IQ Seventh House CD

 Seventh House, Sixth Song
I’m afraid I have to be the one to break the beautiful five-star streak this album had heretofore garnered. If it were possible to award The seventh House 4½ stars (which might keep the overall score at 5 stars, depending upon how the rounding is done) I would. Unfortunately, I’ll have to go with 4 stars. There is only one reason for this rating: This album is indeed a fine outing for IQ. Peter Nicholls’ voice is strong, steady and has improved like a precious treasure with age. Personally, I am even more impressed with his lyrics. He shows himself to be a writer of enigmatic material every bit as capable as my other two favorite Peters – Gabriel and Hammill (What blissful fate would befall this world should the three of them ever combine forces?!!). My reason for not bestowing a stellar score lies not with the material delivered or even the way in which it is delivered but, rather, the sequence in which it is delivered. A minor kvetch, but I found myself irreconcilably disappointed over the fact that the album began on such a strong note and ended on such a weak one. For my money, I think The Wrong Side Of Weird was a winning start but the proceedings should have ended with the majestic Seventh House title song, rather than the introspective Guiding Light. It would have made for a grander, sweeping effect, starting high, swinging low through a complex labyrinth of emotions and images and then arcing outward once more to a poignant, panoramic climax. Failing this, the album lends a sense of imbalance. Still brilliant, but the gem is needlessly flawed.
Submitted by Barry B. (Van Nuys, CA)
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 Easy Listening Prog
This is prog rock that you can listen to on a quiet night. The vocal of Peter Nicholls and the keyboard of Martin Orford resonant in the night, blending the need for prog music and the reminicence of romantic days gone by. Peter Nicholls' singing seems to have a dreamlike romanticism lingering on past nostalgia. The guitar works of Michael Holmes rings with sustanance reminding one of Uriah Heep's album Conquest, and some of Richie Blackmore's works in the 70s and 80s. The production is brilliant as well, good for a audiophile test on a hifi system. Overall, this is the best of IQ's work in the 90s. Dark Matter and Subterranea are good, but this is better.
Submitted by randy_leehc (Singapore)
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 No Disappointment Here!
This band brings back memories of my 16-year-old self "discovering" the likes of Genesis, Yes, Crack The Sky, etc. back when anything different than "The Mighty Zep" was frowned upon by my peers. I'm now 43-years-old, and IQ is spinning in my CD player, while Genesis, Yes, and many other band's music lies dormant. IQ is a great collection of talent, both in the "technical" and the "listenable" aspects of writing, playing, recording, and producing palatable music. If you buy this disc, you won't be sorry.
Submitted by Doug (Cincinnati, OH, USA)
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