House on the Hill

Audience | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Plate Caroline
• ASIN: B000000HZN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,966 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The House On The Mott, February 28, 2002

By 

Kim Fletcher (Pattaya, Chonburi Thailand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House on the Hill (Audio CD)

"The House On The Hill" was probably Audience's most celebrated album and was their first collaboration with the very famous and trendy Gus Dudgeon (who came to fame with his work with Elton John) as producer which proved to be a meeting of complementary minds and humour lasting through the next Audience album and Howard Werth's solo career.

Audience was a band whose appeal is as fresh today as it was when they were influencing the hippest scene of the early seventies. They were described variously at the time as a "Progressive", "Underground" or "Art Rock" outfit, although their uniqueness actually defined any pigeonholing, but their influence was wide spread.

Audience was formed in early 1969 from the remnants of a psychedelic/soul band known as "The Lloyd Alexander Blues Band". Their original concept was based around Howard Werth's strong powerful voice and unique electric nylon strung guitar, plus the blaring echoing sax and flute of Keith Gemmell. Together with the underpinning heart beat of Trevor Williams' stomping bass and Tony Connor's inventive drum work (his live drum solos had to be seen to be believed).

The initial musical spark was built around a mixture of highly incongruous styles, including medieval folk, bossa nova, soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz.

It worked well, but soon developed into something of its own whilst getting louder and more suited to the larger venues at which they were increasingly being asked to play alongside such acts as Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and many more.

By the time of "House On The Hill" (1971) Audience were at the peak of their creative style. Opening song "Jackdaw" is a truly powerful track with Werth's vocal complemented by Zappaesque Fuzz bass and clarinet from Gemmell.

A lot of people have likened the moody spine tingler "I Had A Dream" to Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heavens Door". However, when you realize that it was written and recorded quite some time before Dylan's classic, it becomes quite apparent how far Audience's influence spread.

Though Audience disbanded before they could consolidate the huge success they so richly deserved, their name and reputation has lived on through those initiates around the planet who were fortunate enough to see them live or listened to their original vinyl releases before they were finally on C.D.

Howard Werth's voice pairs well with Keith Gemmell's ubiquitous gruff sax. Much of their overall strategy was later to find success in some of the music of Roxy Music and David Bowie.

"House On The Hill" is one of the early seventies golden moments. Listen and enjoy.
Mott The Dog

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Album To Kick Off The Seventies, November 7, 2001

By 

David Atwood "zappa_appreciative" (Houston) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House on the Hill (Audio CD)

In 1971, I was ten and my big brother brought home a couple of new records; Sabbath's "Master Of Reality," Jethro Tull's "Benefit" and "Aqualung," King Crimson's "Court Of The Crimson King" and Audience's "House On The Hill." At that time, we didn't have a television and I used to stay up all night listening to the song "House On The Hill." This was a creepy song with equally creepy lyrics and a haunting sax solo. This was the source of many nightmares and my interest in music (along with "The Yes Album"). This was (and is) a great album to lie in bed at night with the lights out and just absorb. Great album, great melodies, great arrangements, great musicians and great memories!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A curio that belongs on anybody's Top Ten All-Time List, May 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: House on the Hill (Audio CD)

Between 1969 and 1972, the four members of Audience recorded five albums with varying ranges of brilliance and creativity. "House" is their best, and a sure proof of the difference a great producer can make. Gus Dudgeon produced three of Audience's LPs before leaving to craft Elton John's best works, including "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". For those totally unfamiliar with Audience, try listening to "Love Lies Bleeding/Funeral For A Friend" and imagine a full album of that sort of thing.

Led by Dudgeon, singer/guitarist Howard Werth and Keith Gemmel on sax and flute, Audience reached a level of innovation on "House on the Hill" that sublimely characterized that magical era of music production in the late 60s and early 70s, a period perhaps unmatched for creativity by any other in history.

Many bands of the time drew heavily on jazz, classical, old Renaissance era themes and structures (Rick Wakeman, Yes, Traffic) to create great music, but nobody topped Audience's achievment with "House on the Hill". I don't think anybody has since, either.

The album is built around the songwriting of Werth and bassist Trevor Williams, with a brilliant collboration between Werth and Gemmel on a paragon of gritty love story called "You're Not Smiling". Perhaps my personal favorite, though, is the only non-original on the album; their rendition of "I Put A Spell On You" still generates goosebumps and an inner churning that's hard to nail down, nearly 30 years later. The title cut, "Indian Summer", I Had A Dream", "Raviole" and "Jackdaw" are all the kind of songs that would justify the cost of a CD all by themselves. Put them on one album and you have a classic.

Oddly, these brilliant musicians broke up for good before making any kind of mass-market imprint, and never played together again. In fact, they played very little individually, showing up occasionally on relatively obscure British albums, never really making a mark.

Dudgeon went on to be a producing superstar. In the mid-70s he produced an album called "Howard Werth and the Moonbeams", which I have not heard. Someday I will find it; until then I will just hold out hope that it comes even halfway to reaching the benchmark the ensemble set with "House on the Hill".