Album: The Walkabout of A. Nexter Niode: Part 3 - On The Madness Of Crowds (2012)
Genre: Prog Rock (Psychedelic/Crossover) / Canada
Genre: Prog Rock (Psychedelic/Crossover) / Canada
Adventurous
quartet House of Not is quite ambitious. A "Progressive Rock Theatre
Alternative," the group exemplifies several trademarks of the genre,
including telling a grand story through multiple albums and with
eclectic, colorful production and writing. With their new album, The
Walkabout Part III: On the Madness of Crowds, they touch upon many
influences and styles while keeping everything cohesive, unique, and
complex. It's a very impressive release. The story as a whole is titled
"The Walkabout of A. Nexter Niode," and it's the brainchild of
keyboardist/vocalist Brian Erikson. The group released the first album
about a decade ago, and both previous released received critical
acclaim. The overarching concept behind the project is "the journey of a
wayfaring rock n' roller – known as 'Nexter'. [He] decides to 'take the
trip' when his questions about life are left unanswered by the
'Mainstream' establishment. He heads East intending to meet great men,
learn from them, and know his own destiny. En route, he offends a
powerful tyrant who will seek Nexter's destruction at nearly any cost.
The tyrant's alluring mistress, however, has her own plans for Nexter
that include seduction and revenge." As usual with concept albums, the
music is more important than the story, and House of Not certainly pack
The Walkabout Part III with plenty to enjoy. While the album is unique
enough to have its own identity, in a somewhat intangible way, it feels
similar to Pink Floyd's The Wall in overall structure. Opener "Meeting
the Piper" is an atmospheric, slow introduction that feels like a
mixture between Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" and Led Zeppelin's "In the
Light." "Running with the Crowd" is a catchy, funky prog track in the
vein of Umphrey's Mcgee. Its riffs and melodies are instantly addicting.
"Wishing Well" is a dynamic rocker highlighted by fierce flute playing
and majestic harmonies. The true masterpiece within The Walkabout Part
III is the one-two punch of "Was it As Good for You?" and "The Death of
Silk." Essentially, histrionic female vocals and the narration of a
preacher complement a musical apocalypse. Horns, screeching guitar, F-18
jets, and a kamikaze of other wonderful explosions unite and build to
an affective, intense, and remarkable crescendo as one of the central
characters dies. It's easily the best section of the album. Not all of
the songs are complex, though; in fact, the majority of tunes feature
laid back performances, mellow melodies, and a lot of sublime
production. "Man of Faith" is like a lost Queensrÿche ballad, "Une Ile
La Lune La Mer" is a brief piano piece, and "Key of G" is a bold track
featuring plenty of great performances and instrumentation. Really, it's
like House of Not's "Lucky Man." All in all, The Walkabout Part III is
refreshingly diverse, motivated, grandiose, and confident. Except for
perhaps "Ded Fred," every song on here is superb, and collectively, they
make for quite an intriguing and vast experience. Although some
influences are transparent, House of Not proves to be a distinctive
enough entity within the genre, and their scope with these albums is
certainly commendable. The wait for the next chapter will be a long one
for sure.
Review by "Jordan Blum" (www.seaoftranquility.org).
Review by "Jordan Blum" (www.seaoftranquility.org).
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