Like a Phish out of water, Page McConnell tries to lock into his own musical identity on his self-titled solo debut. Even though Phish is no more, keyboard player McConnell is still basking in all his jam band glory by modifying the distinctive sound of his former crew into something of his own. This makes Page McConnell a colorful adventure through the world of chill.
The album's opening track, ""Beauty of a Broken Heart,"" sounds too much like classic Phish right from the beginning, but is good nonetheless. Of course, it is hard for McConnell to explore a new sound entirely, since at least one of his old cronies makes an appearance on every single track. However, holding on to a few pieces of the past seems to be a formula that works.
McConnell does let his personal musical expression shine through on tracks such as ""Heavy Rotation."" It starts off funky with insightful vocals, then gives way to a long, complex piano solo that truly showcases what he is capable of when other instrumentation fades into the background. Rather than getting dull or redundant, the solo flows nicely, changing just enough over time to remain steady but interesting.
""Back to the Basement"" also features McConnell's skills. Backed by former band mates Mike Gordon and Trey Anastasio, he spouts off a furious instrumental dialogue that contrasts with Anastasio's mellow guitar. There are no vocals on the track and they are clearly unnecessary with this arrangement—the music speaks volumes more than any lyrics ever could in this case.
Even so, McConnell is obviously capable of writing deeply delicate and personal lyrics. As a solo artist, he can finally release his own thoughts on his own terms, and this makes Page McConnell easily relatable. Some are cryptic and intriguing, like ""If all evolves I could / Be your praying mantis"" in ""Heavy Rotation"" and ""I watched as the flamethrower turned to / My rainbow to torch up my quaint little shack"" in ""Rules I Don't Know.""
Many have a more critical edge, whether they take on materialism, politics or the media. ""Maid Marian"" contains the scathing remark ""Such a desperate way to trade your wings / For your 18 inch spinnin' rims / With neon underneath you.""
""Close to Home"" is a harsh but optimistic attack on the corrupt relationship between politicians and corporate media and is probably lyrically the best track of the album. ""Complex Wind"" is similar in its message, asking the question ""Windmill, alpaca, thermal extractor / Who's keeping track of the matter of factor?""
Page McConnell is more of a transition from Phish than a solo work, but is a wonderful whirlwind of old and new jam essence. Hopefully in his next attempt he can cut the strings holding him to the past and blaze forward into a new chapter of his musical career.
