''Overstep'' is

Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...

bassist

Mike Gordon Michael Eliot Gordon (born June 3, 1965) is an American bass guitarist and vocalist most recognized as a founding member of the band Phish. In addition to bass, Gordon is an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano and guitar. He ...

’s fourth solo studio album, following ''

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The Green Sparrow ''The Green Sparrow'' is the second solo album from Phish bassist Mike Gordon, released August 5, 2008. It is his first solo album in five years (since 2003's ''Inside In''). Gordon has also released a pair of studio albums with acoustic guitari ...

'', and ''

Inside In ''Inside In'' is Mike Gordon's first solo album and was released August 26, 2003. This album was wholly produced during and after the movie, ''Outside Out'' and uses aural tracks from it. Included in the liner notes are lyrics to some tracks, art ...

''. It was released on February 25, 2014 on Megaplum/ATO Records.Leggett, Steve
''Overstep''
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AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

. Retrieved March 3, 2014.Ayers, Mike (February 24, 2014)
"Mike Gordon Talks New Solo Album and Being 'Deeply In Love' with Phish"
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Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

''. Retrieved March 3, 2014.BurnSilver, Glen (February 21, 2014)
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Relix ''Relix'', originally and occasionally later ''Dead Relix'', is a magazine that focuses on live and improvisational music. The magazine was launched in 1974 as a handmade newsletter devoted to connecting people who recorded Grateful Dead concert ...

''. Retrieved March 3, 2014."Hear Mike Gordon of Phish's New Solo Album ''Overstep'' – Premiere"
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Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', February 18, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014."Pre-Order ''Overstep'' and Listen to Premiere of "Yarmouth Road" from Mike Gordon"
phish.com, January 14, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014. During a series of writing retreats in

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

, Gordon and

Scott Murawski Scott Peter Murawski (born October 21, 1956 in Agawam, Massachusetts, United States) is an American multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the electric guitar. He has achieved fame primarily on guitar with the American rock band Max Creek. He is ...

collaborated on the songwriting for ''Overstep''. For this album, Gordon entrusted the production to

Paul Q. Kolderie Paul Q. Kolderie is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer. He has worked with Pixies, Radiohead, Orangutang, Hole, Dinosaur Jr., Juliana Hatfield, Wax, Warren Zevon, Uncle Tupelo, Throwing Muses, Morphine, the Mighty Mighty Bosstone ...

(known for his work with

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...

Uncle Tupelo Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend c ...

, and

Pixies A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas aro ...

) and enlisted new musicians, such as drummer

Matt Chamberlain Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17, 1967) is an American session musician, drummer, producer and songwriter. Biography Life and career Chamberlain was born in San Pedro, California on April 17, 1967. He began learning how to play the drums ...

(recognised for his work with

Jon Brion Jon Brion is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and composer. He performed with the Excerpts, the Bats, 'Til Tuesday and the Grays before becoming an established producer and film score composer. Brion has ...

and

Fiona Apple Fiona Apple McAfee-Maggart (born September 13, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. She has released five albums from 1996 to 2020, which have all reached the top 20 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Apple has received numerous awards an ...

). The album commences with "Ether", where distant industrial sounds gradually transition into lush guitars and harmonious vocals. Another track, "Jumping", presents a rhythmic puzzle box, encapsulating a cascade of thoughts unfolding within a fleeting 1.5 seconds.

fans may already be acquainted with "Yarmouth Road", a catchy reggae-inspired track that debuted alongside "Say Something" during the band's Summer 2013 tour. Many of the songs on ''Overstep'' possess the potential for captivating live performances, particularly two immersive grooves that can shake the foundations of a venue. "Tiny Little World" starts with a gentle contemplation of an intriguing woman in a coffee shop but quickly transforms into pulsating boogie as desire and bravado take over. The enticement to dance continues in "Face", propelled by Chamberlain's understated yet undeniable pocket. Furthermore, the songs on ''Overstep'' demonstrate Gordon's ability to develop multidimensional characters and speak directly to the essence of their experiences. While metaphors and open-ended interpretations remain prevalent, listeners may discover a deeper connection to the human portraits depicted in tracks like "Say Something" and "Paint" compared to Gordon's previous albums. Nevertheless, Gordon continues to embrace absurdity, both conceptually and musically, as he has consistently done throughout his career.

Track listing

All songs written by

and

. #"Ether" (6:18) #"Tiny Little World" (4:50) #"Jumping" (3:28) #"Yarmouth Road" (4:41) #"Say Something" (3:57) #"Face" (5:08) #"Paint" (3:34) #"Different World" (4:05) #"Peel" (5:03) #"Long Black Line" (3:33) #"Surface" (4:43)

Personnel

;Musicians *

* Robert Walter * Tom Cleary * Brett Lanier ; ;Production * Produced and engineered by

* Mastered by Fred Kevorkian * Photography & Design by Chuck Anderson (No Pattern) * Art Direction & Layout Design by Julia Mordaunt

References

External links

Mike Gordon's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Overstep Mike Gordon albums 2014 albums Albums produced by Paul Q. Kolderie ATO Records albums