Phideaux
„Number Seven“
Progressive/Psychedelic Rock, Folk. CD, Remaster 2010 (2009)

I'll begin this album with the credits of the band that created this magnificent album. Yes, I'm a huge fan of all Phideaux albums. Unfortunately, the CDs, not to mention the vinyl versions, are very difficult to find or only available at exorbitant prices. At least I have the remastered version on CD here.

The cover depicts a parched world; on the left is a lobster and on the right a shrew, vying for dominance. The story also includes a dormouse who escapes a cult called The Great Purpose. My interpretation of this fable: it's about humans fighting for supremacy, history repeating itself, and evolution having any other purpose than to "serve" the phases of possibility (in this case, life). In reality, only Xavier Phideaux probably knows what he's come up with.

I'm usually tempted to introduce each song individually. I won't this time, though, because the album invites discovery. I also won't mention any "similar" bands or albums; you'll figure out any similarities yourself. The remastered all the songs into three suites, just as Phideaux originally intended.
“One: Dormouse Ensnared” featuring the songs “Dormouse – A Theme”, “Waiting For The Ax To Fall”,  “Hive Mind”, “The Claws Of A Crayfish” and “My Sleeping Slave”.
"Two: Dormouse Escapes" with "Darkness At Noon", "Prequiem", "Gift Of The Flame", "Interview With A Dormouse", "Thermonuclear Cheese", "The Search For Terrestrial Life" and "A Fistful Of Fortitude".
“Three: Dormouse Enlightened” with “Love Theme From Number Seven”, “Storia Senti”, “Infinite Supply” and “Dormouse – An End”.

As is typical for a concept album, everything flows seamlessly into one another, with no breaks between tracks. Phideaux's range is extensive: rock, prog, folk, pop, psychedelic, multiple vocalists, a multitude of instruments and musicians. Does it then remind you of Gentle Giant? To a degree, yes, because for all its complexity, Phideaux is more melodic, more coherent, more listener-focused, and more accessible.

Who is "Number Seven" for? First and foremost, lovers of melodic prog music. Light, intricate elements included. Fans of psychedelic, song-oriented music, folk, neo- or retro prog, and pop won't be disappointed either. Even those simply curious about music will find something to their liking. Technically, it's on par with Porcupine Tree, and musically, it's on par with them either, though Phideaux is of course different. I'd recommend checking out "The Search For Terretial Life," "Infinite Supply," and "Waiting For The Axe To Fall." Go for it.

Fiendish 2003
Ghost Story 2004
Chupacabras 2005
313 2005
The Great Leap 2006
Doomsday Afternoon 2007
Number Seven 2009
Snowtorch 2011
Infernal 2018
AutoMoto Animus 2026

The photos are all from my CD. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.

No AI was used in the making of this Review.
©24.06.2025
(reworked 02.August.2026)