Scott's Song by Song: #77 - Phideaux - Automoto Animus
Welcome to issue #77 of Scott’s Song By Song (#scottssongbysong).For more information about this series, click here:
I am returning to the Song-by-Song platform after a little break, with the latest album by Phideaux Xavier. The upstate New York progger has been recording and releasing music since 1992, with his first “proper” album coming in 1993 with “Feindish”. This is the first album of all new material since 2018’s “Infernal”. I have heard and liked a number of his previous songs, but this will be my first listen to his upcoming album “AutoMoto Animus” which is due to be released on July 6, 2026. Phideaux is influenced by Jethro Tull, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Van Der Graaf Generator, and early Genesis (among many others). This album comes courtesy of Anne-Claire Rallo of Bad Dog Promotions, but as always, I receive no additional compensation, and I call it like I hear it.
While Phideaux plays many instruments and sings on the album, he has several special guests:
Line-up / Musicians
- Phideaux Xavier / piano, keyboards, bass, acoustic and electric guitar, vocals
With:
- Joe Berardi / drums
- Dustin Boyer / guitar, synthesizers, claps
- Ariel Farber / violin, viola, vocals
- Roger Howarth / vocals
- Amanda Lynne / flute
- Vince Meghrouni / flute, piccolo, saxophone
- Rich Mouser / guitar, keyboards, percussion
- Charlie Paxson / drums, talking drum, tabla, percussion, tambourine
- Fernando Perdomo / guitar
- Savannah Pope / vocals
- Kira Roessler / bass
- Paul Roessler / drum programming, percussion, treatments, fancy piano, organ
- Molly Ruttan / drums, vocals
- Mark Sherkus / organ, mellotron
- Naomi Adele Smith / keyboards, vocals
- Johnny Unicorn / bass, vocals, whistle
- Marcus Watkins / guitar, baritone guitar
- Angus Weir / trumpets
- Kaitlin Wolfberg / strings
- Nathan York / bass
- Juliet Mills / vocals
- Marianne Muellerleile / vocals
- Geoff Ball / vocals
Let’s check it out!
Track 1 - Do What You Will (4:46)
This begins with a bit of a capella “aahs” before going into an almost “new wave” beat with sinister vocals that pan from side-to side. This is an introduction lyrically to what is to come. It seems to be a bit of a dystopian tale to come. I like the line “Welcome to reality, I hope you stay”. There is a nice instrumental break before the second, very dramatic verse. The production on this is warm and rich, and the layers of sound are clean and distinguishable. In a perfect world, this song would get a lot of attention and be very popular as I believe its appeal goes way beyond that of the prog-fan niche. Fantastic track!
Track 2 - Hey Humanity (4:13)
The vocals and instruments begin simultaneously with an accent on the word “Hey”. This one is slightly slower in tempo than the opener. It has a slightly Beatle-esque feel to it. At around 1:30, the vibe changes with the harmonised guitar solo. My goodness, the orchestration on this track is terrific! I also get a bit of ELO at their best from this track. This song is very melodic and engaging with lovely instrumental bits accentuating his vocals. I LOVE the guitar solo that happens near the end of the song! It is not a shredding or highly technical solo, but it works perfectly for the song. Another great track!
Track 3 - Driving to Destruction (4:42)
A driving piano rhythm with bass and drum accents and guitar on top starts this one off. Once again, I get ELO vibes. I love the sustained vocal note around 1:30. There are so many little pieces of ear candy in this arrangement! The harmony vocals are exquisite! The album’s title features prominently in this one. Once again, the way the track “sounds” is very impressive. There seems to be a lot of attention to detail given to the production. Terrific song!
Track 4 - Stay With Me (3:14)
This is the album’s shortest track. A synth note starts us out here. This one is a bit slower; something of a ballad, but not too slow. When the rhythm section kicks in it brings the song to a higher gear. The song builds in intensity. I feel the VDGG influence on this, but far more accessible to many listeners than Peter Hammill and company are known for. As has been the case, the production is amazing. I keep saying this, but want to be clear, these are strong songs to begin with, and the production is the icing on the cake. Killer track!
Track 5 - Charlie Knew (4:05)
This one begins with a big introduction before scaling back to piano and vocals with instrumental accents between the phrases. This is another beautifully arranged and orchestrated piece. I believe there is some saxophone on the choruses. If this album came out in the 70s or 80s it would be massive! Yet while the basic song structures would have fit in during that era, the production would be considered futuristic. Just one great track after another!
Track 6 - Siren in the Storm (4:00)
This one has a strumming acoustic guitar accompanying the vocals. There are some other touches adding color as well. Phideaux is spinning a wonderful tale here about exactly what the title says. A wonderful female voice sings wordless vocals a la PF’s “The Great Gig in the Sky” for the part of the Siren. The guitar solo has a swirling effect, perhaps a Uni-Vibe pedal. Another truly wonderful song.
Track 7 - Enigmatic Terminus (3:58)
After a synth tone, it sounds like a string quartet. Then when the band kicks in, the music takes a turn for the spooky. There are some interesting chord progressions here. The main lyric theme is “Driving to Distruction”. Every song on this album, thus far, has really drawn me in. I feel like I have entered a world all of its own.
Track 8 - Legend of Mary Jo (14:14)
While all of the preceding tracks have been in the 3-5 minute range, this closing epic clocks in at over 14. Let's see where this journey takes us. The opening line “My name is Mary Jo” is already intriguing, as it is being sung by a male! We are in 6-8 here. Phideaux demonstrates some falsetto notes here. Mary Jo is prophesying about events in 2062 when we hit the second verse. The meter has been alternating between 4-4 and 6-8. There is a nice guitar solo around 2:30. There are some odd-meter shifts happening in this instrumental break. Wordless female vocals join the soundscape. I’m not sure who Amy is, but she leads the battalion. At 5 minutes there is a double time section with honky-tonk piano, joined by harmonized guitars. There are some cool, Chicago-like horn parts interspersed. There are many dynamic and mood changes as this song progresses. There is a sax solo as we cross the 9 minute mark. Things slow down and get mysterious around 9:40. There are overlapping spoken words after 10 minutes. Then BANG at 10:22, there is a very Yes-like bass and drum explosion, leading to the most overtly prog part of the album. There is a lot going on here, in the best possible way! The Chris Squire style bass part is simply stunning! At around 12:30, the opening line returns, but in a very different setting. This track is more than just a song, it is an experience! Incredible, instant classic epic, unlike anything I have heard before.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
WOW! This album simply must be heard by anyone who appreciates artistically presented well-produced and well-written songs. I really need to go back and dig into Phideaux’s back catalog much deeper if this album is indicative of his style. I was leaning toward a 4.5 rating, until Legend of Mary Jo took it into the next level. 4.75 stars or 95%. The race for best prog album of 2026 just got even more difficult to decide!
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Prog On!
Scott
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LINKS FOR LISTENING/Buying:
As this is a pre-release review, there is not much out there other than the Teaser video below:
The album can be pre-ordered at one of the following links:
Or
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