Band : Phideaux          

Title album : The Great Leap

Record label : Bloodfish

Distribution :

Release date : 2007

Review : CD

Musically this project (altogether 10 musicians were involved) offers us a mix of progressive and rock, according to the http://www.myspace.com/phideaux, influenced by the greats of the seventies and sixties, such as Alice Cooper,   Roxy Music, King Crimson, The Beatles and Genesis and therefore allegedly also appealing to fans of bands such as Hypnos 69, Ayreon, Porcupine Tree, Marillion or Riverside which I definitely can agree with after listening to the album several times. Several different instruments (violins, theremin, minimoog, clavinet, sitar, french   horn, trumpet,…) and female vocal choir effects are used to form a musical tapestry of warm colors which wash together in a convincing fashion. The level of musicianship is high here and these guys and dolls can really compose beautiful melodies and create the right atmosphere. The songs are so mature and detailed that they reveal new shades and details with every repeated listen, but neither overtaxes the listener with breaks nor scare away the progster by too straight song structures. I have a really hard time pointing out single songs as they are very compact and on an equal level. Now here's an alternative to those who like prog rock, but sometimes feel like that the songs of certain bands are just too long for their own good, and fail to get to the point fast enough. All the tracks on The Great Leap are of normal length, and while they contain fantastic playing, time changes and groovy arrangements, they also contain real hooks and melodic choruses. Main composers Xavier Phideaux and drummer   Rich Hutchins recruited Gabriel Moffat, Arlan Shierbaum, Hiker Frostbelt, Probyn Gregory, Scott Brannon, Linda Ruttan, Jo Pusateri, Ariel Farber, Valerie Gracious, Molly Ruttan and Stefanie Fife to accompany them on several cuts, Songs like “Wake up”, "Rainboy”, “Long and lonely way” and “Tannisroot” are the records prominent groove centered tracks while “The waiting”, the darky-aired “Abducted” as well as the dreamy “I was thinking”   tend to be the more moody tracks on the record.

If you're into prog, then you must give this album a chance and more by adding it to your collection. There's not one bad song, fine musicianship, beautiful melodies, appropriate riffing, nice drumwork... Really worth it..

92/100

Cosmicmasseur.