The String Cheese Incident – Outside Inside – 11 song CD (SCI Fidelity Records)
Recorded and Mixed by Dave McNair; Produced by Steve Berlin
Over the past six years, Colorado’s String Cheese Incident has built a wildly dedicated fan base while emerging as heir apparent to the Dead and Phish as king of the jam-bands. On this, their fifth release on their own record label, they display the distinct parts, nifty transitions, and positive vibe at the heart of their appeal while marking a new beginning by using an outside producer for the first time. Steve Berlin (whose worked with the Tragically Hip and been a member of Los Lobos since 83) helped the fellows make this effort crisp and clean with ringing keyboard fills and textured combinations of electric and acoustic guitars. It’s not always super compelling but there’s nothing not to like about an inclusive, adventurous, happy-go-lucky group like this one. -Eric Holland