Phish to Unveil New Album on Wednesday
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Phish will debut a brand new studio album, “Sigma Oasis,” during an online listening party at 9pm ET on April 1 on LivePhish.com, the band’s Facebook page as well as its SiriusXM channel. The group made the announcement Tuesday (March 31) during a video chat as part of its “Dinner and a Movie” archival concert video series.
“Sigma Oasis” is Phish’s first studio release since 2016’s “Big Boat” and was largely recorded during a week-long session last November at guitarist Trey Anastasio’s barn studio, keyboardist Page McConnell said during the “Dinner and a Movie” set break. The group has been tinkering with the sessions ever since with the assistance of longtime collaborator/engineer Vance Powell.
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“To have this mountaintop barn where we can go and have the idea that playing together is best and get in there and do that in a little weird way, it makes it like a show vibe, because the chemistry happens,” bassist Mike Gordon said.
“Sigma Oasis” is named for a song debuted by Anastasio at a solo concert in December 2018. Phish’s version of the track was played live for the first time when it opened a Dec. 8, 2019, show in Charleston, S.C. Another new song, “Everything’s Right,” was briefly teased during the broadcast.
A track list for “Sigma Oasis” has not been revealed, but speculation abounds that it could feature some of the many songs Phish has performed live in recent years but has yet to release as studio versions. It has also yet to be announced when and how the new album will be released commercially.
Phish has summer tour dates on the books beginning July 14 in Eugene, Ore., but it remains to be seen whether they will be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Anastasio also has dates scheduled with his solo band starting May 22 in Baltimore, as well as four shows backed by symphony orchestras in June.
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