DOOMSDAY AFTERNOON

Phideaux Xavier doesn't half-do things ! The Phideaux project is a bit like a big family, with lotsof musicians being old friends of the man, who's lucky to know so many talented people ! Yet, he has enrolled a couple of some new musicians for this new album and for the two concerts they have played this month. Actually, the list of musicians playing on this album is pretty long, and it's made longer due to the fact that we find 15 members from the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (strings, woods, brass). Those ones performed on 4 tracks, including some of the longest ones and their contribution is just excellent. The band teamed up again with keyboard player Mark Sherkus (with some more analogic keyboards). Apart from Gabriel Moffat (sound engineer and guitar player !), and they have found a new bass player, Matthew Kennedy. Then, we've got again the same four female vocalists who sing harmony vocals but also perform some duets with Xavier - or even sing solo (like Valerie Gracious whose charming voice is featured on the two versions of the moving "Crumble" for instance. And she plays piano too !). Xavier himself, in addition to the singing, he takes in charge the acoustic guitars and some piano, this instrument being featured on most songs, plus a bit of synths. Among the guests : a lead guitarist on two tracks (Joel Weinstein), Martin Orford from IQ for a nice synthesizer solo and Matthew Parmenter from Discipline, on violin (plus some vocals) on four tracks, and also two flute players (Steve Dundon, Rob Martino), a new keyboard player who'll be on stage with the band, Johnny Unicorn, plus you've got Patti Amelotte who plays dulcimer on two tracks. Finally, you've got Arjen Lucassen, who couldn't contribute musically, but who can be heard speaking during a few seconds during the last piece of the album. What is rather amazing in Phideaux's career, is that his albums are always different. Here we are with the sixth one in just about 4 years and it is easy to notice a new evolution. The die-hard progressive rock fans who are grumbling as soon as a track is less than 6-minute-long should be happy with this one. because this is just one long suite of pieces, with most tracks chained together or at least stuck one to each other, with 5 of them lasting 8, 9, 10 and even 14 minutes. The whole album is 67-minute- long and everything is like a coherent suite of songs, with some themes repeated, etc. and it is a concept-album. So, you prog rock fundamentalists, is that enough for you ?! The concept, is a kind of fable, or an "eco terror tale" , as the composer described it himself, the second part of a trilogy started with "The great leap". Musically, "Doomsday afternoon" is pretty different and, in my humble opinion, noticeably superior to this previous album. Not because it's more progressive. "The great leap" contained already quite some melody and rhythm changes in tracks that were only 5 or 6-minute-long. Of course, that one is more complex, but the main reason is that it's a very symphonic album, at the same time calmer but stronger, melody-wise. Many intimate, pastoral passages and others that are more epic, majestic, where some classical, folk and progressive tones are mixed together, plus the inevitable psychedelic touches that are Xavier's trademark. The latter signs all the music except two tracks penned with his old pal, drummer Ritch Hutchins (whose playing is outstanding here) and the orchestrations by Paul Rudolph. Many instrumental sections, sometimes pretty long ones, come between the vocal parts. and yet the whole stays remarkably accessible. Contrary to other bands where influences are too obvious, Phideaux's references are well assimilated, though we can find some slight similarities with some of Phideaux Xavier's favourite influences : Jethro Tull around the time of "A passion play" and "Thick as a brick", some 70's Italian progressive bands, Genesis, Camel, and of course, Pink Floyd. We can also add Renaissance. Though, this is original music, without a doubt. The record is divided in two "acts", 30 and 37-minute-long, each comprising 5 songs. The first act begins with "Micro softdeathstar", an eleven-minute suite that really brings you... "somewhere else", with its multiple sections, at the same time intimate, orchestral, with some eastern-like music plus some psychedelic overtones. Xavier delivers a really lovable vocal performance, helped by his friends the female singers. Here's a musician who is not the best singer in the world but his high-pitched voice is always right and sensitive, sometimes moving in the most intimate moments. "The doctrine of eternal ice part 1" is a catchy, clearly symphonic piece, with eastern and folky elements, with prominent piano, synths, electric guitar and orchestra. "Candybrain" is a more dreamy track, with an organ, electric guitar harmonies, acoustic guitar and flute, that is using a theme from the first track. A magical moment is the short but touching "crumble", in his instrumental version, with only some ethereal vocalises by Valerie Gracious, piano, organ (in the style of Tony Banks circa 70-72 !) and orchestra, a little bit of lapsteel guitar. Finally, "The doctrine of eternal ice part 2" is a bit more synthetic and psychedelic, with a long instrumental development. The second act is maybe more symphonic and even more beautiful than the first one. "Thank you for the evil" will maybe reminds to some people the quieter and dreamy parts from the underestimated Pink Floyd masterpiece "Animals". The vocal melody performed by Phideaux and his friends develops over a specific blend of futuristic synths, electric piano, acoustic and electric guitars, supported by a solid rhythm section where the bass guitar contributes to the melody. This is connected to the next piece, a purely symphonic one, with some pastoral flute and violin ("A wasteland of memories"). We're close to orchestral film music here. Let's just say that it's simply beautiful. We go on with another version of "Crumble", connected to the previous track, with that simple melody on the piano and the cristalline voice of Valerie Gracious (who truly deserves her last name !). The long and changing "Formaldehyde" is more dynamic and more typically progressive (quite a lot of rhythm changes) and finally, the huge "Microdeath softstar" comprises all of the previous elements heard in the album and brings it to a end in a majestic manner, though the real ending is intimate and soft, as the album started initially. we've come full circle - and with such a class ! By the way, did I tell you that the album's production is excellent ? The orchestra is perfectly mixed with the other instruments and each of those instruments is clearly audible, which is an exploit, considering the richness of the arrangements. "Doomsday" is from now on the most elaborated Phideaux album, maybe his most beautiful as well. And when the lyrics are also meaningful. that's the icing on the cake. So what. is it a masterpiece ? I don't use the word often at all and only the test of time confirms that kind of statement, but "Doomsday afternoon" is certainly on the right foot to deserve that term, yes. It's without a doubt the Album of the Year. Essential ! Marc Moingeon