On October 3, Trey Anastasio released "Bar 17," his fifth studio album on his newly formed record label, "Rubber Jungle Records." The effort continues Trey's streak of being off the hook as a member of Phish. Although, he did include contributions by John Fishman and Mike Gordon on the record.
“Bar 17” was recorded over three years and features more than 42 different musicians including Benevento/Russo Duo and John Medeski. The album was recoded at Trey's studio, The Barn, in Vermont. All the songs were written at the same time as “Shine” but the main difference between the two albums was the recoding process. "Bar 17," unlike “Shine,” was recorded (the way Trey prefers) with lots of musicians, various collaborators, and people around him. “Shine” was a collaboration of one, and he recoded all of the guitar parts playing, not with a band, but over a click track. Which is probably why Bar 17 sounds closer to his work with Phish and is more of a sunny-rock record than a distant pop creation.
"Bar 17" Track List:
1. Host Across The Potomac
2. If You're Walking
3. Dragonfly
4. Bar 17
5. Mud City
6. Let Me Lie
7. What’s Done
8. Goodbye Head
9. A Case Of Ice And Snow
10. Empty House
11. Gloomy Sky
12. Shadow
13. Cincinnati
Here are some of the guitar highlights on the album -
The opening track, “Host Across the Potomac,” swells up with a Hendrixian feedback loop and drops into heavy rock driven guitar riff. Once the vocals appear, Trey jumps into a mellow clean rhythmic chord tone with heavy bass and keys behind him. There are the usual modal changes throughout the song, coupled with some stinging riffs skipping between the vocals. Believe it or not, the guitar parts are fairly sparce in this tune. Another surprise is that the guitar solo doesn't arrive until the end of the song. The guitars tones are clean and distant, and fade rather quickly.
“If You're Walking” also de-emphasizes the guitar parts in the composition. Trey selects a more balanced approach to his mix. There is much more of a presence from the keys, bass, drums, percussion and vocals than guitar. You’ll only hear faint hits of a distorted chord behind the vocals and bass. The solo is very subdued and deliberate with a mix of single note runs with some chord vamps.
On the first single from “Bar 17,” “Dragonfly,” the guitars open up the song and stay out in front for the duration. With help from Mike Gordon on bass, this is much more rock driven and seems to come from some sonic tapestry of the 70's funk and rock genre. Trey solos between some swirly keys and horns and takes off on an energetic solo. Dragonfly offers much more lift and life than the previous two tracks and is a welcome change of pace.
The title track “Bar 17,” starts off with a very mellow opening of piano and an acoustic guitar strumming gently behind the vocals. A string section accompanies the piano and guitars. The overall vibe is a very soft and gentle one to begin with. Trey’s guitar work comes late in the song and with crackles with high-gain licks. It must be a sign of maturity because his approach to the solo in the song is very deliberate, and he leaves plenty of room for the notes to breathe giving it a nice finish. Also, there's nice interplay with the drums and bass in parts that adds some character. Throughout the solo, the tone is quite crisp and all the notes are clearly articulated. The improv lasts for over five and half minutes and makes up the bulk of the song. Trey keeps it the interesting from beginning to end, thus, it's not until the song is over that you realize that was a long run.
“Mud City” spins in with some high-octane driven double stops and a rock filled guitar chord progression. His vocals match the intensity of the guitars. Trey takes the guitar parts and stretches it out on top of the horns, drums, and rest of the band. The keys take the first solo while his guitar playing keeps the song moving. Trey’s heavy, catchy, overdriven guitar hook takes you right into his solo that is the most rock inspired solo of the album so far.
“What's Done” offers cream inspired wah tones and drums with a snappy snare and hi-hat that go to work on your eardrums. In keeping with the overall acid rock vibe, the solo offers wah-washed guitar and squealing notes up high on the neck. It’s a psychedelic jam that will be a nice treat for all of the loyal Trey fans. In the end the song resolves into a very bright, sunny chorus as the guitar work continues to shine in the background.
It’s clear that Trey Anastasio continues to enjoy exploring his creative boundaries as a solo artist. And yes, "Bar 17" has many traces of his experimental nature. But in the end what comes out of this album is a much more familiar sound and playing style that could be a signal of things to come or a friendly salute to the past.
By Ken Volpe
