, attached to 2012-06-22

Review by AlbanyYEM

AlbanyYEM TWIST JAM timings from LP

Starts up out of the haze, with some nice Rhodes action by Page. Composed section is pretty standard, fairly tight but nothing of note.

2:34 solo break, Trey is laid back in the groove here giving space to Mike and Page
3:20 some nice staccato runs by Trey, showing a little bit of thought but with a relaxed vibe. Whole band sounds in synch with great spaces left by each member letting the others step up.
4:46 Trey with a little more fire and a phase shifter, Mike envelope filter
5:40 Higher run from Trey with some nice subdued trilling up and down the neck,
6:03 Chord landing by Trey for emphasis.

6:09 Out of nowhere, and I do mean out of nowhere, Page comes in with some organ swells and Mike steps in here with a strong key change into minor territory. I believe this is also an Arabian style scale so often employed (to mind-stealing effect) by early Pink Floyd. Which I might as well say is the direction this dark monster is headed. Perhaps the darkest jam of 3.0, let alone 2012. God this is such an amazingly dark and seemingly planned move, what I love most about Phish jams is when it seems that it simply must be composed music--that there is no possible way anyone could come up with this on the spot.

6:17 Waterfall descending lick by Trey repeated by Page, but with an OMINOUS stature
6:43 Effect turned on by Trey, repeating the descending lines.
7:00 Mike *almost* I shit you not, playing Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun bassline--not a tease--but certainly a stylistic homage.
7:02 Moog (I think) from Page, lightly nodding towards No Quarter but definitely not suggesting an outright segue
7:24 Trey lets out a looooong delay loop (think 90's Ghosts) that is simply, bar-none, the most effective use of this tool I have ever heard. It sets the backdrop in the most perfect way, so foreboding, like a long glimpse at something that just might be the killer's knife, but might also just be the strong acid it feels like you're on. Soundscaped, and I mean perfectly.

7:47 Page repeating the drone, minor Arabian pattern amidst this backdrop really taking center stage but with just a hint. This is more about droning rhythm than any melodic ideas (which in this context is absolutely perfect). Just a *thoroughly* full-band enterprise here, amazing stuff.

8:24 Arising from the mist, a deep growling pattern (think 2003-2004 jams) with a bit more power added to the mix.
8:53 I'm officially calling it--there's a Set the Controls tease here from Mike outright. Just terrifying. With this we have signaled the slooooooow build towards a bit more ferocity…we knew all along something bad was going to happen, but now it seems like it's just around the corner. Waiting for the Heart of Darkness horror, Colonel Kurtz's executed followers are hanging from the trees.

9:17 Feedback from Trey signals the first time he's taking the lead in this jam, picking up from Mike's tease the droning repeated doom. Seriously, this sounds the most like '70 Floyd I've ever heard from Phish.

9:53 Fish is picking up the rhythm and the whole thing seems about to burst, Mike adds the envelope filter that I'm sure must have caused some terror in the audience at this point in the show. This is nightmare stuff.

10:17 Trey adds a more rocking tone to his solo, but played in the same key. I suspect he's just in minor territory here and has dropped the Arabian scale spicing--but it works so nicely because everyone else is still playing that Arabian mode. So you get the power while still keeping the feel of death. Just amazing phrasing here from Trey.

10:55 Page adds Rhodes fill while Trey sustains, Mike adds leads and Trey steps back momentarily. Very tasty Page stuff in here.

11:22 Strong playing by Trey somewhat signaling or at least harkening back to Twist, but with unimaginable power

12:22 Trills from Trey and more power soloing (but not rock, every note is perfectly accounted for here), Trey just going off in such a perfect counterpoint, finally leading the band at just the right moment to lead the band.

13:25 Signs this one is headed towards a conclusion, 13:33 major key reversal from Trey to end things on a strangely more melodic passage > Mike doop choo bahbah ba doop choo…Halley's

Ok so I'm not sure what more can be added. Just one of the best Phish jams from any era. And I don't say that lightly (lame pun).


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