New Phish Album In The Works Reveals Producer Vance Powell

Will 2024 be the year Phish releases their 15th studio album and first since 2020’s Sigma Oasis? It’s certainly a possibility as the band will soon start work on a new record according to an interview with producer and longtime Phish collaborator Vance Powell.

“I’m about to co-produce Phish’s record,” Powell told journalist Hannah Means-Shannon of Americana Highways for an article published earlier this week. The seven-time Grammy winner co-produced Sigma Oasis with Phish and spent time on the road with the group this year mixing audio for LivePhish releases. Vance Powell’s other credits include work with The White Stripes, Chris Stapleton, Tinariwen, The Revivalists, Willie Nelson, Sturgill Simpson and many more artists from a diverse range of genres.

Phish debuted 10 original songs over the course of their summer tour. Most have not been released on the band or side project albums and were initially unveiled during the Trey Anastasio Trio run in June that saw Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio and drummer Jon Fishman team up with TAB bassist Dezron Douglas. “Oblivion,” “Ether Edge,” “The Well,” “Pillow Jets,” “Monsters” and “Broken Into Pieces” are prime candidates to appear on the next Phish album.

Vance Powell worked with Phish on Sigma Oasis at Anastasio’s The Barn facility in Vermont. While Powell didn’t confirm The Barn is where the band’s next album will be recorded, he did mention upcoming work in Vermont when asked about working at locations other than his Sputnik Sound facility in Nashville.

“I’m about to fly to Vermont to record in Vermont,” Powell noted in the Americana Highways interview. “I’ve been there before and I know what they have, so I ended up shipping almost $100,000 worth of gear to the studio. Gear and microphones get moved, and microphones get expensive quick. This studio business becomes your capital and retirement.”

Phish returns to the stage next Thursday, December 28 to kick off a four-night New Year's Run at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The four-night stand will conclude with a three-set New Year’s Eve concert on December 31. Livestreams of all four shows are available for pre-order via LivePhish.com.

[Hat Tip – @PhishatMSG]