House Of Not - The Walkabout Of A. Nexter Niode - Part 1 Off The Path

Year of Release: 2003
Label: Freakstreet Productions
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:33:00

House Of Not's The Walkabout Of A. Nexter Niode - Part 1 Off The Path draws a lot from Pink Floyd, mostly centered on Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wall atmospheres and textures (with maybe a hint or two of Wish You Were Here). There is a very relaxed nature to the music, even as we get moments of fervent guitar solos. Nothing is hurried, which gives this a very spacey feel, very open and languid. Even the smoldering "A Mile In Those Shoes" seems at ease, even when the embers flare up.

The Walkabout? is a concept album -- as part of a planned 5-part epic. As the website describes, "a serial rock odyssey that chronicles the journey of a wayfaring rock 'n' roller - known as 'Nexter'[, who] 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 [Silk], however, has her own plans for Nexter [...]"

On a walkabout, a person takes a long walk to find oneself. The term is associated with Australia's aboriginals, though every culture certainly has a similar concept. This Australian association is certainly why we hear the didgeridoo in the first track, "Force Of Nature." This instrumental mixes this earthy element with the spacey Dark Side Of The Moon-era atmospheres -- hints of "Great Gig Of The Sky," for example, but also a sort of lazy, bluesy atmosphere. They follow this up with a Wall-like "Mainstream" (a mix of "Hey You" and "One Of My Turns") - a subtle, understated piece, sparse in away, yet intense. Vocalist Brian Erickson has a roughened voice that at times sounds like Roger Waters, but also doesn't. The most Floyd-like element is how things flow naturally to an epic guitar solo, here Lou Roppoli; like we turn a corner and there it is. (And it is a very good thing indeed.)

Because many of the tracks are short scenes (most are four minutes or less), let's take a quick jog through some of the album's parts: "Footnotes" is sultry, jazzy, in a Steely Dan kind of way, excepting an aggressively bluesy guitar and organ duet solo (screaming at times and surely fiery); "Off The Path," another instrumental, is an amorphous, somewhat ethereal interlude, swirling about like a thick fog with attendant Indian/middle-eastern flavors including bits of flute floating by and gentle percussion. There's the brief solo acoustic guitar piece "Taj Mahal Daydream" that seems eerily familiar and yet the reference remains elusive (and I don't think it's just that I've been listening to this too much). "Sad Silk" is moody, which is saying something here, since there are mellow parts all over this album, but this is the darkest of the dark. Smoldering described "A Mile?," it's equally apt, and more so, in regards to "Freakstreet," which recalls the earlier "Mainstream" (even down the similar phrases of the title phrase), if only a little dirtier, rougher, bluesier?.; in this same vein, we'll also get "Blood From A Stone," which smolders at warmer temperature, is "torchier" in feel, still with guitar soloing all about the place. "High In The Himalayas" is a brief acoustic guitar piece, breathy keyboards creating a mystical haze that evokes the sound of air rushing by at extreme altitudes. "Sanctuary," which closes the album, is folksy; it's a vocal and guitar piece where Erickson's voice dips down deep to contrast to the lighter, gentler guitar tones and the subtle organ and percussion. It is a quieter cousin to "Mainstream," "Freakstreet" and "High In The Himalayas."

The oddball amongst them is the strutting, vaudevillian, honky-tonk "Ol' Phat Fok," which puts piano at the forefront rather than guitar, accompanied by trombone and drums (which give the piece its strut). The lyrics detail a comedic - and not so comedic - encounter that is spoken-sung -- DPRP compares the style to Tom Waits. And yes, if you think that sounds like "ol fat fuck," you've got the pronunciation correct.

One of the longer tracks is "Stranger," which moves away from the Floyd-like textures and moves more towards bluesy, more modern progressive rock sound. Actually, I thought of Steve Hogarth, especially in the vocals; not so much with Marillion, but solo. Yes, the music is still very much guitar-centric, and like other pieces here, is sultry, seductive ? slithering along like a sly snake. Though, lyrically, he's seeing himself and not seeing himself? oh, very philosophical...

However, none of this would work if it weren't also very well done. It is Floyd-like, very much so, but moves beyond that simple description to become something that is its own thing. "Ol' Phat Fuk" aside, you are taken on a musical journey that is at once intimate and epic. The highlights are the arrangements themselves and for sure that guitar of Roppoli -- fabulous; I'm listing to the soloing in "Blood?" as I write this and am already thinking Roppoli needs to join the pantheon of guitar heroes. This get high marks that could edge higher as time goes by.

There's a multimedia component at their website, including audio clips with visuals, Nexter's notes, and more.

Tracklisting:
Force Of Nature (4:05) / Mainstream (5:23) / Footnotes (2:52) / Off The Path (2:23) / Taj Mahal Daydream (1:38) / Sad Silk (2:03) / A Mile In Those Shoes (2:01) / Sacred Cow (0:43) / Ol' Phat Fuk (4:24) / Freakstreet (4:35) / Stranger (6:04) / High In The Himalayas (1:48) / Blood From The A Stone (8:46) / Sanctuary (3:33)

Musicians:
Brian Erikson - vocals, pipes and bells
Lou Roppoli - guitars
A. Nexter - words and music*

Ken O'Gorman - mandolin, bass (9, 13), backing guitars (2, 11, 13)
Mark Camilleri - keys and synth (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 14)
John Maharaj - bass (1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 14)
Adam Warner - drums
John Johnstone - drums (13)
Brian Collins - bass (3, 11)
David Borg - didgeridoo
Shana Kinsala - trombone
Michelle Minke - backing vocals (1, 5, 13)
Natalie Rogerson - backing vocals (1, 5, 13)
Peter Thompson - backing vocals (5)
Jim Toris - backing guitar (1, 2)
Darren Poirier - guitar (intro 2)

*The Walkabout and Nexter's Notes Written By: Brian Erickson

Discography:
The Walkabout Of A. Nexter Niode - Part 1 Off The Path (2003)
The Walkabout - Part 2 Sexus (2005)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin CA

Added: August 30th 2007
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.houseofnot.com
Hits: 3124
Language: english