PHIDEAUX

By consequence it doesn't excel in originality but it is written and executed very well. All songs are pleasant, though I could live without Little Monster. Hight points are Vultures and Mosquitos, the space rock of Soundblast and Phideaux's take on Collapse The Light named Space Brother. 3.5 stars.

What makes it difficult to work backwards, is that I now know that Chupacabras was something of a turning point. Ghost Story has the makings of what will make Phideaux so phenomenal on those aforementioned follow up albums, but it hasn't gelled yet. The compositions are much shorter and overall the rock is a little more on the straight forward side. Phideaux, was by no means a run of the mill "generock" band. All the songs are still story tellers and there really are some great tracks on this album. It isn't all there yet.

What I miss most from those later works (that sentence is a bit of a mind job), is female lead vocals and the gratuitous use of piano. I have put down my reviews for Chupacabras and TADRDACB and in both cases highlighted those features as standouts.

Now that I have established my feelings regarding expectations for the album, let's see what it's made of. Everynight is the best song from the first half. It has the feel of Party and the better aspects of Ruffian on the Stairs from its successor. Great vocals, fuzzy guitars. Feel the Radiation is of a similar feel as well, but it is probably the most conventional track. On a later effort I could see the band tying these two together.

The Curse of Miracles is also very straight forward. It almost has a touch of U2 to it. Not something you hear very often on this site. The Kiteman is alright. If one song captures the condition of the album, this would be it. Close but not quite. Wily Crilley, is a bit of an odd one. It is probably the point where the album starts to make a swing towards more interesting sounds, but still doesn't blow me away.

Out of the gate comes the darker and moody (Is that piano I hear!?) track number 6: Beyond the Shadow of Doubt. This is both the longest and strongest track on Ghost Story. This is a short but excellent Phideaux epic. Nice vocal modification too. This is ALMOST the band that made Chupacabras. Ghostforest isn't bad. It feels a little more like the earlier tracks and sort of isn't appropriate sandwiched between two excellent tracts. As you may have guessed, Universally is another great piece. Great acoustic guitar. Just solidifies this little idea that I've got that Phideaux is a fan of Jethro Tull. This one came from the same band that will bring you Titan and Fortress an album later. The same can be said for Come Out Tonight, another mellow track with some strange sounds starting to creep in. This is the final track and the last of the three show stoppers.

In closing it is a solid album. Good, but not essential. Has one heck of a captivating cover. If you are interested in a more conventional sound or are an explorer of Phideaux's sound, don't hesitate to pick this one up. For the discerning progger who wants to get in on this Phideaux character we've all heard so much about lately, you can pass this one over and get started with Chupacabras.

Three times out of five I like this one.

Number 7, the seventh album by Phideaux? You don't say. A quick gripe here, if there is one naming trend that is played out it's just numbering your albums and not naming them. They can't all have the succinct memory engraining elegance of "Thick as a Brick" or "Dark Side of the Moon." Even something like "The Atomic Dormouse's Rocky Day at Crawfish Beach" would have been acceptable. In fact, I'll call it that from now on. TADRDACB for short (Pron. Tad-Rad-A-Cab).

Moving on, TADRDACB is a wonderful album. It must tell a story somewhere in there. I'm just not really certain what it is. There is a shrew, evolution, a crayfish, nuclear war, cheese, the universe at large and all other manners of goings on. So it's a concept album, the concept is just a little obtuse. This means to really get the full experience out TADRDACB you have to listen to it in one go. Do so and you shall be rewarded with a moody atmospheric ride through err? whatever's going on. As with everything Phideaux and his pals do the vocals and keyboards steal the show from the rest of the still more than competent accompaniment. Awesome lyrics spaced throughout this sucker. Odious Spore of Doom indeed!

Where does this album go above and beyond? Why should you run out and get it? Let's fire it off with Waiting for the Axe to Fall. Love at first earshot, this track introduces the musical themes and the heavy feel of the album. It transitions well into the good but not quite as great Hive Mind that together dominate the early phase of the album. Also good are the soft spoken Darkness at Noon and Prequiem.

There is an honourable mention here for the combination of Interview with a Dormouse and Thermonuclear Cheese. Yeah, what the heck eh? But you'll never ever hear a deep choral rendition of the line "Therrrmo-NOOclear Cheese" ever again. After that comes some of that ever loved towering synths I read so much about in the papers.

The next time after Waiting for the Axe to fall that I felt my eardrums really snap to attention is the oddly mesmerizing intro to The Search for Terrestrial Life. Following the intro's eccentricities it comes back to some more familiar sound-scapes, but remains superb. The following sequence is the strongest part of the album and it comes to captivating finally in Infinite Supply. This one is chilling, emotional and explosive, five out of five no questions asked here.

All in all, we have a very worthwhile collection of interwoven tracks. It isn't consistent in its excellence; however nothing ranks worse than good. Four out of five of my personalities agree TADRDACB is a keeper.

"Dormouse- A Theme" Acoustic guitar provides a delicate and clear melodic introduction.

"Waiting for the Axe to Fall" Dark piano and synthesizer parade through the music of the first proper song. While a bit dull at times, the sinister melodies are quite pleasing and do a fine job cementing themselves into the hearer's mind. The instrumental sections possess much of the same existence.

"Hive Mind" Rolling piano chords form the basis of the next part. Decent melodies notwithstanding, this track, even at four minutes in length, seems like three different pieces strung together with questionable transitions.

"The Claws of a Crayfish" A more intense movement, this features soaring feminine vocals and lovely strings.

"My Sleeping Slave" Further dreary piano and synthesizer ensue. This is one where I don't particularly care for the vocals. Organ, synthesizer, and acoustic guitar add extra melodies.

"Darkness at Noon" Here is a terse acoustic guitar and vocal piece.

"Prequiem" More acoustic guitar, organ, and decent vocals are present here, but a solid lead guitar is added, freshening an album that was becoming in need of freshening.

"Gift of the Flame" I am rather fond of this piece- it exhibits almost everything great about this album in one convenient package. It has a great acoustic guitar theme, complimented with electric, and semi-intense orchestration throughout. The addition of a saxophone, warbling tones, and a delightful bass groove remind me very much of Pink Floyd's "Any Colour You Like," even introducing the album's first truly heavy passage. Lead guitar jumps in and out between vocal lines, and it has a solid heavy passage that gives way to a dimming mood led by lovely vocals.

"Interview with a Dormouse" Following an ominous composition, the acoustic theme returns, this time with one of the "cheesiest" lyrics ever- but those lyrics are quite foreboding in their own whimsical way.

"Thermonuclear Cheese" Organ (and a bizarre choir) begin this piece. A thick synthesizer lead carries the melody.

"The Search for Terrestrial Life" Another favorite of mine from the album, this song begins gently enough with some narration, and possesses perhaps the most memorable melody of the album. With remarkable harmonies, the male and female vocals weave in and out in a spectacular way. Phideaux Xavier's vocals have a gritty Peter Gabriel quality without coming across as imitative- another plus.

"A Fistful of Fortitude" Gorgeous acoustic guitar and violin give way to sudden vocalizations and drumming. The main melody from the previous track returns.

"Love Theme from "Number Seven" Gentle piano and feminine vocals move this longest work into something slightly heavier. Again, the transitions are mite weak, but the electric piano and synthesizer solos compensate. Electric guitar adds another needed dimension, but I do not at all care for the shrieking that comes in toward the end.

"Storia Senti" Continuing from the previous piece, this has a lead vocal in Italian, as well as some enjoyable violin. An upbeat melody returns, this time with vocal accompaniment. Violin, arpeggiated synthesizer, piano, and electric and acoustic guitar close things wonderfully, at least until that awful vocal shrieking returns.

"Infinite Supply" I believe this to be the laziest vocal melody on the album; the chord progression isn't interesting, but a great melody can take a boring chord progression and make it fabulous. I like the individual parts, especially the occasional bass flourishes, but this is just incredibly monotonous.

"Dormouse - An End" This is an even fuller version of the opening theme and interlude.

The layout of the album kind of reminds me of 2112. A long suite followed by several shorter tracks. Also like 2112, the suite totally steals the show. The track Chupacabras is flowing and dark. The instrumentation is superbe. I particularly enjoy the piano which runs through its course and the points where acoustic guitar takes the lead. The vocals on the Chupacabras, and for Phideaux in general are top notch too. The female singing is spacey and soft and the male is harsher and slightly plaintive. It's a unique sound. For the record I sort of consider Okay to be just another part of the epic. It feels like a good launching point for album.

Other than Chupacabras, the instrumental Fortress of Sand and Titan stand out for me. They are both textural pieces. They are sombre especially when place beside the grandeur of Chupacabras.

The Party is much pop-ier (relatively) than the rest of the album. It's kind of quirky and fun, but not really why I get into this album. The multi-part Ruffian on the Stairs is not my cup of tea sadly. It clashes with Fortress of Sand and Titan which book end it and just isn't up to standard that the rest of the album sets. Its abrasive enough to keep me from giving Chupacabras the five stars which the suite richly deserves.

Don't be deterred by Ruffian though, it's only ten minutes of an otherwise spectacular fifty or so minutes. I highly recommend this album. (As if that means anything to anyone but me. Hah!)

The album begins with the mysterious "Dormouse" theme, giving way to the beautifully ominous "Waiting for the Axe to Fall", which features characteristic blends of synth, vocals, and guitar effects. These features are utilized throughout the album, its recurring themes and melodies weaving a lush and emotive tapestry of sound. The vocals are great, with the female lead almost stealing the show. Phideaux's guitar playing is usually understated, so don't expect anything especially rousing or heavy-- mood and melody are the name of the game here. There are peaks and valleys within the dynamics, but things stick to subtlety more often than not (even though the album is about war).

The overall feeling is generally forboding, but never oppressively so. Phideaux doesn't seem to take himself as seriously as some other symphonic/prog stars, and "Number Seven" reflects that. Although dark, this release has a sort of bouyancy which keeps its tone and pace moving quite along, and it never gets preachy with its lyrics.

Very, very good, and probably a 5 star release if not for its close similarities to its slightly more striking predecessor, which has a greater depth of emotion. Still, "Number Seven" is a lock for album of the year on many listener's lists, thanks to its iconically progressive sound and genuine excellence. The blend of styles and quality of songwriting is poised to place Phideaux as the prog-rock artist to watch.

Songwriting: 4 Instrumental Performances: 4 Lyrics/Vocals: 4 Style/Emotion/Replay: 4

As is normal for me, I spent my first bit of time looking at the packaging, enjoying the many images of dormouse fighting crayfish within the liner notes. It also piqued my curiosity - why are they fighting? What is this album about? Either way, I knew I was going to have a lot of fun following the lyrics as I listened to this album.

Since the first time I listened to it, I have been unable to stop (similar to how Moon Safari's Blomljud effected me). While not as good as Blomljud overall, this album is definitely up there, and currently my favorite release so far this year (although I have a fair amount of listening to do still).

The CD is split into three sections. The name of each section gives hints as to what the album is about.

Dormouse Ensnared starts off with a very nice sounding guitar bit, and leads into four songs that are hard to separate from one another. They are replete with catchy vocals, melodic instrumentation, and excellent drumming. And there are female vocals! I think that, with so many prog bands (almost all actually) having only male vocalists, this album having female vocals gives it a unique texture. In total, there are three female singers on this album, and multiple male vocalists, giving the vocals a very varied feel. I really do appreciate bands like this, that take care to give their vocals a lot of feel.

The four continuous tracks are quite wonderful; the second half of Waiting for the Axe to Fall is an excellent instrumental section with truly interesting drumming that leads beautifully into the piano intro of Hive Mind (which I find impossible to separate from the next song, Claws of a Crayfish; not just because I originally heard them both together, but because they actually share musical themes). The lyrics are also interesting; my favorite line from this section is "You and I were talking, as if we were alive." Such a nice, thoughtful lyric.

The second part of the album also contains a group of songs that flow together like a single song, but prior to that it has a couple songs that stand out as individual songs a bit more. These are short and pleasant, but it is with Gift of the Flame that this section really kicks off. Once again, Phideaux is combining interesting lyrics, great music, vocals, and interesting drumming to really build a nice atmosphere of music. This leads into the faery-tale-esque "Interview with a Dormouse", a simple acoustic part with a theme that will be repeated at the closing of the album to great effect.

Of course, next is Thermonuclear Cheese, perhaps one of the most interestingly titled tracks on the album. It was also available for download on the website (with The Search for Terrestrial Life and Fistful of Fortitude in the same mp3). It's pretty much a fun little instrumental bit that leads into what I feel to be a really atmospheric song (The Search for Terrestrial Life), where a female singer explains the Cambrian era. It always brings me straight into the depths of the ocean, watching all these hundreds of thousands of life forms blinking in and out of existence. Truly magical music.

The end of the album features the two longest individual songs: Love Theme From "Number Seven", an excellent instrumental piece, and Storia Senti, which is also mostly instrumental. While Storia Senti is not as interesting musically as the prior instrumental sections, it is still an excellent piece of music.

Infinite Supply probably gets my vote for weakest track on the album, although on this album that still makes it a good listen. Dormouse - An End reprises the theme from Interview with a Dormouse, although it is a bit more bleak in outlook. Definitely a solid way to end the album.

I think this band has take the best of symphonic rock and release it with a very modern rock sound and apeal that can drag many actual fans to dive into the 70's symphonic bands. For start I can say I prefer their concept than the 70's bands because of the quality sound, the great sounds of the keyboards and the great mix of these amount of instruments... the voices are very modern and the overall concept -in music- is very enjoyable and catchy...

Guess the story is little kind of strange -the lyrics I mean- and maybe are not their focus, but works very well with the moods and textures of the tracks... it's a concept album and you can really dive in and feel great in this fresh and melodic journey... I feel like I was listening to Alux Nahual first records but with an improvement on the sound mix... I won't go in the track by track review... just give it a try to the complete piece and you will get it... this is kind of the best symphonic rock -not metal at all- that I've heard...

Also, if you like this, you can search for Alux Nahual, their first two albums were just like this, just with less quality sound (from early 80's)... so, very good choice if you enjoy the clean sound of symphonic prog rock... 4 strong stars... without a doubt...

The title track is undeniably the star of the show, being a memorable display of stylish songwriting. While most of Phideaux's compositions are comparatively simple, they are undeniably beautiful, with sweeping dynamics and sounds, and "Chupacabras" is a perfect example. Melodies are powerful, yet retain an understated feel due to their simple elegance; instead, the biggest impression one will have is with the overall piece, with its many layers of synth, vocals, laid-back guitar, and efffects creating a very enjoyable listen. The mix of vocal performances is perfect, and the song's vocals educe a fun mixture of silly and poignancy. A textbook example of first-rate symphonic rock.

The supporting songs are almost as good, with the deceptively silly "Party" standing out to me due to its camp and breadth of sound. "Fortress of Sands" is an excellently dreamy instrumental, but the Ruffian Suite (consisting of three mid-length songs) is somewhat crass and uninteresting musically. Luckily, the closer "Titan" leaves the listener very satisfied, ending the album on a beautifully melodic, classy display of modern prog-rock.

Highly recommended!

Songwriting: 4 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: 4 Style/Emotion/Replay: 4

"Micro Softdeathstar" The album begins in a similar manner as a Pink Floyd record just prior to Roger Waters's departure, with soft vocals and piano followed by heavier, more powerful music. Then that heart-wrenching violin enters, coupled with the exquisite feminine vocals. The strings' flourishes and the grand gestures by the band throughout this piece are stately and welcome, providing the piece with ornamental grandeur all the way through, even as a splendid synthesizer lead enters, perhaps sounding a bit like "And You and I" from Yes.

"The Doctrine of Eternal Ice (Part One)" I was floored the first time I heard this piece, which boasts thudding chords with bass and piano before blasting into a sinister synthesizer lead. The orchestration is phenomenal.

"Candybrain" An ominous theme consumes the beginning of this piece, as acoustic guitar, organ, and flute add a variety of textures. The vocals are outstanding here, but not nearly as much as the breathtaking, almost Celtic, arrangement.

"Crumble" Gorgeous piano and gentle voices make up the next moment of brilliance.

"The Doctrine of Eternal Ice (Part Two)" Melancholic electric piano and soft singing, laced with a bit of synthesizer make up this second part, as recognizable musical themes return. The feminine vocals are lovely as ever, and things soon pick up during the second half with clavichord and synthesizer taking the lead.

"Thank You For The Evil" A heavy drum, low bass, and silky acoustic guitar begins this lengthy and menacingly-titled song. Once more, I hear elements of Pink Floyd here, particularly in the vocals, the melody, and the bleak overtones of the instrumentation. Comparatively speaking, this is the dullest track, which is really to say that the rest of the album is just more wonderful.

"A Wasteland Of Memories" Flowing directly from the orchestration of the previous piece, this transitory song has a magnificent opening, followed by some theatric vocals.

"Crumble" It isn't unusual that two tracks share the same name; this piece is a ghostly revisiting of what came before, except there are lyrics here that follow that elegant melody.

"Formaldehyde" This was the first Phideaux song I'd ever heard, and it immediately piqued my interest for a dozen reasons. That introduction really suited my taste, with perfect instrumentation, from the acoustic guitar to the breathy flute, from the synthesizer flourishes to the steady rim shots. Then the violin entered and made me close my eyes to take it all in. The vocals never disappoint, either, moving between soaring passages and more subdued sections. The organ and synthesizer solos are the final ingredients to this delightful recipe. The way the song ends, with those quirky vocals, makes it so that I cannot help but think of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

"Microdeath Softstar" An empty beginning starts the final and most extended song. Delicate vocals and a bright, distant organ perform themes from before until finally the drums and fuller instrumentation enter. The strings are striking, and the vocals are biting. Overall, this is an excellent ending (once again reminiscent of the album I've already mentioned twice), full of returning motifs and magnificent music.