Audience go off-piste on eclectic third album The House On The Hill
Audience's 1971 album "The House On The Hill" demonstrates the band's distinctive approach to progressive rock, blending soul, R&B and innovative arrangements. Though the band enjoyed college gigs in the early 1970s, their originality and willingness to "distort things a little bit and go in off-beat directions" (as singer Howard Werth put it) never quite translated into significant record sales, yet the album shows why their unconventional sound deserves recognition.
Produced by Gus Dudgeon, tracks like "Jackdaw" open with Werth's soulful vocals and acoustic guitar complemented by Keith Gemmell's inventive horn arrangements, whilst "You're Not Smiling" offers a more accessible 1970s singalong with blazing horns and hyperactive bass. The album's eclecticism extends to the pastoral "Raviolé", featuring Werth's intricate guitar picking with Eastern influences and string arrangements by Robert Kirby, the arranger famous for his work with Nick Drake.
- 1971 album showcases Audience's eclectic blend of soul, R&B and progressive rock
- College favourites who never broke through to major record sales
- Features soulful vocals, inventive horns and Eastern-influenced guitar work
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Audience were a British progressive rock band of the early 1970s who blended rock with soul and R&B influences in unconventional ways. "The House On The Hill" was their third album, released in 1971, and represents their most ambitious exploration of this eclectic approach.
Fronted by singer Howard Werth, the band developed a loyal following through college performances. Their distinctive sound—featuring inventive horn arrangements by Keith Gemmell and complex instrumentation—remained a largely underground phenomenon rather than achieving mainstream commercial success.
The album demonstrates the band's musical ambition and exploration of diverse styles. Produced by Gus Dudgeon, it ranges from soulful pieces like "Jackdaw" with Eastern influences to more accessible songs like "You're Not Smiling", featuring string arrangements by Robert Kirby, an arranger known for his work with folk artist Nick Drake.