Phish

The Soundwaves Vinyl Of The Week is the album Joy by the band Phish.

 

Released on their own label, JEMP Records in 2009, Joy is a soul-stirring snapshot of a band reborn, emerging from a five-year hiatus with a renewed sense of purpose and their trademark musical mischief. Recorded with producer Steve Lillywhite, this album is a warm, vinyl-worthy blend of tight songwriting and a loose, exploratory vibe. It’s got that classic Phish sauce—funky grooves and  psychedelic detours—all wrapped in the band’s eclectic, genre-defying sound. 

 

I gravitated immediately to the second track on the album “Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan,” a raw, bluesy banger driven by Trey Anastasio’s biting guitar and lyrics—think of it as a cosmic shrug set to a killer riff. Don’t you wanna just crank the volume and ponder your existence? “Kill Devil Falls” is a high-tempo Energizer bunny with its rollicking, road-trip-ready vibe, complete with soaring solos and a nod to reckless youth.

 

Then there’s “Light,” a shimmering journey that starts soft and poetic before exploding into a kaleidoscopic mind-melting jam—its Phish bottling their live show magic into one cosmic voyage of a song. Tucked near the end is “I Been Around”, a quirky little gem from Page McConnell. This piano ditty has got some country blues swagger that offers a lighthearted wink amongst the album’s deeper currents. 

 

Joy is a vinyl dream revealing new quirks with every listen. Whether you’re a Phishhead or just dipping your toes in (kinda like me), this album’s a wild, soulful ride. Drop the needle, and let it take you somewhere weird and wonderful.