Photo: Ty Helbach

The Infamous Stringdusters have returned with the third installment of their ever-expanding cover album series, Undercover, Vol 3. This collection of five songs borrowed from the Grateful Dead, Phish, Avicii, and others is reimagined as bluegrass numbers, using their signature delivery in syncopated rhythm. As a preview of the set, due on Nov. 13, 2024, the band dropped the initial single off the LP, their take on the Phish favorite, “Possum.” Listen below. 

According to the band’s official press release, “Possum” was selected for Undercover, Vol 3. inclusion by banjo player/vocalist Chris Pandolfi to honor the Vermont foursome and their dominating influence in the jam and improvisational sphere. Despite its twist into the bluegrass realm, Andy Falco’s distinguishable strum on the guitar makes for an obvious connection to the original, allowing fans of Phish to consume “Possum” in a different genre setting. 

“We chose Phish’s ‘Possum’ because we love the song and we love the band. They’ve been a huge influence on me and are one of the bands that got me excited about music in the first place. They’ve been an influence on our whole jam & roots scene and pioneered a sound,” explained Pandolfi. He continued to add context to their choice cover, offering, “While it has an obvious bluegrass sound, part of the reason it stuck for us was because we wanted to figure out our own arrangement and do our own thing with it—the jam section is the Stringdusters’ take on Phish and when it came time for our next ‘Undercover,’ this was an obvious choice.”  

In addition to the band’s take on Phish, Undercover, Vol 3 pulls together other borrowed tunes, such as the Grateful Dead’s In the Dark late-80s commercial favorite, “Touch of Grey,”  Avicii’s 2013 True originator, “​Wake Me Up,” Steve Miller Band’s seminal “Fly Like an Eagle.” Also featured is an interpretation of ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” and more, which serve the band’s ability to transfer selected songs into the bluegrass realm. 

Listen to Infamous Stringdusters take on Phish’s “Possum” below. 

TRACKLIST:

  1. Touch of Grey
  2. Wake Me Up
  3. Fly Like An Eagle
  4. Sharp Dressed Man
  5. As It Was
  6. Possum