Tomorrow, Umphrey’s McGee will unleash their tenth anniversary reissue of their standout 2006 record Safety in Numbers. Still ranking as their best album to date, Safety showcased a maturing band in the midst of their songwriting prime coming off a very strong 2004 album in Anchor Drops. 

With SIN, Umphrey’s raised the bar for themselves and their audience, challenging the listener with complex compositions pieced together with some of the most emotional and provocative lyrics ever put on record from Brendan Bayliss. There are songs about death, love, loss and everything in between you can possibly experience in this lifetime. Combine that with the group’s knack for throwing in some stunt guitar and soaring solos, you have a recipe for a dangerous Umphrey’s McGee album. Guest appearances from Huey Lewis and Josh Redman don’t hurt, either. 

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of one of the finest jamband records ever made, let’s rank Safety in Numbers. 

11. “Women, Wine and Song”

Certainly not an offensive track by any means (as none such thing exists on this record), but not a ton to write home about here. A nice, straightahead blues-rocker with some help from Uncle Huey Lewis. 

10. “Ocean Billy”

On stage, “Ocean Billy” is a certified monster, as you’ll see above. On record? Eh. 

9. “Nemo”

Maybe a surprise to see this one so low on this list, but I still maintain that “Nemo” would’ve worked way better on Anchor Drops. 

8. “The Weight Around”

Points for emotion, and more points for the rare factor, but “The Weight Around” is nothing more than a really solid acoustic number that could find itself on a Ryan Adams record pretty seamlessly. It’s that good, but the cream of the crop of this record lies in the emotion tied into the complex compositions Umphrey’s was churning out during this time. 

7. “Passing”

One of the strongest lyrics on the record, Umphrey’s once again showcase their ability to just be really good songwriters. You’re not going to drool over a 20-minute “Passing” (because it doesn’t exist), but you’re not going to head to the beer line when this one hits either. 

6. “Rocker”

“Rocker” is “Weight Around” on steroids, both in the emotion category and in the musical sense. It is the quintessential Umphrey’s McGee acoustic number. 

5. “Believe the Lie”

When you get to the top-five of this record, the choices get really, really tough. To start, let’s kick it off with the album’s opener, “Believe the Lie.” A vocal challenge for Brendan Bayliss even to this day, the song is a powerful statement to kick off the record. Fortunately, they would have a few more strong showings to follow. 

4. “Intentions Clear”

“Intentions Clear” and “Believe the Lie” score points in the same categories, but “Intentions Clear” gets the edge for its lyrical content. 

3. “Liquid”

Every time you listen to “Liquid,” you discover a new quirk about the song that makes you shake your head in amazement. There are so many nooks and crannies in this song that come out on each listen.  

2. “End of the Road”

There’s immense beauty in simplicity sometimes, and “End of the Road” is a prime example of that. One of Safety in Numbers most gorgeous offerings. 

1. “Words”

One of the band’s finest songs in every sense. “Words” is not only a studio benchmark for Umphrey’s McGee but a perfect example of the successful marriage between crafting a progressive composition and still flexing your songwriting chops.