Since guitarist
Trey Anastasio
is the leader of
Phish
, it would seem that he would sound nearly identical to his band when he's on his own. Not so.
Surrender to the Air
, his first solo release, recalls a free form,
improvisation
-based
jazz
record more than hippie
rock
; in that sense, it is close to the actual spirit of
the Grateful Dead
, if not their sound.
Anastasio
has assembled a diverse,
experimental
band featuring guitarist
Marc Ribot
, trumpeter
Michael Ray
, keyboardist
John Medeski
, and saxophonist
Marshall Allen
. With such a stellar cast, it isn't surprising that
lets his fellow musicians cut loose. Everyone improvises over a loose structure, disregarding conventional notions of melody or rhythms. Though
doesn't solo as much as some of his comrades, his open-minded spirit is evident throughout the record. Though many
fans might not initially enjoy
, the guitarist should be commended for not resting on his laurels. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine