PLEASE DON'T TOUCH!

In some ways Steve Hackett's follow-up to his debut was even more important. It was after all the first solo record he produced after he left Genesis so he would have presumably been apprehensive about justifying his decision to leave especially as Genesis's popularity was gaining in momentum. In contrast to the debut which was a concept album with a fairly integrated style, Please Don't Touch is almost polar opposite being a wildly eclectic mix of styles including Pop,Classical,Folk,Straight-ahead Prog-of course and even a bit of R'N'B with absolutely no connecting feature or concept at all.He also decided to make the record in the USA employing the services of the likes of Steve Walsh and Phil Ehart from Kansas, Chester Thompson, African American Folky Richie Havens and a then relatively unknown R'n"B singer Randy Crawford. Of course his trusty collaborator John Hackett is present as always So what's the verdict? As well as being Steve Hackett's most wilfully eclectic and stylistically diverse albums, it is also and overwhelming success .It has everything. "Narnia" with it's striking 12 string riff and highly melodic vocal lines is a perfect opener."Carry On Up The Vicarage" manages to be quirky, silly and extremely Proggy all at the same time featuring the most bonkers vocals from Steve Hackett himself."Racing in A is a fast paced rocker with a chorus that is catchy and hell, "Kim" , obviously inspired by his then wife Kim Poor (and who provides the wonderful cover art) is an exquisite slice of Satie inspired classical guitar and flute tune."How Can I?" featuring the gravelly vocals of Richie Havens is highly melodic slice of US style folk.And that's just side 1 Side 2 opens with one of the most gorgeous R'n'B songs I have ever heard with absolutely stunning vocals by Randy Crawford.No, it is most decidedly not Prog or even Prog-related and I can imagine many Prog fans dismissing this song as a bit of throw-away fluff.Trust me-it is not.In fact how this song was not released as a single is to this day a complete mystery to me.After the brief atmospheric "Land Of A Thousand Autumns" comes what is surely the pivotal track.I will give the other members of Genesis the benefit of the doubt on the basis that I have never heard what "Please Don't Touch" sounded like when they allegedly tried it out in the studio. Maybe it was half baked at the time- who knows? But the bottom line is that they passed on that track in favour of "Wot Gorilla" on Wind And Wuthering. Wot indeed- more like WTF! The title track is just a slice of pure high energy Prog magic with it's twists and turns, it's siren like guitar figures it's relentless driving rhythm. No, Genesis rejected it in favour of a Phil Collins endorsed half baked clunker. Seriously, the title track off Please Don't Touch is all the evidence I need to conclude that leaving Genesis was indeed the correct decision. Anyway after that slice of dramatic Prog the album calms down with the experimental and earie "The Voice Of Necam" featuring more sublime nylon string playing and the elegant and literally uplifting "Icarus Ascending". Overall, while I think better was to come with his next album,I have a particular fondness for Please Don't Touch. How can I give it less than five stars?