reviews

The Disco Biscuits Planet Anthem Review

While album reviews typically fall under the domain of the Glide main page, we’ve decided to make a very rare exception to review the Disco Biscuits long awaited LP, Planet Anthem, which comes out on Tuesday.

The Disco Biscuits have never been afraid to polarize, and make no bones about it, with Planet Anthem they are about to do it again. Upon a first pass of the LP, listeners will ponder a slew of questions in trying to digest the new release from the Philly electro-jam act. Is this an identity crisis or a reinvention? Who did they make this album for? Did everyone agree to this?


With a bouillabaisse of sound chock full of club bangers, auto-tuned hip hop, thrash romps, Radiohead-eqsue introspectives and synth-laden techno grooves, the visceral reaction screams, “Oh my god, they made album for undulating dudes in banana hammocks at the Jersey Shore.” At first, these songs seem better suited to be played by a toned-up MC than by a musical ensemble who wields jaw-dropping instrumental command and improvisational prowess.

You have to sit with it. Once the shock value wears down, the album grows on you.

Ironically, despite all the guest vocalists and auto-tuning, both of which likely cater to the frequent quips about the quality of the Disco Biscuits’ singing abilities, the song The City, stands out as the best track on the album with Marc Brownstein’s vocals coming as a total breath of fresh air. The song also holds most true to the title of the record, as it contains the most distinctive melody, stellar production, and heavy doses of “oohs” and “aahs” to capture the cathartic, anthemic spirit that the Biscuits so successfully developed throughout the years.

READ ON for more of Ryan’s thoughts on Planet Anthem…

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Phish in Albany: Setlists

After a spectacular two-night stand in Philadelphia, Phish returns to The Knick tonight for the first time since December 1, 2003. Phish first played the Knickerbocker Arena – currently named the Times Union Center – on December 9, 1995 and has returned to the venue a total of nine times leading up to tonight’s show. I’ll be offering my thoughts on the both Albany shows @YEMblog starting immediately. Other options for experiencing the concerts from home include Phishtwit and Hoodstream.

READ ON for the setlist once the show starts [via Phish.net]

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Review & Photos: Phish in Cincinnati

Words and Images: Tim Hara

Last weekend, Phish made their triumphant return to Cincinnati for the first time in six years. They played the U.S. Arena, a 17,000 person venue located downtown right next to the stadiums where the Reds and the Bengals play. Although the place was packed both nights, fans could find cheap tickets – some even free – in the lot with ease. You could feel the excitement in the air as the crowd funneled through the doors and into the venue to begin what would turn out to be an incredible two-night stand in the Midwest.

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Phish kicked off the first night with good, but standard versions of Chalk Dust and Moma Dance. The entire building shook as the audience roared during “the pause” in The Divided Sky. After a solid rendition of Alaska, things were slowed down for Fast Enough for You, which was played for only the second time this year. The high point in the set came for Gotta Jibboo > Fluffhead, two crowd-pleasers that closed out the first half. Overall a solid, fun set, but it was obvious that the band was just getting warmed up.

The real magic came in the second set with the Tweezer > Light > Back on the Train > Possum sequence. The quartet jammed patiently and absolutely nailed the transitions in this segment; especially the segue into Possum. After a blissful, standalone Slave to the Traffic Light, the funk dance party started up with a monster You Enjoy Myself that clocked in at over 20 minutes to close what was a perfectly executed set. Phish then treated the crowd to a three-song encore that started with Joy and Golgi Apparatus and concluded with a Tweezer Reprise that ensured the show ended on a high note.

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READ ON for more of Tim’s thoughts and photos on Phish…

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Phish in Syracuse: Setlist and Recap

Phish drummer Jon Fishman came home tonight as Phish rocked the War Memorial in Syracuse for the first time since November 4, 1994. In a show that was high-energy from

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Phish in Cincinnati: Setlists

Phish November 21, 2009 U.S. Bank Arena Cincinnati, OH Set 1: Wilson, NICU, Wolfman’s Brother, Ocelot, Torn and Frayed, Strange Design, Ginseng Sullivan, Albuquerque, Split Open and Melt, Dirt, Limb

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Review & Photos: Phish @ Cobo Hall

“I want to tell you, Detroit, that you done set me up for a comeback,” former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said after he was forced to resign last year. Echoing the words of the infamous Detroit mayor, Phish returned for a comeback of their own in the Motor City for this year’s fall tour opener, however, delivering on the comeback would be a different story. Save a few bright spots, (Down With Disease>Free and 46 Days) the show sounded like the first show of a tour, a bit rusty and apprehensive.

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The quartet came out to a barrage of roses from someone hopeful for Ween’s Roses Are Free, that unfortunately didn’t come. Most of the first set was fairly straightforward as nothing really found a perfect fit. With the newer songs Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan and Kill Devil Falls, guitarist Trey Anastasio’s, for lack of a better word, Joy, was apparent as he played these new compositions just as noticeably eager as he was the past summer to push the crowd to enjoy them as much as he seems to.

It’s Ice made for an interesting highlight of the first set, but most of the opening stanza was filled with slower tunes such as Mist. Things got slightly more upbeat with Poor Heart and 46 Days would branch out a bit, with Trey pinging notes over a spacey pulsing background soundscape while lighting director Chris Kuroda covered the side walls of Cobo Hall during the ambient improv. Slowly, the space in 46 Days fizzled into silence before it got to any real interesting territory.

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READ ON for more of Pietro’s thoughts and photos from Phish…

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Phish @ The Gorge: Night Two 08/08/2009

Phish completed a splendid two-night stand at The Gorge last night by treating fans to a high-energy show that featured the debut performance of Middle of the Road from Kottke/Gordon’s

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ABB at the Beacon: Night Four – Diehardest

The Allman Brothers Band’s 40th Anniversary Run at the Beacon Theatre continues to be filled with special guests, bustouts and tremendous playing all around. Last night, the parade of epic

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A Phishy Night For The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band took things to the next level tonight both by themselves and with special guests keyboardist Page McConnell and axemen Buddy Guy and Trey Anastasio at the third show of their 40th Anniversary run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. ABB guitarists Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes both were up to the task of dueling with their extremely talented guests and the crowd ate up every moment of it.

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I’ve been following the run on Moogis so far and tonight was the first show of the run I caught in person. Boy, did I pick the right night to show up at the Beacon. It was clear the Trey and Page rumors I’ve been hearing for weeks were about to come true when I entered the newly renovated theater to see Anastasio’s wooden cabinet set up next to bassist Oteil Burbridge’s rig. As amazing as the Phish member’s sit-ins were, this show would still be my favorite ABB show I’ve seen without a sniff of our boys.

This third show started the same way the first show of the run started off on Monday; Derek and Warren nailed Duane Allman’s beautiful instrumental – Little Martha. The rest of the band shuffled out afterwards and ran through a number of their more bluesy numbers before welcoming Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy to the stage for a nasty cover of Elmore James’ The Sky Is Crying. Trucks was beaming as he dueled with Guy – one of his influences – through a number of call and response segments.

READ ON for the rest of Scotty’s ABB at the Beacon review…

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