AAJ Review: Steve Hackett, Wolflight (extended edition)

[jkelman]

My review of Steve Hackett's Wolflight (extended edition), today at All About Jazz.

After spending the better part of three years recording, releasing and touring Genesis Revisted 2 (Inside Out, 2012), and not one but two resultant live documents--Genesis Revisited-Live at Hammersmith (Inside Out, 2013) and Genesis Revisited-Live at the Royal Albert Hall (Inside Out, 2014)--it's frankly remarkable that ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett actually found the time to record a new solo album. But with the sweepingly ambitious Wolflight, it's even more so; an album that seamlessly marries a plethora of world music concerns with irrepressible progressive rock tendencies, classical influences and even a bit of bluesy grit, it's his most expansive album to date...and certainly one of his best as well, since he left Genesis in 1977 after commencing a solo career in fine style with Voyage of the Acolyte (Chrysalis, 1975).

One thing that his Genesis Revisited and subsequent Genesis Extended tours made clear (the latter adding a year of additional touring as a result of the unexpected massive success of the 2013 tour--undeniably Hackett's most successful tour ever) was that, while Hackett emerged in the early '70s with a distinctive sound and style, he's become a far, far better guitarist in the ensuing years. That would seem like a statement of the obvious, but one look at a number of legacy groups on the road today, and it becomes clear that not all musicians move forward; many find their zone and, if it's successful, stick with it.

Not Hackett. Aside from becoming a far more facile electric guitarist who, nevertheless, has not lost the signatures that have distinguished him from his peers, he's also evolved into an impressive classical guitarist, as the opening a cappella playing on "Love Song to a Vampire" renders crystal clear. And if he's never been considered a great singer, he's learned to work more successfully with the limitations of his voice, as his delivery on the same song suggests. He's still not a great singer...but compared to earlier attempts, he's a far better one.

Continue reading here...

[N_Singh]

Excellent review. Really digging my blu ray. A diverse record that doesn't sound pastiche

[2steves]

Enjoying the new album a lot---took a few listens---of his last 3 solo albums---it still seems the third in a trio of similar albums but this one may be the best.