THE GREAT LEAP

This album is indicative of the early writing style for PHIDEAUX, I feel, warts and all. A preoccupation with gothic sounds and progressive music, but no solid ideas yet as to how to best mix them. There are great riffs here, great lines, great melodies, but they never seem to come together all at the same time. Don't take me wrong; these are very good songs on their own and are rather satisfactory, but it pails in comparison to what we know he can do. I think perhaps if DOOMSDAY AFTERNOON or NUMBER SEVEN had never been released, I would rate this a four-star album, but with those to show how he is able to mix these sounds, I feel that this deserves closer to a three.

However, there are elements that bring me back to four stars. There are elements here that could work on alternative rock songs, a kind of prog-lite flavor that actually helps to balance out some of the iffy segments. Take for instance the more upbeat section of the sample tune available here. In between grim, grinding gothic riffs and refrains of "All that's left behind" comes an almost jangly guitar part that feels like a more assertive and bass-heavy version of the Smiths, perhaps. The darkness in this album I feel is also a great strength. It is strident, domineering, bleak, and oppressive at times, but it feels earnest and brings, dare I say it?, cool images to mind.

It isn't perfect and it has warts all over it, but this is a good album. Four stars, but just barely.