Mike Gordon

Mike Gordon hasn't released a solo album since 2003's Inside In. In that time the former Phish bassist turned his sights to modern folk and avant jazz, collaborating with the likes of Leo Kottke and the Benevento/Russo Duo. Gordon, at first blush, has ditched the heady stuff for straightforward pop rock, but repeated listens reveals The Green Sparrow to be a subtle fusion of the out and in. Funky, multilayered rhythms and prickly interplay between guitar and piano underpin nearly every song.

Mike Gordon has always been the quirkiest member of Phish, whether he’s writing jazzy
rock songs that defy conventional meter (“Round Room”) or singing about cutting off his
girlfriend’s head (“Weigh”). On his 2003 solo debut, he sometimes let his freak flag fly
too high: the album’s electro kraut-rock exercises didn’t quite hold together. But on
The Green Sparrow, Gordon strikes a SOLID balance between his jones for expe... More >