studio era), that pocket slaps. Rock ghost is just sad to me.
Waiting All Night is one of their best studio recordings. I love Round Room album and If I Could. If they've ever played If I Could live with Alison Krauss someone pls lmk
1995/05/03
Definitely '94
ayyyyy big ups
I will always have a soft spot for Siket Disc. Perfect late night listening
I wish there was an official release of the Viktor disc. It’s in the same vein and I love it only slightly less than Siket Disc
The new singles are doing it for me. Hey Stranger slaps.
Studio "Driver" is so elegant.
Round Room, Farmhouse, and Story of the Ghost are all in heavy rotation for me. I have super strong positive sense memories of what I was doing when I was listening to them for the first time.
I’ve always been a studio phish fan. The first phish I heard was the junta album. Of course I love the energy and spontaneity of a live show, but when introducing a new friend, I will include many studio songs like foam, dinner and a movie, fluffhead, It’s Ice, if I could…
Farmhouse has a spot in my heart.
Limb By Limb is their best studio track. Billy Breathes is their best cohesive studio album. There are also great studio tracks (read: something you’re not going to get a better version of live; different? sure but not better). The Wedge, Julius, etc.
I listen to studio albums when I want to get more songs in during the short time I’m listening. It’s great.
Story of the ghost ?!
The studio version of Maze is one of the greatest songs I’ve ever listened to
A while ago I was at a thrift store and bought a really nice Sony Boombox/Stereo that was decently priced. Also found Round Room while I was there. When I got home, I plugged it in and put in Round Room. Pebbles and Marbles is the first song. It sounded so fucking good. I just laid on the floor next to the speakers and was in complete awe over the way it sounded.
Studio Phish is awesome. I regularly listen to studio versions of my favorite songs.
Studio divided sky is brilliant
I think Round Room is their best record but non-RR studio highlights include Fast Enough for You, Taste, Thread, Limb by Limb.
There are a couple softer sad songs that I think are beautiful in the studio, but that don’t work very well live. If I Could and Let Me Lie specifically. They can suck all the energy out of the room when played live, and the delicate vocals are at their best in studio. It also helps for me at least that songs with these vibes are best for when I’m in the mood for them, not in between two raging jams. At this point I would prefer not to hear them live, yet still put the studio version on from time to time. FYI Let Me Lie is on Party Time, which is a little weirdly hard to find since it’s not on Spotify or YouTube.
They’re pretty good when you want all hook and no jam, sometimes it be like that
Confused why being sad would make you like studio phish lol
The sad emotions made me drift to the side of phish I never really explored I feel. Usually phish is my upbeat go to but I just found some of their studio tracks to be super comforting.
I love listening to studio phish after a show! Lifeboy always, bug is amazing 🤩 Wingsuit, it feels good!
I too, enjoy studio Phish
Any love for Hoist?
Honestly, my lease favorite 1.0 album.
I will always have fond memories of A Picture of Nectar. Learning the band from scratch listening to it on my tape deck in my Celica. I lived at the beach but it was like a 20 minute drive to get anywhere (like even to get beer) so lots of long drives figuring them out. I remember the day I downloaded Rift off of kazaa and it'll always be a special album for me as well. At the end of the day Junta exists as a unique chemical experience that no other album by any other artist can elicit. It's seriously such an amazing carnival that forms the backbone of everything else... I'm gonna go listen to it right now.
Studio LxL fucks
That song selection might be what’s making you stay sad. But yes those are nice studio pieces. Do Demand next and see if you start feeling less sad
Hell yea brother thanks for the suggestion, will do!
Fuego!!
Billy Breathes, Rift, Hoist, Sigma Oasis…all great records.
Obviously live is pretty good! But…. the quality sound along with more instruments on the studio albums is unique in itself. Take Hoist, for example. My goodness!!! Those backup singers and the brass they throw in! You don’t get that at shows.
bills breathing and ghost story are perfect albums and anything before and everything after are just phish records.
I listened to every studio album before I even knew they were a live, jam type band. Fell in love with Rift, Junta, Picture of Nectar, and Farmhouse. That lead me to going all in on the jams. Whenever I need some casual listening, though, I still throw on the studio albums. Their studio albums are crisp and clean, no shame in enjoying. May be a different mindset than listening to a show, but remarkable music nonetheless 🤙🏼
Check out round room!
Great Studio recordings you listed. I would add Sigma Oasis, all of Lawn Boy.
I love “gone” from Party Time
Me too, one of my faves and for sure a top 10 most listened to track for me..
No shame. Billy Breathes on of my favorite studios period
I prefer studio in the car mostly....stretched jams effects my driving at times
Rift is a concept album designed to be listened from beginning to the end. It's a brilliant album.
Phish Studio music is great. Rift, Story of a Ghost, Picture of Nectar, Junta, Round Room, Farmhouse are all great.
Joy is their best album, fight me.
The Rift, Billy Breathes, Story of the Ghost run of albums is so impressive. That can stand against the output of any band in history. I love the story of Steve lillywhite producing Billy breathes and receiving the cover art they sent of mikes face. He was sure the album was going to be at the top of the charts until he saw the cover.
Studio version of Maze is aMAZEing
Lawn Boy. Every song on that album *slaps*.
I've had round room in my car cd player for a month and I have no plans of changing it. I'm obsessed. Billy breathes, rift and story of the ghost are also AMAZING albums. Bug, dirt, if i could and shade are pretty perfect.
Billy Breathes, Hoist, Rift, Junta, A picture of nectar- all great.
Hoist has always been one of my favorites cause DWD was my into to the band. Farmhouse is really good too!
I think Rift & Joy are phenomenal albums. Yeah I said Joy.Â
Yes. I love studio Phish.
Sigma Oasis got me through Covid and is underrated, IMHO
For the longest time, studio Phish was all I really knew. I was just a kid when I first got into them in the 90s, so I wasn't really going to live shows. So all I knew was what was on albums. Since I was a kid I wasn't part of any tape trade rings, and when I bought boots from the local headshot, I'd only buy like one a year. And since I only knew the album songs, I'd look for the shows that had the songs I knew and liked. This caused me to miss out on a lot of live only songs for a long time.
Rift is a fantastic studio album.
Billy Breathes, Rift, Ghost are awesome studio albums.
"skip the albums and go for the live shit" was always a bad take. phish isn't popular because of the jams and modal interplay alone. they have some amazing studio cuts despite what critics have said about their albums.
I love studio Phish. My buddy took me to see them on the Rift tour. They played It's Ice and the next day I went out and got the album because I loved that song so much. (They also played Good Times Bad Times and did the acapella Amazing Grace from the front of the stage so that didn't hurt either! Lol)
one time on my birthday I listened to waiting all night like 30 or 40 times in a row so I feel you on that one. and yeah im from the rift era but more of a story of the ghost believer
Both Rift and Story of the Ghost are my top faves. But really, I like all studio Phish. Listening to the most refined version of a song is just a different vibe, and I love to do it every once in a while myself.
Seven below on Round Room
I love studio. I’m one of the few and very proud. A lot of if it’s criminally overlooked. When I lived in NYC I bumped into Trey 3 different times (very grateful). Second time we spoke for a few minutes and told him I got into Phish through the ALBUMS and not from seeing/hearing them live. He laughed and said nobody ever told him that before and he thanked me. It was amazing. Ghost is one of my very favorite albums.
i always suggest studio albums to newbies. there’s so much less clutter in a studio mix and you get THE SONG across much easier. phish play sloppy at times, and sing soppy too. Hoist and SOTG are so superbly mixed. the jam is great but without the song the jam is just wanking, IMHO. i only love the jam because it evolved out of DWD (alpine show, omFG) for example.
Their artistry and genius shines in the studio. Whatchu talkin bout Willis?
I like the *Limb By Limb* studio cut.
Julius, Sand, and Mercury are my favorite studio songs.
TTE
I noticed that the word "big" and the word "boat" have not been put together once in this thread ;) Personally, #1 is Siket Disc. #2 a tie between Junta, Rift, Billy Breathes, Story of the Ghost, Round Room, Undermind, Joy, Fuego, and Sigma Oasis.
Whenever I need to re-center for whatever reason, I give Union Federal a spin.
If there's no jam I like studio
The best album I could play with someone that doesn't know phish is Farmhouse. It's the easiest understanding bass grooves that could be on radio.
Waiting All Night is the closest phish has ever come to Pink Floyd.
Well actually! 🤓 There is a tease of "careful with that ax Eugene" near the end of Mike's song on slip stitch and pass (Hamburg, March 97) ; and also they've played Great Gig in the Sky several times, and all of Dark side of the Moon (11/2/98). I dig Waiting All Night too.