Recorded in 1992 and released in 1993, Rift is Phish’s fourth studio album, a concept album masterpiece that tells a singular story throughout its 15 songs. Produced by Barry Beckett at White Crow Studios in Vermont, this album was distributed through Elektra Records, achieved gold-record status in 1997, and is considered by many fans as the gold standard for Phish albums.
As Trey describes on the Rift promotional video, Rift is focused around a person who “is experiencing a rift in a relationship.” The album’s protagonist “is consciously thinking of his situation, and there is a segue and he starts to drift off to sleep. Through the night he goes through different cycles of sleep.”
Those cycles are reflected in the songs and the expansive range of emotions the protagonist feels. At one point he is seemingly looking back at the relationship fondly (“The Wedge”); at another point there is a more foreboding view toward the future (“Mound”). There are moments of nightmarish fear (“Maze”), and even feelings of deep sadness and anger (“Horn”).
Ultimately, the album ends with “Silent in the Morning” and leaves the listener wondering if this restless night of subconscious pondering has led to the demise or the salvation of the relationship.
The beauty of Tom Marshall’s lyrics is that they are ambiguous enough to be left open to interpretation. This allows the listener to personalize each song’s meaning.
There is more to Rift beyond the 15 connected songs of this dream. The album cover itself is iconic. Created by longtime Phish artistic collaborator David Welker, this album cover contains images that encapsulate 14 of the 15 tracks. Missing from the cover is a reference to “The Horse,” which interestingly enough was the focal image on Phish’s 1994 follow up album, Hoist.
Outside the cohesive nature of the album’s story, Rift is a perfect sample of classic Phish songs with which any fan should be well-versed. Songs like “Maze,” “My Friend My Friend,” and “It’s Ice” have been 20-plus-year staples of Phish’s live repertoire.
If you want to learn more, there is a highly entertaining promotional video that Elektra released about Rift floating around the Internet. It is a great snapshot of Phish’s blossoming infancy, or maybe more accurately, their toddlerhood. Rift came about at a pivotal time, and having a mini documentary with fans and the band gives us all an opportunity to step back in time for a moment to experience early-’90s Phish.