Fuego

Originally, I had bought this album back in 2014, and had listened to it over the course of a running camp in VT. I was in that relaxing mood for a lot of the songs, and enjoyed it immensely. Recently, I've been getting into vinyl, and really wanted this album on vinyl for my favorites (Fuego, Halfway to the Moon, 555, Wombat and Wingsuit). Unfortunately, and echoing others' comments, I had issues with the album on the first listen and more as time went on. My record player is relatively new, an Audio Technica AT-LP60X, and it hasn't had any issues on other new or used records. My album skipped on Fuego, Devotion to a Dream, 555 and Wombat. For those songs, it skipped several times per song. Disappointing for sure and I'm in the process of returning to get another. The record I received was black and not the special orange as shown in the pictures.

2014 is a medium-sized year for the band, really, when considering the totality of where they've been in times past. Gone are the days of constant sold out shows that made it nearly impossible and frustrating for phans to score tickets. The current Phish state is a good active balance for members of the band and their dedicated phollowing.The energy of the Fuego album is not likely to knock your socks off from the living room audio system, but every track possesses the ability to be a massive jam vessel with sky-high potential to really linger and soar during the live setting. It is recorded extremely well, with obsessive care to detail in production quality. Buy this album. Then, go see a (or another) 2014 live show. Whatever you do, make sure to see this band at least once in your lifetime (and take care of your shoes).

This album does a great job of capturing the different sides of Phish. There's some funky tunes, some poppy tunes, some harder rock tunes, and some dreamy tunes; it's got a little of everything, but there are no "bad songs"/nothing that feels like filler. The production quality is excellent. I listened to this album twice in a row, and know I'll be enjoying it for a very long time.In my opinion, this is Phish's best studio album to date. Buy it -- you can't go wrong!

Very well recorded (ok, I'm biased as I'm friend of the engineer, but being a recording engineer myself, I can honestly say it was VERY well done). High resolution digital multitrack mixed through a board to 1/2" analog at 30 in/sec (right from the engineer's mouth). Sweet mics like an AKG C24 and Neumann U67 were used in various places. Well mastered, if a bit compressed. A good cut, good plating, and good pressing. No stupid effects. Just compression, some EQ, and some reverb with creative pan automation. Uncomplicated sound very well executed. As for the material, itself, I'd give it 4 stars. Several songs we ok, others were great. Not a lot of long jam-outs like they're known for, but they're not too short either. I haven't heard the CD version, but the LP is a win, especially since we live in a time when LP quality is generally the lowest in history (I've heard some pressings from the 50s that sound better than ones today). Funny how that is. Now that we have the ability to computer-control presses with sensors and automation, things were still better 45 years ago. These guys were smarter than to have it pressed at United in Nashville, and smarter than to try to cram it on 1 LP. If you've got more than a passing interest in this band, check out this record.

I have to hand it to Phish. They do a tremendous job with the production and engineering of their vinyl releases. Although I wish they could have gotten creative and added a couple extra tracks on the blank side of the second record. But over all I was very pleased. And the mp3 download is always appreciated.

I have to say, I love Fuego. I'll go even further and say I feel it's Phish's best effort since Rift (in my humble opinion).I'm an early 90's Phish fan. Beginning with Hoist, I felt their artistic edge was being overwhelmed by expectations of having hit records (not that this is so, but just seems that way). Billy Breathes bored me (but I'm revisiting it after hearing THIS album!), and I kinda phased out (especially after discovering OK Computer).But with Fuego, I have to admit... I have missed out. It reminded me of the beauty, the happiness, the amazing songwriting abilities of the band I so very much loved and love. "Waiting All Night" is the song that drew me in, compelling me to play it over and over again. Then I heard the rest of the album. Sublime. The veritable joy of "Devotion to a Dream," the beautiful complexity of "Halfway to the Moon." I feel "Winterqueen" has a very Jerry-like guitar sound, and that's a great thing (even better, it comes from Trey!). "Sing Monica" is another joyous jamboree, making be bounce around both my room and my car! "555" is another Mike song that's just so damn cool. The ethereal, sad and wonderful "Waiting All Night" is the song I'm forcing people who claim they don't like Phish to listen to... and reassess. "Wombat" reminds me, for some crazy reason, of the funk and madness of "Split Open and Melt"... which I think I'm alone in that assessment, but I dig it all the same. The album ends with the Floydian "Wingsuit," which I think is an incredible conclusion to a great album. Page really comes to the forefront here (I always HAVE thought he was the second magical ingredient to Phish... a modern day Vince Guaraldi), but the band as a whole sounds as fresh and inspired as a newly-formed, still-have-something-to-prove band. I love it. Buy it :)

this album is great, i've had it 4 months and i still listen to it all of the time. i find it strange that phish gets so much hate lol... they are wonderful and they make me so happy!!!!!

Just damn good solid work from beginning to end. Listen closely and all the way through to truly appreciate all that went into this album. The band, engineer, final mix and master are outstanding.

I'm a long term Phish fan who fully appreciates that it is in the live arena where this band shines really comes alive. However, I have always bought their studio albums and enjoyed every one to varying degrees - this one I think is a cracker. Obviously there are extended jams like their live performances although the title track does run to over 9 minutes.The band take through a selection of tempos and moods which makes for an interesting mix, needless to say the playing and recording is superb all the way through. It's been 5 years since  Joy  was released, although there has been plenty of live material around so this is a welcomed addition to my library.I've given this album 5 stars as I love it plus if you're a fan of the band, I consider it an essential buy.Packaging is similar to their last, namely a fold-out cardboard slipcase with the CD one side and the booklet with lyrics on the other - suits me perfectly as no plastic! Joy

I came to this album knowing nothing about Phish. I thoiught they were a jam band with ok songs. Whatever their credentials as a jam band; all the songs on Fuego are quite simply excellent. Yes; these are songs with great choruses and melodies. They are not self indulgent noodling (although nothing wrong with a bit of noodling); they are tight, funky in places, subime in others and universally captiating. Not sure where I go from here as there are obviously rather a lot of live releases to explore. Looking forward to the journey. I think I just became a Phan. This album is great !!

Also a long term Phish fan greatly enjoy this Cd after a few listenings; it doesn't disappoint. some tracks are quite un -Phish like("Devotion to a Dream" sounding amazingly like Albert Lee and Hogan's Heroes IMO) and could be any group but good never-the-less, some long guitar solos might remind you of the Allmans, a good mix, very pleased with it.

Il disco più sorprendente del 2014. I Phish, inutile che lo scriva, sono la mia rock band preferita, la cosa migliora capitata alla musica rock negli ultimi trent'anni. Punto. Detto questo, dopo qualche ascolto distratto, mi ritenevo piuttosto disgustato dal suono e dalla direzione che stavano prendendo con il nuovo disco, "Fuego", appunto. Si è acceso un dibattito piuttosto intenso, in rete, su chi era favorevole e chi era contro questo disco. Ho letto recensioni orribili e recensioni ottime. E l'ho comprato quasi per completezza. E invece, signori e signori, questo è un grande, grandissimo disco. E non lo dico perché sono i Phish, sono lontano da queste cretinate, ma perché era da tempo che non sentivo un disco così ben concepito, scritto, suonato e prodotto. Bob Ezrin, un produttore che ha lavorato con tutti i più grandi della musica pop, lista infinita, ha lasciato fluire gli strumenti in maniera perfetta, non ha aggiunto stronzate, il suono è rotondo, forte, e l'abilità agli strumenti dei phab phour si sente tutta. Poi ci sono le canzoni, che se è vero che ogni tanto eccedono in qualche coretto di troppo, ma poca cosa, in realtà sono una più bella dell'altra, scorrono perfette fra ballate, brani felicemente rock, errebì sudisti e qualche piccolo non-sense alla Phish. Tanta è la cura e la meticolosità del lavoro in studio, generalmente estraneo e controproducente in gruppi similari ai Phish, che paradossalmente non so come renderanno dal vivo, vera e propria zona di guerra, in cui i ragazzi del Vermont non temono paragoni. C'è poco altro da aggiungere, se non da raccogliere il mio scetticismo e la mia mascella dal pavimento. I Phish hanno accompagnato la mia vita ed è bello, e anche un po' commovente, che ancora oggi riescano a regalare dischi del genere. Fra i migliori del 2014, assolutamente.

Probabilmente il miglior disco dei Phish da vent’anni a questa parte. Il produttore Bob Ezrin dà una patina produttiva che rispetta tutte le sfaccettature della band, non tradisce la tradizione, e compatta tutto in canzoni perfette, dove melodia, improvvisazione e arrangiamenti convincono in pieno. Album completo, senza sbavature né roba di troppo (difetto in uscite passate, anche le migliori) e c’è da dire che nonostante si sia vicini a 30 anni di carriera, questi han saputo tirare fuori pezzi bellissimi, ispirati, dove tutti si esprimono al meglio. Grandissimo album.