What does it sound like?:
This is a live album from Steve Hackett’s gigs last year touring Genesis songs with a band, orchestra and choir. I went to one of the London shows and lost all the hearing in my right ear a day later which I don’t blame Steve for but the pass pedals generated frequencies which made your entire skeleton rattle so it may have been a contributing factor. Seriously though, it’s pretty epic sounding. A big band playing big prog numbers with a full orchestra and choir is not really going to sound small, lets face it.
The album opens with “Dancing on a volcano” from “Trick of the tail” with Steve’s signature guitar loud and proud centre stage. He was always an interesting player, focussing on melody and texture and various other guitar tricks to add variety (he was a very early adopter of the now ubiquitous tapping you hear all over metal albums). For the Genesis songs the band sensibly replicate the Genesis parts wherever they are key to the arrangement and the orchestra adds heft and drama aplenty. For Steve’s own material they stretch out more and extend the studio versions making full use of the opportunities offered by the orchestra. “The Steppes” from “Hackett” is magnificent with its eastern modes and changes of pace and dynamics. In truth I couldn’t hear the orchestra that well at the gig but it’s well mixed here without being cluttered. “Firth of Fifth” starts with a replica of the Tony Banks piano (could it not?) before the whole ensemble comes in – this is always a epic moment but here it’s ginormous. People have criticised Nad Sylvan’s vocals but I think he does a fine job here. the little flute breakdown before it goes full on proggy is played on an oboe with strings and is quite lovely and of course Steve’s signature guitar solo is a monster. The album wraps with “Supper’s Ready” and “A Musical Box” and we go home happy.
What does it all *mean*?
How many times have we written this? Against all the odds prog, well, let’s correctly call it progressive music still has an audience. You could argue trotting out 12 minute songs which were written 40 years ago is hardly progressive, but in truth they still stand well apart from the mainstream and that’s fine with me. Orchestra, on ice…bring it on. There are other options if it’s not for you.
Goes well with…
May depend to a degree on the the company you’re keeping, though Mrs. T can cope with a bit of Genesis in small doses. I like this stuff when I have half a mind on something else – driving…ironing…housework. I mean, you can’t dance to it anyway.
Release Date:
25th October 2019
Might suit people who like…
What do you think? Genesis, great epic sounding rock music.
thecheshirecat says
Must admit, when I saw the show, I felt there were missed opportunities in using the orchestra to full effect. At the moments when I expected strings to sweep majestically ’cause the music asked for it, the band just did the same at full volume. It was as if the strings were just a supplement rather than a complement.
But I can well imagine that a well mixed album could give a different experience. Would you say the orchestra comes to the fore in this recording?
Twang says
Yes it’s much more balanced than the gig and adds more.
SteveT says
Cant believe you do the ironing @Twang.
Thought you had a significant other.
I will get my coat.
Feedback_File says
Intrigued that you’ve given this a positive review @Twang as we both agreed at the time that the sound balance didn’t really work and I personally found it far inferior to when I saw Hackett doing this stuff sans orchestra about 5 yrs ago. If available on streaming services I will give it a whirl.
Twang says
It’s much better on the album than it was live, even though it was visually very cool. I’ve said before I’m not a huge fan of strings but this is better than the syrupy glop you get ladled on some tracks.
Askwith says
Just watched some of it on YouTube.
I think Nad Sylvan does a fine job of recreating Peter Gabriel’s vocals
dai says
Was Nick “Kajagoogoo” on bass?
Twang says
Nope. Seen him with Steven Wilson though several times.
dai says
I see. He was with Hackett when I saw him a couple of years ago,.
Twang says
Yes I know he did but not this time.
Martin Hairnet says
Watched this last night, and thought the song sounded as good as it has ever sounded. Steve Hackett will be 70 next year. Still carrying the torch.
Twang says
Fantastic.
nickduvet says
Oh yes Martin, that is good. Might have to invest in this. I have fond memories of seeing The Musical Box playing Selling England in its entirety at the Albert Hall about 15 years ago. Hackett came on for the encore and they played Firth of Fifth a second time.
Twang says
I’m going to see them in January. Really looking forward to it.
Martin Hairnet says
I haven’t followed Hackett’s solo career that much, and I was mildly dismissive of his Genesis Revisited stuff, without really giving it a chance. A bit of snobbery on my part.
What strikes me watching this video is the incredible attention to detail, and the obvious effort that has gone into not just replicating the original, but maybe even improving it. It’s heartwarming that Hackett and the musicians he’s gathered around him still care so passionately about this stuff, and it’s reflected in the quality of the music.
Compare and contrast with the Genesis reunion tour of 2007. If you watch the behind the scenes documentary on the When In Rome concert DVD, filmed on that tour, it is striking how half-arsed Phil, Mike and Tony first appear when they reconvene to rehearse and sketch out a plan for the tour. Songs that are too complicated to play seem to be instantly ditched. Minds and memories of lyrics and chord sequences seem fuzzy and befuddled. There appears to be a lack of commitment, and a lack of belief in themselves and their work. I saw them at the Hollywood Bowl on that tour, and I thought they were great (although rain stopped play – in friggin’ LA! – for The Carpet Crawlers encore). But from the stage, Phil seemed embarrassed about the older stuff from the Gabriel/Hackett era, and I found it disheartening to witness. He’s been at the heart of some of the best prog rock of the 70s, but he doesn’t want to own it? Maybe he doesn’t feel fulfilled as a drummer.
Strange how these things turn out.
Tiggerlion says
I enjoyed that.
My favourite Genesis is Live. Their music comes alive when played in a concert hall, especially when combined with their theatrics. In the studio, the songs a bit dry to my ears. Selling England is their best recorded album but, judging by that performance and Twang’s review, maybe that, too, is best live.
Martin Hairnet says
I think this version reveals the song’s variety of musical textures like no other. It’s spellbinding.
duco01 says
Thanks for posting that, Mr Hairnet. A quite excellent version.
Is Hackett playing exactly the same guitar as in this classic footage from Shepperton Studios in 1973. I think he may be.
By the way, the Shepperton film now sounds so much better than the first time I watched it. What a live band they were! Collins’s drumming is really muscular – something that was maybe a bit less apparent on the studio recordings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Ckh9oxhZ8
Twang says
No, back then it was a Gibson Les Paul. Now it’s a custom made copy of one with various modifications.
Twang says
I went with a mate who had a friend in the orchestra who reported that Steve is a truly lovely bloke, a kind word for everyone, and it really is all about the music. In these cynical times people can sneer at that but I like it.
Cozzer says
Just listened to the album on Spotify. Very enjoyable and the orchestra is a welcome addition. My only complaint, and it’s been a bug bear with me for about 10 years now: why oh why would you let Gary O’Toole (drummer .. now departed) butcher such a beautiful, delicate song as Blood On The Rooftops.? He bellows his way through it as if channeling Weller in his Town Called Malice pomp. He could have had Nad or his Sister in Law deliver this evocative piece of melancholia. But no, let’s have Gazza the pub singer wring every ounce of pathos out of it. Harrumph 😤