Open the Door (Roger Hodgson album)

Open the Door is the fourth album by Roger Hodgson, released in May 2000 by Epic Records and his third and most recent studio one (and his first studio release since 1987).

Open the Door
Studio album by
Roger Hodgson
ReleasedMay 9, 2000
Recorded1998-2000
StudioRecorded at:
– Studio Arpege, Les Sorinieres, France,
– Eglise Notre Dame de Bon-Port, Nantes, France
– Unicorn Studios, Nevada City, California
– Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic (strings)
Mixed at:
– Mulinetti Studios, Recco, Italy
Mastered at:
– Studio Dyam, Paris, France
GenreProgressive rock[1]
Length52:43
LabelRoger Hodgson Music
ProducerAlan Simon, Roger Hodgson
Roger Hodgson chronology
Rites of Passage
(1997)		 Open the Door
(2000)		 Classics Live
(2010)
Singles from Open the Door
  1. "Open The Door / Hungry / Danielle"
  2. "Hungry b/w Showdown"
  3. "Danielle (Limited Collector's Edition)"

Overview

Open the Door was recorded mostly in France and features mostly French musicians, many who have played on Excalibur (La Légende Des Celtes) also produced by Simon featuring contributions from Hodgson, as his backup band. This is Hodgson's only solo album to be partially recorded outside the United States.

Once again collaborating with Hodgson, former Yes guitarist and vocalist Trevor Rabin contributed electric guitar, keyboards and background vocals on "The More I Look". The song "Showdown" was performed live by Hodgson already in 1996 and a live version was released on his latest album Rites Of Passage.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

Allmusic gave the album a positive review, calling it "the closest thing to Supertramp since ...Famous Last Words..." and praising the songwriting, particularly the unusual incorporation of French influences.[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Roger Hodgson, except where noted.

  1. "Along Came Mary" 6:24
  2. "The More I Look" 4:47
  3. "Showdown" 5:12
  4. "Hungry" 4:54
  5. "The Garden" 2:40
  6. "Death and a Zoo" 7:24
  7. "Love is a Thousand Times" 3:56
  8. "Say Goodbye" 3:59
  9. "Open the Door" 8:44
  10. "For Every Man" (Roger Hodgson, Alan Simon) 4:43

Bonus track
  1. "Danielle" – 3:15

Album chart
  • France: # 30
  • Switzerland: # 33
  • Germany: # 74

Personnel
  • Roger Hodgson: vocals, guitars (tracks 3, 4, 6, 10), 12 string guitar (tracks 1, 2, 7), bass guitar (track 8), keyboards (tracks 1-4, 6, 9), piano (track 6), harmonium (track 5), pipe organ (tracks 8, 9), harpsichord (track 8) church organ (track 11)
  • Trevor Rabin: electric guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (track 2)
  • Claude Samard: banjo, (track 3) Dobro slide guitar (tracks 3, 4), bouzouki (tracks 6, 7), pedal steel guitar (track 7), oud (track 9)
  • Manuel Delgado: Spanish guitar (track 9), palmas (track 9)
  • Dan Ar Braz: arpeggio guitar (track 10)
  • Laurent Vernerey: bass guitar (tracks 1-5, 7, 9, 10)
  • Alan Thomson: bass guitar (track 6)
  • Arnaud Dunoyer: Hammond organ (tracks 1, 7, 9, 10)
  • Olivier Rousseau: piano (tracks 2, 3)
  • Alan Simon: high whistle (tracks 1, 6), bodhran (track 6), harmonica (track 9)
  • Loïc Ponthieu: drums (tracks 1-5, 7, 9, 10)), wavedrum (track 9)
  • Denis Banarrosh: percussion (tracks 1, 3-7, 9, 10)
  • Gerry Conway: percussion (tracks 1, 6), drums (track 8)
  • Jeff Phillips: drums (track 6)
  • Jean Pierre Meneghin: Scottish drums (track 1)
  • Gurvan Houdayer: Scottish drums (track 1)
  • Christophe Negre: saxophone (1, 4, 10)
  • Michel Gaucher: flute (track 9)
  • Zdenek Rys: oboe (track 6)
  • Bruno Le Rouzic: bagpipe (track 1)
  • Pascal Martin: uilleann pipe (tracks 1, 6)
  • Jean Louis Roques: accordion (tracks 1, 7, 10)
  • Marco Canepa: Morse code (tracks 1, 10)
  • Jean-Jacques Milteau: harmonica (track 3)
  • Dominique Regef: rebec (track 5, 11), Hurdy Gurdy (track 6)
  • Didier Lockwood: violin (tracks 3, 6, 8, 9)
  • Pavel Belohlavek: cello (track 6)
  • Ilana Russell (Alana Cunningham): children's choir
  • Sierrah Dietz: children's chorus (track 10)
  • Justine Black: children's chorus (track 10)
  • Molly Katwman: children's chorus (track 10)
  • Nikki Matheson: backing vocals (track 11)
  • The Symphonic Orchestra of Prague: conducted by Mario Klemens (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 8-10)
  • The Bulgarian Voices "Philippopolis": conducted by Hristo Arabadjiev (tracks 8, 9)
  • Samples from: speech by Queen Elizabeth II (track 1), Rev. Jesse Jackson (track 3), Ronald Reagan (track 3), Sevik the wolf (track 6)
gollark: Ah, never mind, they're cancelled, it says.
gollark: Hmm, so the news says in some places GCSEs are cancelled, but the only actual quote I can find suggests they might just be postponed.
gollark: World health organisation.
gollark: Doesn't help that people are used to medical stuff being banned by *default*.
gollark: I'm inclined to believe it might be both.

References
  1. Allmusic
  2. Open the Door at AllMusic
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