NUMBER SEVEN

Phideaux

Crossover Prog

4.03 | 596 ratings

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EatThatPhonebook
Prog Reviewer

Maybe not as good as the masterpiece "Doomsday Afternoon", Phideaux's "Number Seven" is still one of the best albums of 2009, an excellent album of the Crossover Prog subgenre.

Phideaux, before this release, was working on a trilogy, which was formed by the two albums "the Great Leap" and "Doomsday Afternoon", and the album that will follow this one. So, in a way, this was a parenthesis, an original and unique concept album that differs from all the other albums of the band thematically speaking.

"Number Seven" is very similar to "Doomsday Afternoon" musically; haunting melodies, romantic atmospheres,folk, Italian prog, as well as some symphonic, chamber music, especially in the brief interludes ,and jazz. The album is formally divided in three parts: "Dormouse Insnared", "Dormouse Escapes", and "Dormouse Enlightened". This structure reminds of the classical operas, not only musically but also theatrically speaking ( think of Aeschylus' "Prometheus", divided in three parts).

Like each part implies, the concept of the album is of the adventures and misadventures of a dormouse, as well as Crayfishes, Thermonuclear cheese, pollution, ecology, and bleak post industrial landscapes, all of these narrated by a light violin, fragile vocals, aggressive keyboards, and nostalgic guitars.

If put to comparison, I must say that I enjoyed equally all three parts, since all of them have beautiful moments, as well as avoidable ones. The best moments are, in my opinion, "Hive Mind", "The Claws Of a Crayfish", "The Gift Of The Flame", "The Search For Terrestrial Life", "Love Theme from Number Seven", and "Storia Senti", one of the bands best songs ever.

In conclusion, a great and memorable album, very enjoyable and heartwarming, haunting and breathtaking. 4 stars seems like the perfect rating, for me.

EatThatPhonebook | 3/5 | 2010-10-24

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