Phish MSG Night Two Setlist

Review to come.

PHISH - 12.29.16 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET I (1 hour, 18 minutes) -
Sweet Adeline / Peaches en Regalia > Mike's Song > Secret Smile > Weekapaug Groove / Roses Are Free / Poor Heart / 46 Days / Brian & Robert / Beauty of a Broken Heart / Theme from the Bottom > Split Open & Melt

SET II (1 hour, 14 minutes) -
Down with Disease > What's the Use? > Fuego > Meatstick / Twenty Years Later > Kung > Twenty Years Later > Makisupa Policeman / Harry Hood

ENCORE (8 minutes) -
Julius

Phish MSG Night One Setlist

Review to come.

PHISH - 12.28.16 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET I (1 hour, 20 minutes) -

The Star-Spangled Banner / Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan / Lonesome Cowboy Bill > Free / Train Song / Prince Caspian / Roggae / Funky Bitch / Halfway to the Moon / Corinna / Stash / Cavern

SET II (1 hour, 19 minutes) -

Wolfman's Brother / Golden Age > Simple > Chalk Dust Torture / Martian Monster > Tweezer Reprise > Martian Monster / Wingsuit / Possum

ENCORE (7 minutes) -

Good Times Bad Times

Phish Save the Best for Last at Randall's Island

Review soon.

PHISH - 07.11.14 - RANDALL'S ISLAND

SET ONE -
The Moma Dance / Kill Devil Falls / Ya Mar / Bathtub Gin / 555 > Rift > Sample in a Jar > The Wedge / Waiting All Night / Stash > Theme from the Munsters (tease) > Stash

SET TWO -
Steam > Down with Disease > Golden Age > Limb by Limb > Fuego > David Bowie / Cavern

ENCORE -
Character Zero

PHISH - 07.12.14 - RANDALL'S ISLAND

SET ONE -

AC/DC Bag > 46 Days / Yarmouth Road / Devotion to a Dream / Free / My Sweet One > Back on the Train / Halfway to the Moon > Sparkle / A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing / The Line / Run Like an Antelope

SET TWO -

Punch You in the Eye > Carini / Ghost > Wingsuit / Rock & Roll > Harry Hood > St. Thomas (tease) > Harry Hood

ENCORE -

Tube / Joy / First Tube

PHISH - 07.13.14 - RANDALL'S ISLAND

SET ONE -

Sand / Winterqueen / Reba / Birds of a Feather / Water in the Sky / Possum > Runaway Jim / Bouncing Around the Room / Maze / Split Open & Melt

SET TWO -

Chalk Dust Torture > Light > St. Thomas (tease) > Light > Tweezer / Wading in the Velvet Sea / Sing Monica / Slave to the Traffic Light

ENCORE -

Backwards Down the Number Line > Tweezer Reprise

Phish 12/31 Review: Phans Get Their Cake & Eat It Too

After three nights of escalating energy, the audience inside MSG was literally buzzing with anticipation for the final installment of Phish's 2013 New Year's run.  Walking out to thunderous applause, the band members took their positions and ripped into "AC/DC Bag."  The fairly standard version unraveled at its end, and the boys plunged into "A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing."  The first Undermind track of the run, Trey opened it up a little with some shimmery licks.  Then those whose mouths had been watering since Saturday's fakeout finally got their "Wilson."  Page's gurgling organ was the high point of "The Divided Sky," but the mid-song pause went on a little too long and damaged the flow.  Towards the end, Trey was visibly laughing at some of his flubs.  They followed with "Ocelot," letting it breathe a little to nice results.  They took longer than normal to figure out what would be next, and "Sugar Shack," with some notably warbling vocals from Gordon, was not the best choice.  It was chased with the piano-based "Halfway to the Moon."  I'd never heard the song before, and judging from the tepid crowd response, neither had most of the audience.  Everyone, however, knew the song that came next: "Fluffhead."  It wasn't exactly a saving grace; more of a pretty ribbon to wrap up the weakest set of the run.  But as was evident the previous night, it's not about the first set.  The band carried a keyboard onto the stage as an homage to the photo on the cover of Colorado '88.  "We made everyone a cake," announced Trey as he began divvying up the 30th birthday treat. "We're gonna hand out some cake for the set break."  They passed out maybe three pieces, and left the stage.  Did anyone get a slice?  How did it taste?

The time to get a beer to wash it down wasn't yet.  The screen on the new scoreboard flickered, and a video began.  Dilapidated remnants of past New Year's gags were all collected in a rural junkyard.  Set to a "2001" jam, a bearded Fishman resurrected a box truck from the ruins, and started driving it south.  Aside from one major accident that scarred the truck's roof, he eventually made it to New York City and up the halls of MSG until the physical truck pulled into the corner of the arena.  As the truck made its way to the center of the floor, tunes from 1983 like "Let's Dance," "Rockit," and "Rock the Casbah" played out over the PA.  It was amusing to hear what the musical climate was like at the time of Phish's inception.

The band climbed out of the hatch in the truck's cab, and took their places on their new, much smaller stage.  With hockey sticks serving as mic stands and Page sitting on a cushion atop two milk crates, this was going to be interesting.  They began with "Glide," last played at MSG on 12.28.11, the only show I missed that run.  The rumble of Fish's opening salvo to "Llama" was met with cheers, and then they delved even further into Gamehendge with "Colonel Forbin's Ascent."  The mere mention of Icculus' name in "Forbin's" elicited a roar from the phans, so you can only imagine how nuts they went for the actual "Icculus."  Anastasio was convinced that some in the masses of people surrounding him were not getting the message, so he recommended that they read the Helping Friendly Book ("You can't get it at Barnes & Noble's").  Trey admitted at its end, "We used to play that song every Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday down at Nectar's in our little hometown, and I did not think, 'Hey, someday I'll be playing that at Madison Square Garden.'"  "I actually thought that we'd be playing it right here, tonight, thirty years later.  I had a premonition," jested Page.  Having barely spoken to the crowd in the last three days, it was great to finally hear them engaging on this level.  While I completely understand why this set was so significant for the long-time diehards, I started listening to Phish when Farmhouse came out in 2000.  Aside from the jaunty calypso of "The Lizards," I found a lot of their early work to be too proggy.  That's not to say I didn't enjoy it.  Quite the contrary, it made me want to hear some of the songs I was more familiar with performed in this stripped down setup.  "Reba" with its sweet jazz jam and "Split Open & Melt" were my favorites of the bunch, if only because I knew them better.  They climbed down off the truck, which backed out of the building during the final set break.

With just eight minutes to go before midnight, the band returned with a joyous "Character Zero."  The Madison Square Garden and Chase logos may have been glowing proprietarily at the top of the scoreboard the whole night, but make no mistake, at that moment, Phish owned that arena.  The countdown on the screen began at 30 (obviously), with the crowd counting down from ten.  As 2014 hit, balloons and confetti drenched the room, with Phish shifting into "Auld Lang Syne," the first and only cover of the entire run.  They transitioned into "Fuego" as roadies furiously used razors to pop balloons and leafblowers to clear pedalboards.  Anastasio forced the segue into "Light," but that became a distant memory once the song went off on a funky tangent that quickly smoothed out into a melodic summery groove.  His lighting options limited during the truck set, Chris Kuroda unleashed a rainbow of effects from his arsenal as the jam morphed again into a propulsive rock beat.  By the time it reached its dolphins-in-space resolution, the crowd was squealing with approval.  "Twenty Years Later" was a little choppy at the start, but it recovered with a balls-out, rocking finish.  A nicely layered "Bouncing Around the Room" rounded out the six-song continuous part of the set.  What now?  A little "YEMSG" anyone?  Maybe Michael Gordon should pronounce the G in his name differently 'cause he slam-dunked this one.  And they all nailed the a cappella finale.

They departed, and center screen illuminated once more.  Beginning with animated versions of the band's first college flyers, a montage of classic Phish photos and moments played out for all to reminisce.  Even me, as it included the three latest MSG NYE stunts.  (Watch it below.)

For the encore, the fellas gathered around to sing "Grind," though Trey made a slight modification: "When I come here for my 60th anniversary with these guys, thirty years from now, we'll have lived for..." with each adding an extra 10,957 days to their ages.  Adorable.  They picked up their instruments and capped off the run with "Show of Life."  A "Save the Date" for their 60th anniversary on December 31, 2044, complete with a Photoshopped pic of the guys in their 80s, appeared on the scoreboard.  Even though the Garden likely won't be there then, I can't wait 30 more years to see them.  Looks like I'm gonna have to go to an outdoor concert.

PHISH - 12.31.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -
AC/DC Bag > A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing > Wilson > The Divided Sky / Ocelot / Sugar Shack / Halfway to the Moon > Fluffhead

SET TWO -
Glide / Llama / Colonel Forbin's Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird / Fuck Your Face / Reba / Icculus / The Lizards > Split Open & Melt

SET THREE -
Character Zero > Auld Lang Syne > Fuego > Light > Twenty Years Later > Bouncing Around the Room / You Enjoy Myself

ENCORE -
Grind / Show of Life

Phish 12/30 Review: The One Where I Surrendered to the Flow

Just a few days ago, I still didn't have tickets for the 12/30 Phish show.  Thanks to CashOrTrade.org, I was able to trade two of my 12/29 extras for a pair of 30ths... behind the stage.  I was slightly worried that it'd be too frustrating a position to really enjoy the concert, but now it pains me to think of not being there for last night's second set.

Phish began the night with "Kill Devil Falls."  It's not my favorite song, and the sound was reverberating a tad off the back wall.  I was also experiencing a certain sort of disconnect.  I'm tall, so I typically don't have a lot of trouble seeing at concerts.  My eyes are usually on the musicians: their faces and their hands on their instruments.  And I couldn't really do that from my vantage point.  In fact, I could see Mike Gordon only when his left hand ventured close enough to the headstock to hit the lowest notes.  It did, however, offer me a better view of Jon Fishman, who is usually fairly hidden behind his cymbals.  Now over his shoulder, the complexity of what my ears were hearing didn't match the simplicity of what I was seeing.  A total sensorial trick that could only be pulled off by such a talented drummer.  "Bathtub Gin" was a fun follow-up, especially the "shave and a haircut" tag at the end.  Having been stuck in my head for the whole run, "Wombat" finally reared its funky head next.  Personal desire withstanding, it was the most inspired performance in a predominantly straightforward set.  The reggae of "Yarmouth Road" was a refreshing genre change before the rocking "46 Days," which got the floor quaking beneath my sneakers.  "Lawn Boy" saw Page visiting Mike on stage left (Weirdly, also my left.), and Fishman even came out from behind his kit to join them.

When Phish returned to the stage after that song-focused first set, Mike had a yellow scarf wrapped around his neck.  I was secretly hoping it was there to keep his head from floating away in the middle of a particularly spacey trip.  Anastasio revved up the rollicking "Chalk Dust Torture," and an arsenal of cow-patterned balloons exploded from the center of the crowd.  Trey's guitar evolved into a humpback whale, searching for mates across a swirling sea.  Then Mike dropped "the brown noise," clearing the air for a short, gentle section prior to the final uptempo groove.  By this point, I had accepted my view of the stage.  I was listening to the music.  Surrendering to the flow.  "Mike's Song" developed into a funk rock piece that just begged to be made into a "Frankenstein" monster.  But they resisted, and a clunky transition into "Devotion to a Dream" kept the no-covers streak going.  I like the Wingsuit ditty, but as the newcomer, it was the obvious weakest link.  "Ghost" followed, and it was incredible to hear the arena fully singing along to a song, not just a single line or wooing in unison.  Once it reached the breakout, you could call this one Casper, because this was a friendly "Ghost."  The radiant jam took on more and more positive vibes until it couldn't contain them anymore, and ruptured into the fat bass intro of "Weekapaug Groove."  The song continued along the established sunny path until it too had to burst, this time into "Simple."  After the silly lyrical part, the band pushed forth, eventually taking the song inward.  The hive mind of these guys just astounds me; the way they rarely even look at each other (generally only for the endings of songs), but are so telepathically aligned, they can improvise a song that constantly evolves.  Bouncing along on Mike's trampoline bassline, Page and Trey twinkled on until the whole thing sounded like blissed out electronica.  Scraping some of the resin leftover from "Yarmouth," they dropped into "Harry Hood."  I think I preferred last year's version, but then again, last year I wasn't right in front of a girl screaming like Miss Piggy right before a karate chop.  Eventually it wound down to a feedback-y denouement, which most assumed would be the set's finish (My brother even left to go to the bathroom.), but Fishman crashed right into "Cavern."  "They faked me out!" yelled my brother once he returned for the singalong.  Then they faked everyone out again by descending into "First Tube" for a victory lap.  The guys took a bow, and Trey collected what appeared to be books and a framed photograph from the front row.

At that point, Page could've returned, played only the fart sound he finished last night's "Gumbo" with, and I would've been happy.  Instead they chose "Slave to the Traffic Light."  After such a euphoric second set, it seemed even more relaxed than usual.  It was the satisfied exhale, the cigarette after sex.  And it was my favorite Phish show.

PHISH - 12.30.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -

Kill Devil Falls / Bathtub Gin / Wombat / Yarmouth Road / 46 Days / Lawn Boy / Heavy Things / Punch You in the Eye > Sample in a Jar / Gotta Jibboo

SET TWO -

Chalk Dust Torture > Mike's Song > Devotion to a Dream / Ghost > Weekapaug Groove > Simple > Harry Hood > Cavern > First Tube

ENCORE -

Slave to the Traffic Light

Phish 12/29 Review: Stepping Up Their Game

After a scattered first night, which found the band struggling to find setlist slots for their new Wingsuit tunes, Phish turned in a much more cohesive second show at the Garden.  "The Moma Dance" kicked things off, and the middle-aged woman next to me began the mommy dance.  Phish never got too funky with it, taking a laid-back approach that they extended well into the set.  "Roggae" had its moments, and the band found the perfect spot for possible radio single "The Line," tucked snugly between "Sparkle" and "Stash."  The latter served as the framework for the first true jam of the night, a major-key journey signaled by a CK5 projection behind the stage that resembled maybe snow, maybe not, as my brother swore it looked like "maggots and bacteria."  The Gordon-led "555" followed nicely.  Trey's guitar and Page's organ both got a little too shrill by the end of the improvised section, but the transition back into the vocal was on point.  Then they busted out the dankest funk since the previous night's "Wolfman" with "It's Ice."  Gordon made meatballs while McConnell poured on the clavinet sauce.  With the arena pre-heated, it was time for the cooks to serve up some steaming "Gumbo."  Page simmered on the organ for a bit, but he really brought things to a boil once he returned to the clav.  Sous-chef Gordon snuck in some well-timed notes, but he dropped back and let Page continue his ride, all the way to the final farty flourish: a single staccato note to end the song with a laugh.  Closer "Walls of the Cave" suffered from a little too much guitar grandiosity from Anastasio, but it wasn't a total misfire.

Set two began with a tiny bit of ambient experimentation.  Trey mumbled something incoherent into the mic, and then Gordon's flange bass triggered "Down with Disease."  The band oozed confidence on the lyric start to the song, and then it came time for the jam.  Last year's 12/30 "DWD" was my favorite performance of the entire year from any band, so my hopes were probably too high.  Though it was never dull, it jumped around a little too much, Trey steering it from a gentle guitar melody to crunchy riff rock to an uptempo blues.  Emerging on the other side, Anastasio finished out the chorus center stage, and then charged into "Carini."  Unlike the sinister cave creature they uncovered last year, this version let in more light, sonically represented by simultaneous death ray whooshes by all members.  The spaceflight continued, and then Page let loose some keyboard noises that sounded like the sweetest dial-up modem.  It was enough to cement his status as the night's MVP.  "Waves" flowed into a "Twist" that at times recalled Bill Withers' "Use Me."  They closed out the set with well-executed, well-lit renditions of "Golgi Apparatus" and "David Bowie."  As they came forward to take a bow, someone in the crowd threw a bouquet of roses at Trey.  He tossed the flowers to Fish, who held them for a photo op before flinging them over the drums to Mike.  Sadly, Mike's cross-stage pass to Page went wild, and landed on top of the piano.

When they emerged for the encore, Page was holding the bouquet.  Hell, he earned it.  "Possum" was a pleasant last dance, albeit a tad overlong.  "Thanks, everybody.  We'll see you tomorrow night," offered Trey.  Tonight's show is Phish's 30th at MSG, in their 30th year, so expectations are colossal.  Should they continue on this trajectory, though, there's going to be an arena's worth of satisfied Phans pouring out of MSG at 11:40.

PHISH - 12.29.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -

The Moma Dance > Rift / Roggae / Sparkle / The Line / Stash / 555 / It's Ice / Gumbo / Walls of the Cave

SET TWO -

Jam / Down with Disease > Carini / Waves > Twist / Golgi Apparatus / David Bowie

ENCORE -

Possum

Phish 12/28 Review: When Shall I Don My Wingsuit?

In what has been a historic thirtieth year for Phish, the band decided to cap it off with their fourth consecutive New Year's run at Madison Square Garden.  After a summer tour chock full of jams, the band has most recently been at work crafting their next album, Wingsuit.  Would their time in the studio rein in the jams, or would the new songs breathe even more life into the sets?  More importantly, where would they go in the rotation?

The Phab Four emerged at 8:16, greeted by applause and an inflatable sheep that was tossed onto the stage.  Trey Anastasio placed the sheep beside his amps, where it would remain for the entire set.  As Jon Fishman kicked into "The Wedge," a lot of first song bets were lost.  The sound mix left more to be desired, with clipping from Mike Gordon's bass and flat vocals all around.  I'll blame the Chase Bridges for disrupting the room's acoustics, though it is interesting to think that over these past four years, Phish have played the Garden during each phase of its transformation.  As this was my first Phishing trip of the year, I was also taking in Chris Kuroda's new lighting rig, the band's modified stage positions, and what I assume was a fresh addition: a small podium next to Trey that offered him hand control of his effects.  A shining "Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan" brought some much needed energy into the building, but a sloppy "Mound" failed to continue the upward climb.  "Axilla" segued into "Birds of a Feather," which featured a small jam, a funky hint of what was to come next.  "Wolfman's Brother" was my first-set highlight exactly one year ago, when they dropped a perfectly timed "Little Drummer Boy" in its midst.  While they didn't delve into any Christmas carols this go-round, the boys took the tune to Funkytown, with Page McConnell as mayor.  While the return to the song's theme could've been smoother, the jam was at least proof that the show wasn't going to be a Saturday Night Special.  Trey began the chunky first chords of "Wilson," and immediately aborted the idea.  Moments later, they started up the Wingsuit number "Monica."  Choosing an unreleased song over their one with the most crowd participation unsettled the audience a bit, and Phish didn't fully regain everyone's attention until the arena-tailored "Free."  "Julius" ended the uneven set on a dancey high note.

Jam vehicle "Sand" was an even more surprising set opener than "Wedge."  Unfortunately, right when the trip was at its tastiest, the purple and blue lights shifted to red, red for "Piper."  I've always found "Piper" to be a bit too fast, but the boys handled the breakneck tempo well.  Trey hacking at his guitar wasn't necessarily the most seamless transition into "Back on the Train," but the crowd cheered appreciatively.  Then Phish barreled into "Tweezer," and the energy in the room exploded in a shower of glowsticks.  Last year's 12/28 "Tweezer" was quite the competition, however, especially considering last night's jam dropped off just as it reached its most dark and alien section... into "Backwards Down the Number Line?"  Thankfully it was the best rendition I've heard, culminating with some excellent guitar work by Anastasio.  "Steam" followed, revived for its first MSG appearance since two years ago's NYE stunt, which saw crowd members floating towards the venue's famous ceiling.  While the smoke machines in the rear of the stage couldn't contend with the stunt's aerial theatrics, the band were determined to best it musically, and did.  In an already expansive set, "Steam" was the "jampion," Trey huddling with Page to create some far-out layers.  A "Horse"-less "Silent in the Morning" was trailed by "Waiting All Night."  It's one of my favorite Wingsuit tunes, but it was sadly relegated to that cool-down recovery slot, before an extended "Run Like an Antelope" finished out the set.

"Thank you guys so much.  We are so happy to be back here," gushed McConnell.  "We're here for a few more minutes," he added, and revved up "Suzy Greenberg."  As Page took a ride on the piano, Trey and Mike pretended to swordfight with their guitars.  They proceeded to mirror each other's moves and twirl their instruments as if they were in a color guard before turning their headstocks towards the crowd like applause-locating divining sticks.  That would've been a fine conclusion, but a "Tweeprise" was due.  Confetti cannons in the front row rocketed shiny streamers onto the band, and Trey danced around giddily.  It's too bad it took until the encore for the band to visibly have so much fun.  Perhaps they were just relaxed after having the first show in the bank, but I hope their enthusiasm picks up right there for tonight's festivities.

PHISH - 12.28.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -

The Wedge / Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan / Mound / Axilla > Birds of a Feather / Wolfman's Brother / Wilson (tease) / Monica / Seven Below > Tube > Free / Julius

SET TWO -

Sand > Piper > Back on the Train > Tweezer > Backwards Down the Number Line / Steam > Silent in the Morning / Waiting All Night / Run Like an Antelope

ENCORE -

Suzy Greenberg / Tweezer Reprise

Top 15 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013

2013 is shaping up to be a stellar year for new releases, so I put together a list of 15 albums I'm jonesing for.  Hopefully they're all released on vinyl...

15. Charles Bradley - Victim of Love
Release Date: April 2
Why I'm Excited: I saw the "Screaming Eagle of Soul" open up the second day of the Great GoogaMooga Festival, and he was a treasure to behold.  Bradley will be backed by Menahan Street Band again, but this time delving into Temptations psychedelic soul territory.

14. Hellogoodbye - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: HGB have started playing some of the new songs live and at Daytrotter, and they're just as catchy as anything they've done before.

13. The Black Keys - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: The Keys rushed to get El Camino out into the world, and while it didn't live up to Brothers, it was a pretty good album.  They're taking the same approach here, so not sure what to expect, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it.

12. Bill Baird - Spring Break of the Soul

Release Date: February

Why I'm Excited: His previous LP made my top ten list last year.  Originally conceived as a musical, Spring Break is a sprawling 17-song double album influenced by Captain Beefheart.  Watch Baird in a dolphin costume in the weird promo video below.

11. Matt Costa - Matt Costa

Release Date: February 12

Why I'm Excited: Matt originally wanted to record a folk album akin to his debut, but if the horn-filled "Good Times" and the T. Rex-inspired "Loving You" from last year's Sacred Hills EP are any indication, there's no telling what it's actually gonna sound like.

10. Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite - Get Up!

Release Date: January 29

Why I'm Excited: No stranger to recording whole projects with different bands and artists, this time Harper teamed up with renowned harmonica bluesman Charlie Musselwhite.  Here's a little taste.

9. The Postelles - ...And It Shook Me

Release Date: April 23

Why I'm Excited: The bouncy pop-rockers introduced a handful of new songs at Cameo Gallery back in September, and they've still got it!

8. Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart

Release Date: April 23

Why I'm Excited: Turner recorded the album with his touring band, the Sleeping Souls, and he's apparently "pleased as punch" with it.  While "Wherefore Art Thou Gene Simmons" sadly only made it to the deluxe version, those who were awarded the title of Dance Champions of the United States of America will be delighted to know that "Four Simple Words" is track 7.

7. Cookies - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: I got an email in December saying Cookies were working on their first album, which was "great but taking forever."  Let's hope forever isn't literal.  Until then, download a bunch of free songs here.

6. Streetlight Manifesto - The Hands That Thieve

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: Now that the release date has been delayed twice, I'm seriously hoping this record will see the light of day and doesn't go the way of the oft-rumored Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution full-length.

5. Phoenix - Bankrupt!

Release Date: April

Why I'm Excited: Phoenix broke into the mainstream with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix in 2009, winning the Best New Alternative Music Album Grammy and serving as the soundtrack to several commercials.  But we haven't heard a peep from them since.  Now it's time.

4. Phish - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: As the band celebrates its thirtieth year after a spirited 2012 tour and New Year's run, they're planning on heading back to the studio for the third album in their third era.  (I'm counting Party Time, so spare me the arguments.)

3. Jim James - Regions of Light & Sound of God

Release Date: February 5

Why I'm Excited: After fifteen years of fronting My Morning Jacket, James is going solo for more than just a few George Harrison covers.  I've already got my ticket for Music Hall of Williamsburg.

2. David Bowie - The Next Day

Release Date: March 12

Why I'm Excited: I think a lot of people were shocked the other day when Bowie revealed that he'd be unleashing his first album in a decade.  Although leadoff single "Where Are We Now?" is a ballad, producer Tony Visconti claims the album is a rocker.  Visconti produced some of Bowie's most acclaimed works, including The Man Who Sold the World and the Berlin Trilogy, so expect a solid LP.  Even if it's not, Bowie is already prophesying another album starting with four tracks that didn't fit on this one.

1. Broken Anchor - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: Who the hell are Broken Anchor, and why are they at the top of this list?  Two days ago, their sampler appeared on NoiseTrade as a free download.  I decided to give it a whirl.  Though they're based out of L.A., the only things Californian about their sound are the Pet Sounds-inspired reverb and vocal harmonies.  The rest owes more to the Northwest, with Austin Hartley-Leonard's vocals recalling Kurt Cobain and lyrics reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie.  And I can't stop listening.  Download the sampler below.

What releases are you looking forward to?  Share in the comments.

Top 20 Live Songs of 2012

20. "Banana Boat (Day-O)" - Good Old War, 04.25, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
"Do you wanna hear Tim do his best Harry Belafonte?" Keith asked the crowd. Tim sang the opening to "Day-O" perfectly, but no one expected the band to join in and play the whole song. Nice birthday present.

19. "Como Ves" - Ozomatli & the New York Pops, 06.12, Rumsey Playfield, New York, NY
Classic Ozo taken to new heights with the orchestra.

18. "Ashamed" - Deer Tick, 12.19, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY

Started off slow and built into a frenzy of horn solos and crowd chants.

17. "Spirit Bird" - Xavier Rudd, 12.03, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Offering the last part to the audience to sing, the fans succeeded with remarkable restraint and pitch control.

16. "Golden Train" - Penguin Prison, 06.24, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
Hopping off the stage to perform while walking through the crowd during the first song surprised the shit out of me.

15. "Stars" - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, 06.14, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
You could see the pain on her face that she felt when she wrote this beautiful ballad.

14. "One Foot Before the Other" - Frank Turner, 09.30, Webster Hall, New York, NY

Frank Turner goes prog.  Lights and bass were amazing.

13. "Excuse Me Mr." - Ben Harper, 10.10, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
Hard to pick a favorite from the night, but the off-mic singing on this sounded incredible in the hallowed hall.

12. "Digest" - Ben Taylor, 05.17, City Winery, New York, NY
John Forté asked if he could sing it with Ben, and modified the lyrics to "Nothing's been the same since I've been gone," to reference his time in prison.

11. "Rat Race" - Antibalas, 08.18, Williamsburg Park, Brooklyn, NY
Likely the best Marley cover I've seen.

10. "Be Mine" - Alabama Shakes, 10.06, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Virgin Mobile Freefest), Columbia, MD

Brittany Howard just aced it on this one.

9. "We Are Young" - Fun, 06.22, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
Crowd sang along triumphantly to the single of the year. Great acoustics.

8. "(718)" - 2 Skinnee J's, 08.24, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
In (718). Haven't jumped in the air at a concert in God knows how long.

7. "What Makes a Good Man?" - The Heavy, 08.30, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Backup singers sent this one to near heavenly proportions.

6. "Root Down" - Animal Liberation Orchestra, 05.09, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
Just days after Adam Yauch's passing, ALO busted out this funky gem, which included "Maria" in its center.

5. "No One's Gonna Love You" - Band of Horses, 09.18, House of Vans, Brooklyn, NY
One of my favorite songs ever in such an intimate venue.  Literally got chills.

4. "Walk Like a Giant" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse, 09.29, Central Park Great Lawn (Global Festival), New York, NY
Crashing footsteps of a giant at the end were so fucking ballsy.

3. "Shake Up the Place" - 10 Ft. Ganja Plant, 04.20, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
Sublime harmonies.  The smile on Kevin Kinsella's face has been burned into my mind forever.

2. "Try" - Everyone Orchestra, 10.27, Sullivan Hall, New York, NY
Grand Ole Opry-style chorus combined with Zach Gill's hilarious musings on his attic.  Should always be performed this way.

1. "Down with Disease" - Phish, 12.30, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Sweetest jam of the whole NYE run.  Spaced through different movements until it came to a driving funk conclusion.  I'll be listening to this for years.

Top 15 Concerts of 2012

These were the top 15 concerts I attended in 2012.  Feel free to make your own list in the comments.

15. Diamond Rugs - 06.24, Rumsey Playfield, New York, NY
"Totally Lonely" was exponentially better live than recorded, with all the members joining producer Justin Collins on the final refrain. For the set-closing "Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant," the group thinned its ranks to a duo of McCauley and Los Lobos' Steve Berlin. The fact that it was merely days after the summer solstice only amplified the beautiful sadness of the song." (Read full review)

14. Deer Tick - 12.19, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY

"With a loud "Kick it!" they crunched into "Fight for Your Right." Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit now had the oft-traded Mustang, but his most memorable contribution to the song was throwing pitcher after pitcher of beer onto the crowd. This insane final display was the ultimate example of why we go to Deer Tick shows: Because anything can happen because it's a goddam party." (Read full review)

13. Alabama Shakes - 10.06, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Virgin Mobile Freefest), Columbia, MD

"While bassist Zac Cockrell still only moved slightly more than a well-timed bobblehead, Brittany Howard was absolutely magnetic.  She was wearing a blue dress with red dots and sporting a straightened hairdo, but you couldn't take your eyes off her face.  If you were a deaf person, you could've learned all the vowel sounds just by the way her mouth moved, soulful howls bursting out of the gaping hole." (Read full review)

12. Mayer Hawthorne - 04.16, Webster Hall, New York, NY
"This isn't a concert; it's a show," Hawthorne announced at the onset.  Backed by his band, the County, MH dazzled fans with a set of soulful originals from both of his albums, and even a few Hall & Oates covers.  For final song "Henny & Gingerale," Hawthorne played bartender and made drinks for those in the front row as he sang.

11. Matt Embree - 09.11, The Acheron, Brooklyn, NY

"The banter became downright ridiculous, Embree claiming he knew half the people in the room, even their "drunken-ass aliases, like when you get so drunk you're another person." While he may have seemed like another person between songs, his drunkenness had no effect on his musicianship. His guitar solo in "Taking Chase as the Serpent Slithers" was absolutely ferocious, and he proved his vocal prowess on a soulful cover of Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." (Read full review)

10. 10 Ft. Ganja Plant - 04.20, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA

This was the third ever live performance for the secretive reggae band.  The sweaty night of dub in the basement of the club was a night to remember... though due to obvious reasons, somewhat forgotten. 

9. Phish - 12.30, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

"Disarmed by the first set, we were all ready for Phish to drop the real jams on us.  Kicking things off with "Down with Disease," the boys made it through the main part, and then unearthed a subterranean monster toward its end.  Knowing glances around the room as we lapped up the amazingly funked-out puzzle where all the pieces fit properly." (Read full review)

8. Ben Harper - 10.10, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
"That was only the start of what would be the 54-minute encore, where Harper reached back into his catalog to revive old favorites like "Not Fire Not Ice," "Power of the Gospel," and "Welcome to the Cruel World."  The show could have bookended with the instrumental "Exhale," but surprisingly, Ben brought his chair downstage, even in front of the suspended stage mic, to play "Suzie Blue" on ukulele." (Read full review)

7. Kishi Bashi - 05.16, Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY

It's hard to upstage the Barr Brothers, but with a violin, a microphone, and some looping pedals, he did it.  Everyone stared silently in awe as he magically constructed his songs piece by piece.  Best of the three times I saw him.

6. The Heavy - 08.30, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

A live staple for years, "The Big Bad Wolf" followed it like Little Red Riding Hood, but this wasn't the sneaky trickster from the children's tale.  This was a fucking monster.  With the crowd howling and screaming, "What you say!" it was incredible to realize that I was in a room full of adults singing along, "I'm gonna huff and puff, and blow your house down!" (Read full review)

5. Ben Taylor - 05.17, City Winery, New York, NYBen and band unveiled several new songs from his upcoming album Listening in the sonically sweet space.  Audience member John Forté sat in for a few tunes, including the fan-suggested encore "Digest."

4. Animal Liberation Orchestra - 07.23, Rocks Off Boat Cruise, New York, NY
"You guys are yelling out some really old ones," noted Dan.  "Should we do 'Sexo y Drogas?'"  And they did.  For the first time in over a year.  It was like watching 2004-era ALO all over again.  Before launching into the singalong "Walls of Jericho," I heard Lebo tuning a little ghost of "They Love Each Other."  My ears didn't deceive me, the Garcia ditty exhuming itself from the remains of "Walls." (Read full review)

3. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - 06.14, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

"At 9:37, the band took the stage to the tribal drums of the title track off their newest  album, The Lion the Beast the Beat. Having released the LP on Tuesday, the set was heaped with fresh tunes, and Grace wasn't ashamed of it. "If you don't know it, just fucking pretend you do." (Read full review)

 

2. Band of Horses - 09.18, House of Vans, Brooklyn, NY

"What was evident was that these boys love playing music. Ben sang with such gusto, you could witness the veins bulging in his tattooed neck. Every member had a wide grin for the show's duration; even the typically stoic Ramsey sneaking out a smirk from somewhere in the center of his beard." (Read full review)

 

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 09.29, Central Park Great Lawn (Global Festival), New York, NY

"Neil Young and Crazy Horse played a blistering mix of new songs from the upcoming Psychedelic Pill, and classics like the 15-minute opener "Love & Only Love." Young, Poncho, and Billy Talbot huddled together in the center of the stage, churning out waves of distortion into the crisp night air." (Read full review)