DOOMSDAY AFTERNOON

After a bit of a buzz about Phideaux here on ProgArchives, I got The Great Leap and this album, Doomsday Afternoon. The buzz was justified, as the multi-instrumentalist has crafted some of the best art rock of the new millennium. Doomsday Afternoon continues the concept from The Great Leap that deals with a look at Big Brother-like authoritarian government.

The album has a great flow to it, with Xavier's use of orchestration and guest musicians making this a bombastic record. In fact, it is probably the most epic in his catalog, and it stands in great contrast to the more straight-forward Great Leap. The melodies are superb, and this album drips with moody textures. This album, like the last, pays some overt musical homage to Blackfield and Porcupine Tree (i.e. simple psychedelic themes that somehow sound more complex than they really are), although it's much less pronounced on this disc. There is also a modern/alternative feel that mingles nicely with the classical and classic prog sounds. There is plenty of musical prowess on display, and it's nice to see no one instrument hogging the limelight. Inventive drum fills, lush keyboards and organs, tasteful guitar, it's all here, along with some great lyrics and vocals from Xavier and his guests.

Doomsday Afternoon is another highlight for what is rapidly becoming the best year of the new millennium for progressive rock. In a year with strong releases from Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Neal Morse, Explosions in the Sky, John Zorn, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Symphony X, Porcupine Tree, and a host of other standout albums, this record more than holds its own. I can't wait for the final part of the trilogy.

Grade: B+