Hackett, Steve - To Watch The Storms

Year of Release: 2003
Label: InsideOut
Catalog Number: IOMA 2058-2/SPV 085-65732
Format: CD
Total Time: 58:28:00

Steve Hackett is the consummate guitarist, as he seems to move through many styles with ease. Yet, he has never been viewed as the rock ?guitar hero? although he possesses the tools to be one. To Watch The Storms is another testament to Steve?s diverse musical talents.

Hackett is using the same musicians he had on the road last year (Roger King - keyboards, Rob Townsend - brass, woodwinds, Terry Gregory - bass, Gary O?Toole - drums), and this band really impressed me at NEARFest. Also, his brother John makes an appearance along with Ian McDonald.

Hackett?s monstrously sustained guitar makes its first appearance in ?Circus Of Becoming." Along with the massive organ sounds this song harkens back to Hackett?s early solo work. The influence of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" is apparent in ?Mechanical Bride," but this track also lets the band stretch out and really play. As strong as this song came off live, it maintains that energy in its studio form. The upbeat pop flavored ?Brand New? features a heavy rock chorus in contrast to a subtle acoustic verse.

Everything from orchestrated pieces like ?Wind, Sand, And Stars," classical guitar pieces like ?The Moon Under Water," to the atmospheric percussive instrumental ?The Silk? (that also conjures up a small bit of Please Don?t Touch). The bluesy ?Fire Island? really shows what a great tone Hackett has, as the guitar really cuts through. It also includes a little harmonica as well. Hackett?s sense of humor shows through with excerpts from the "Batman Theme," "Tequila," and other 50?s classics (it also contains a really cool organ interlude) wrapped in ?Marijuana, Assassin Of Youth?.

To Watch The Storms offers a variety of styles and treats the listener to a generous portion of Hackett?s guitar. Coming in two sets, the limited edition offers 5 extra tracks. Kim Poor's haunting artwork graces the cover and booklet. Although not as consistent as his earlier classics, Hackett continues to push the envelope and try new sounds and styles with excellent results.

Tracklisting:
Strutton Ground (3:04) / Circus Of Becoming (3:48) / The Devil Is An Englishman (4:27) / Frozen Statues (2:58) / Mechanical Bride (6:40) / Wind, Sand And Stars (5:08) / Brand New (4:41) / This World (5:19) / Rebecca (4:20) / The Silk Road (5:25) / Come Away (3:13) / The Moon Under Water (2:14) / Serpentine Song (6:56)

The special edition adds four additional tracks: Pollution B / Fire Island / Marijuana, Assassin Of Youth / If You Only Knew

Musicians:
Steve Hackett - vocals, guitar, optigan, harmonica, koto, rain stick, chimes, quatro
Roger King - piano, organ, synthesizer, vocoder, programming
Rob Townsend - brass, woodwind, whistles & one-man serpentine chorus machine
Terry Gregory - vocals, basses, pedals & thunder
Gary O? Toole - vocals, acoustics & electric drums, percussion
John Hackett - flute solo (13)
Ian McDonald - sax (7)
Jeanne Downs - backing vocals
Sarah Wilson - cello
Howard Gott - violin

Discography:
Genesis - Nursery Crime (1971)
Genesis - Foxtrot (1972)
Genesis - Live (1973)
Genesis - Selling England By The Pound (1973)
Genesis - Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974)
Voyage Of The Acolyte (1975)
Genesis - Wind And Wuthering (1976)
Genesis - Trick Of The Tail (1976)
Genesis - Seconds Out (1977)
Please Don't Touch (1978)
Spectral Mornings (1979)
Defector (1980)
Cured (1981)
Highly Strung (1983)
Bay Of Kings (1983)
Til We Have Faces (1983)
GTR - GTR (1986)
Momentum (1988)
Genesis - Three Sides Live (1982)
Genesis - Genesis Archive 1967-75 (1988)
Time Lapse (1992)
The Unauthorised Biography (1992)
Guitar Noir (1994)
Blues With A Feeling (1994)
There Are Many Sides To The Night (1994)
A Midsummer's Night Dream (1997)
Watcher Of The Skies: Genesis Revisited (1997)
The Tokyo Tapes (1997)
Darktown (1999)
Genesis - Genesis - Turn It On Again (1999)
Sketches Of Satie (2000) (w/John Hackett)
Feedback '86 (2000)
Genesis - Genesis Archive #2 (2000)
Live Archive 70s 80s 90s (2001)
Live Archive - Newcastle (2001)
To Watch The Storms (2003)
Live Archive NEARfest (2003)
Live Archive 03 (2004)
Live Archive 04 (2004)
Genesis - The Platinum Collection (2004)
Metamorpheus (2005) (w/The Underworld Orchestra)
Live Archive 05 (2005)
Live Archive 83 (2006)
Wild Orchids (2006)
Tribute (2008)
Out Of The Tunnel's Mouth (2010)
Beyond The Shrouded Horizon (2011)
Genesis Revisited II (2012)
Wolflight (2015)
THe Night Siren (2017)
At The Edge Of Light (2019)

Steve Hackett Live (VHS) (1981)
The Tokyo Tapes (DVD) (1998)
Hungarian Horizons - Live In Budapest (DVD) (2003)
Somewhere In South America - Live In Buenos Aires (DVD) (2003)
Once Upon A Time (DVD) (2004)
Spectral Mornings (DVD) (rec 1978; rel 2005)
Fire & Ice (DVD) (2011)
Genesis Revisited: Live At Hammersmith (2013)
Genesis Revisited: Live At The Royal Albert Hall (2013)
The Total Experience Live In Liverpool - Acolyte To Wolflight with Genesis Classics (2016)
Wuthering Heights - Live In Birmingham (2018)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: July 27th 2003
Reviewer: Eric Porter

Artist website: www.hackettsongs.com
Hits: 2767
Language: english