Trey Anastasio (2002) Trey Anastasio [24-96 FLAC]

It doesn't require a great stretch of the imagination to suggest that singer/guitarist Trey Anastasio's solo debut bears some of the elements of his (don't call them a) jam band par excellence Phish. It's perhaps more useful, however, to note the differences between this album and the work of Anastasio's aquatic buddies. While "Alive Again" employs the kind of syncopated, white-guy funk feel that makes Phish-heads bob at a thousand paces, there's more concision to the song's construction than you'll find in some Phish numbers. Similarly, while "Night Speaks to a Woman" bears some of Anastasio's trademark guitar heroism, the reference point seems at times to be closer to mid-period Eric Clapton than to Jerry Garcia. And on the amiable "Drifting," Trey shows that he's got some pure pop instincts, the kind that would have guaranteed him a spot on AM radio in that medium's mid-'70s golden age. Ultimately, Phish phans won't be put off, but they may pick up a trick or two along the way.