Steve Hackett
Wolflight
InsideOut Music
2015
It’s quite impossible for me to “judge” a guitarist as influential as Steve Hackett, one of the earliest rock guitarists to embrace and demonstrate sweep picking, the guitarist associated with Genesis most classic era in the 70s and a solo artist with more than 20 solo releases… firstly the guy’s technique is not even put on question, it’s mostly trying to decide if the songwriting is compatible with ones tastes, I suppose...
I will admit that I do not own all of Hackett’s back catalogue (some twenty four albums?), but I’ve been exposed to most of it and even own a few of his solo albums, but I’m not best qualified to judge the album in comparison to the composer’s own back catalogue, at least not in its entirety. I can however attest that for what would largely be considered a prog, album “Wolflight” is quite an accomplishment, as it feels very effortless and free, to draw inspiration from a multitude of musical genres and cultures and doesn’t concern itself with earthy matters, but allows the songs to simply “happen”, to develop and to reach their full potential, whether that happens in a couple or ten minutes. There is a multitude of exotic instruments that augment the ones that one would expect to find in a “rock” album and there are some beautiful orchestrations, which Hackett seems to be using in quite a unique way in his compositions and then there are the man’s own, very refined and eclectic performances… that quite speak for themselves.
The epic instrumental opener, “Out of the Body” acts like an overture that helps the listener to enter another realm, out of this world, it’s quite theatrical and has strong element of classical forms running through it. The title tune, combines some almost pastoral Floyd inspire folk, with some quite dark sounding leads and various other sections and is quite simply put, magnificent.
“Love Song for a Vampire” is probably the longest song on the album, a sorrowful and poignant number, grey and bittersweet as you imagine, with a couple of impressive solos and the occasional symphonic flair up, that adds even more character to it...
“The Wheel’s Turning” has the feel of a sideshow attraction during its introduction, but lightens up then for a couple of minutes, before a manic series of solos in the middle section turn it into something quite frantic and even somewhat threatening… then via symphonic interlude, things seem to lighten things up again...
“Corycian Fire” comes from a trip Steve and his wife, who is extremely fascinated with Greek mythology among other things, to the actual Corycian cave, in mount Parnassus, overseeing Delfi, where allegedly Dionysus, would be resurrected every year by the Meneads… initially there’s a duduk and a harp in the intro that make it sound almost as haunting as the place is and then a rather simple motif and Hackett’s quiet singing, in a more peaceful section, the middle is progressively becoming more spooky and over that Hackett unleashes all his instrumental prowess and fury, before the track take a turn towards a way more epic conclusion with a choir chanting in Greek, in what can almost be described as an act of catharsis. To be honest, it’s a great tune, but it think it could have come out a bit “more epic” and cataclysmic.
“Earthshine” is a soft and acoustic three and a half minute offering, that sounds just great and segues nicely into the rather pleasant “Loving Sea” another quite folk inspired and carefree song that really brightens things up considerably after the rather primal and dark “Corycian Fire”...
“Black Thunder” has this southern “feel” and it concerns itself with the deep south, slavery etc… somewhat odd, but Hackett manages to reshape his craft and expertly apply it in a new way that’s both still recognizable as his, but also fitting to the subject, obviously he uses more effect and even something that sounds like a harmonica, but could very well be synthesized…
“Dust and Dreams” is another nice instrumental with a somewhat eastern feel...
“Heart Song” is a simple and yet heartfelt, love song, a dedication…
“Pneuma” (spirit, in Greek) is yet another short instrumental, a particularly minimalist and rather simply one, but probably far from “easy” one...
Last but not least “Midnight Sun” is a surprisingly modern sounding number, with probably someone guesting on the vocals that I cannot recognize.
At any rate, with almost all of the songs being quite different, but all of the quite excellent in their own right and threaded together by Steve’s unique talent and stellar performances that make his sound quite unmistaken able, “Wolflight” is one of the best albums of his that I had the pleasure of indulging in and will most probably appeal to everyone from the avid fan of Genesis to the prog snub or the ordinary Joe, which is quite the accomplishment...
I will admit that I do not own all of Hackett’s back catalogue (some twenty four albums?), but I’ve been exposed to most of it and even own a few of his solo albums, but I’m not best qualified to judge the album in comparison to the composer’s own back catalogue, at least not in its entirety. I can however attest that for what would largely be considered a prog, album “Wolflight” is quite an accomplishment, as it feels very effortless and free, to draw inspiration from a multitude of musical genres and cultures and doesn’t concern itself with earthy matters, but allows the songs to simply “happen”, to develop and to reach their full potential, whether that happens in a couple or ten minutes. There is a multitude of exotic instruments that augment the ones that one would expect to find in a “rock” album and there are some beautiful orchestrations, which Hackett seems to be using in quite a unique way in his compositions and then there are the man’s own, very refined and eclectic performances… that quite speak for themselves.
The epic instrumental opener, “Out of the Body” acts like an overture that helps the listener to enter another realm, out of this world, it’s quite theatrical and has strong element of classical forms running through it. The title tune, combines some almost pastoral Floyd inspire folk, with some quite dark sounding leads and various other sections and is quite simply put, magnificent.
“Love Song for a Vampire” is probably the longest song on the album, a sorrowful and poignant number, grey and bittersweet as you imagine, with a couple of impressive solos and the occasional symphonic flair up, that adds even more character to it...
“The Wheel’s Turning” has the feel of a sideshow attraction during its introduction, but lightens up then for a couple of minutes, before a manic series of solos in the middle section turn it into something quite frantic and even somewhat threatening… then via symphonic interlude, things seem to lighten things up again...
“Corycian Fire” comes from a trip Steve and his wife, who is extremely fascinated with Greek mythology among other things, to the actual Corycian cave, in mount Parnassus, overseeing Delfi, where allegedly Dionysus, would be resurrected every year by the Meneads… initially there’s a duduk and a harp in the intro that make it sound almost as haunting as the place is and then a rather simple motif and Hackett’s quiet singing, in a more peaceful section, the middle is progressively becoming more spooky and over that Hackett unleashes all his instrumental prowess and fury, before the track take a turn towards a way more epic conclusion with a choir chanting in Greek, in what can almost be described as an act of catharsis. To be honest, it’s a great tune, but it think it could have come out a bit “more epic” and cataclysmic.
“Earthshine” is a soft and acoustic three and a half minute offering, that sounds just great and segues nicely into the rather pleasant “Loving Sea” another quite folk inspired and carefree song that really brightens things up considerably after the rather primal and dark “Corycian Fire”...
“Black Thunder” has this southern “feel” and it concerns itself with the deep south, slavery etc… somewhat odd, but Hackett manages to reshape his craft and expertly apply it in a new way that’s both still recognizable as his, but also fitting to the subject, obviously he uses more effect and even something that sounds like a harmonica, but could very well be synthesized…
“Dust and Dreams” is another nice instrumental with a somewhat eastern feel...
“Heart Song” is a simple and yet heartfelt, love song, a dedication…
“Pneuma” (spirit, in Greek) is yet another short instrumental, a particularly minimalist and rather simply one, but probably far from “easy” one...
Last but not least “Midnight Sun” is a surprisingly modern sounding number, with probably someone guesting on the vocals that I cannot recognize.
At any rate, with almost all of the songs being quite different, but all of the quite excellent in their own right and threaded together by Steve’s unique talent and stellar performances that make his sound quite unmistaken able, “Wolflight” is one of the best albums of his that I had the pleasure of indulging in and will most probably appeal to everyone from the avid fan of Genesis to the prog snub or the ordinary Joe, which is quite the accomplishment...