Mike Gordon - Moss

[ThePhanastasio]

Mike Gordon - Moss

Rounder Records (2010)

"I call to the people sitting down, but they don't seem to hear my call."

Track Listing:
1.) Can't Stand Still - Gordon, McConnell, Fishman, Slomoff - 4:26
2.) Horizon Line - Gordon - 4:27
3.) Fire From a Stick - Gordon - 4:08
4.) What Things Seem - Gordon - 4:27
5.) Babylon Baby - Gordon - 3:28
6.) Flashback - Gordon - 3:22
7.) The Void - Gordon - 5:41
8.) Got Away - Gordon - 4:54
9.) Spiral - Gordon - 4:22
10.) Idea - Gordon - 5:50

Moss is the third solo release from Phish bassist, Mike Gordon, a mostly effective follow-up to 2008's The Green Sparrow and 2003's very bluegrass / country-influenced Inside In (which also served as the soundtrack for Gordon's bizarre feature film Outside Out.)

On this release, Gordon's effective bass work and oft-overlooked songwriting ability shines through. In stark contrast to his work with his primary band, Phish, there are deeper and often meaningful lyrics, along with many songs with a more stripped-down vibe. Also contrasting Gordon's work with Phish is the length of the songs on Moss, the longest track ("Idea") coming in short of 6 minutes.

While more lyrically insightful than Gordon's music with Phish, the minimalism works against him on several occasions. There are several tracks, possibly most notably "What They Seem", on which Gordon incorporates heavier instrumentation to the track ineffectually; the end result often feels messy and thrown together.

Gordon's vocals work on many of the tracks, but often it detracts from the song itself. "Babylon Baby" is one such example. On top of interesting percussion and solid bass work, Gordon's somewhat nasally vocals in contrast with the female background vocals make it sound almost like something that came out of some kid's garage.

This isn't to say that the entire album is resplendent with errors and weaknesses. For every weak track, there is one which impresses greatly. The tracks "Flashback", "Horizon Line", and "Idea" show that Mike can get on the right track, using his particular abilities to make particularly effective music when he sets his mind to it. "Flashback" is actually one of the tracks which are less minimal in its execution, utilizing a brass section and funky guitar to make for a pleasant and enjoyable listen. Lyrically, "Flashback" isn't the strongest track on the album, but it remains thoroughly solid.

"The Void" features what is probably the most exciting and enjoyable bass work on the album. The song itself is strong, lyrically and musically, and Gordon's voice works on this one. The bass work, I will stress again, is really something on this track.

Ultimately, this isn't a completely highly recommended release from me, but I would suggest that people check it out for something different. It's certainly not like anything I've heard in a bit, and that's one positive attribute in its favor.

Grade: C+