Review Summary: A jam rock classic.
Phish is simply one of the best jam rock bands around. With a title as such, it is hard to deny the fact that their influence is held pretty tight within. As far as Phish goes, most of their albums involve complex guitar lines and grooving basses, and rhythmic drums, just like any jam rock band would have. But this significance for Phish is the way they execute their songs. The composure for their songs and the way that they handle each track so crisp and fresh is absolutely phenomenal, and this album is no different.
Lawn Boy is plain and simply the best Phish album to date right next to Picture of Nectar. This album shows a very nice display of fresh sounding guitars and substantial bass lines. Not to mention the classic piano sounds providing the perfect backdrop for the amazing vocals consisting of bizarre lyrics. The song opens up with a very melodic intro to vocals with "The Squirming Coil" and continues on with a good chorus and amazing guitar solos. The piano is also very soft and not so easily ignored. The next track is even better than the first when you get a very rhythmic drum and piano intro. This song is called "Reba". This song completes everything on the roster that Phish usually employ into their music and then some. This song has amazing vocals and even more guitar lines with a long instrumental line later in the song. It is all wrapped together very nicely.
Throughout more of this album you hear more classics in the jam rock society. It is without a doubt that the latter track "Bathtub Gin" is another true classic right next to "Reba". "Bathtub Gin" is composed of bizarre instrumentation, but ultimately fast paced lines and the piano stands out even more in this track. Also the vocals do well, and long solos go in while some sort of party can be heard in the background.
Once the album is complete, you can see that this is an easy album to grow on. This album perfects everything that Phish has ever attempted to do, and it gives you something you can really jam to. Lawn Boy is also a perfect act of maturity for the band while still allowing some childish aspects to be added into it. For example, the strange and awkward guitar lines in "My Sweet One", but counterweighted with soothing vocals. Or the amazing drum lines in "Run Like an Antelope", counterweighted by organized guitars. This album a as a whole is very catchy, and keeps itself alive at every corner.
