Mike Gordon

With Gen. X’s answer to the Grateful Dead, Phish, spreading the reunion buzz across neo-hippieland, bassist Mike Gordon figured that now would be as good a time than any to drop another solo endeavor into the laps of his loyal fans. Much like the jam-oriented tunes Gordon and his now legendary band are known for, The Green Sparrow is a free-flowing and diverse collection of melodies and wandering musical romps that provide more good vibes than a sunny day at the park.

Playing the role of multi-instrumentalist, Gordon brings funk, bluegrass, jazz, calypso and several other styles to the table on this light-hearted affair. A slew of guests join in on the fun, including Gordon's Phish cohorts Page McConnell (piano/organ), Trey Anastasio (guitar) and Ivan Neville (organ). While this wide array of musicians and musical menageries does well to add to the overall "happy hippie" vibe of the album, it does little to address the main problem; the lack of actual songs. Though The Green Sparrow starts out song with classic Grateful Dead-esque "Another Door" and other solid cuts such as "Traveled To Far," "Pretend" and "Dig Further Down" show the markings of a skilled tunesmith, the majority of this disc does little more than wander aimlessly.

That being said, Gordon shows no shortage of skilled musicianship as he singlehandedly stacks layers upon layers of the kind of improvised sonic splendor that induces bad dancing by modern flower children at festivals across the country. Were The Green Sparrow listened to in the mid-summer's day, open-air environment; the effect would be a decidedly different one. As a studio recording, this one leaves a bit to be desired.

—Ryan Ogle
09.04.08

For his second solo album, Mike Gordon plays it a little straighter than his debut. The Green Sparrow is never as strange as moments of Inside In, favoring instead a set of easy rocking tunes that really flow nicely together. Aside from just a few full band cuts, Gordon handles most of the instruments besides drums but he executes so well you wouldn't notice unless you checked the credits. There's an easygoing vibe throughout, even towards the end where the subject matter gets slightly darker. Vocally, he sounds a bit like classic Steve Miller with a laid-back delivery and effortless melodicism that make these tunes breeze by, and of course there's plenty of tasty guitar and bass playing. Perfect for a summer day. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide