TO WATCH THE STORMS

Steve Hackett

Eclectic Prog

3.78 | 433 ratings

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Tony R
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

This is a lovingly crafted, beautifully executed meisterwerk from one of Prog Rocks true giants.

As eclectic an album as he has ever produced and when I look back at Hackett's solo output this is probably at least on a par with anything he has ever released. I'm driven to declare that his solo output far exceeds anything Genesis have released since he left them.This is a heady mixture of Symphonic Prog and Art Rock,that only Rush have probably ever bettered.

Which leads me to the best track "Mechanical Bride". This track throws everything in bar the kitchen sink,hard rockin', tasteful jazz noodling and the ragged guitar/synth interplay that seems to echo the worst traits of of our beloveds...nag,nag nag!! Quite ingenious in its inception although reminiscent of the modern live version of La Villa Strangiato by Rush.Not a bad thing of course-one masterpiece referencing another

"Silk Road" is breathtaking too.The way it combines Eastern mystery with modern rock music is very uplifting and I particularly enjoy the Andalusian Percussion........

"Circus of Becoming" with its wonderful organ melody,"The Devil Is An Englishman" with its eccentric humour,"Frozen Statues" with its Jazz Club atmosphere and the happy,meandering"Serpentine Song" all utterly brilliant.I struggle to find anything that is average on this album.Maybe "Come Away" is weaker than some of the others and " The Moon Under Water" is the kind of "nice" acoustic track that Steve can write in his sleep.

I cannot praise this album too highly and in terms of consistency it is probably Hackett's best.

4 3/4 very shiny stars!

Tony R | 4/5 | 2005-9-30

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