Artist: Steve Howe's Remedy Title: Elements Genre: Rock/Progressive, Jazz, Blues, Fusion Label: Inside Out/SPV-www.insideoutmusic.com Website: www.stevehowe.com If you have read any of my reviews of Steve Howe's solo work or his many years of work with Yes then you probably expect a glowing review. His band Remedy has a new release titled Elements so I am sure you would expect this write up to be nothing less than a rave up as well. Well then, I aim to please. Howe and his two sons Virgil (keyboards) and Dylan (drums), along with Gilad Atzmon (sax, flute) and Derrick Taylor (bass), join the professor of the six-string on 16 amazing tracks (primarily instrumental) of rock-jazz-blues-progressive-fusion Elements (key word). It is indeed an exploration of musical progressions for Howe. He cuts it loose and does not leave a stone unturned during his musical sojourn. In the liner notes, Howe explains that the music shows you how progressive rock developed its personality. You have to remember that this man was at the forefront of the genre back in the '60s so we should take that comment in a literal sense. He is not kidding, as this album will attest. His crackerjack group follows his lead as they work precisely through jazz passages, flat out progressive rock, space rock, and blues influenced tracks. This is definitely a huge step away from Yes and is further proof of Steve Howe's all around talent and diversity. If you are a Yes fan, you are well aware of that fact. When you hear the album, you will be even more impressed with what he accomplishes. This is some of the very best work I have heard from Howe, and that includes his Yes recordings. ©"Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck October 23, 2003 1. Across The Cobblestone (4:16) 2. Bee Strings (3:21) 3. Westwinds (4:29) 4. Where I Belong (4:15) 5. Whiskey Hill (2:00) 6. The Chariot Of Gold (3:23) 7. Tremolando (2:09) 8. Pacific Haze (7:21) 9. Load Of My Mind (3:29) 10. Hecla Lava (3:06) 11. Smoke Silver (3:10) 12. Inside Out Muse (6:53) 13. Rising Sun (3:04) 14. Sand Devil (4:34) 15. The Longing (2:24) 16. A Drop In The Ocean (3:05) Rating-5 / 5 Remedy Is: Steve Howe: Electric, Acoustic, Virtual Synth Guitars, Dobro, Steels, Mandolin, Dulcimer and Vocals Virgil Howe: Keyboards & Harmony Vocals Gilad Atzmon: Alto, Tenor & Baritone Sax, Clarinet & Flute Derrick Taylor: Bass Guitars Dylan Howe: Drums
Steve Howe - Elements In what sounds like a departure from his progressive/art rock roots, Steve Howe has released a nice CD of everything from straight ahead rockers to country finger picking to jazzy swing tunes. Always known for his eclectic style, Howe does it all here and pulls out an army of guitars including dobros, mandolins and a dulcimer. The CD opens with the Zeppelinesque rocker "Across the Cobblestone" with some great drumming by Dylan Howe. The CD features excellent production. The guitar tones range from warm distortion to bright synth-guitar sounds and the drums sound huge. "Smoke Silver" is the most progressive tune featuring shifting tempos and styles going from funk to melancholy rock. The closing track, "A Drop in the Ocean" is a hauntingly beautiful pastoral piece of music that is a nice contrast to a mostly upbeat sounding CD. ~ by Joe Nardulli, EER-MUSIC.com
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