Howe, Steve - Spectrum

Year of Release: 2005
Label: InsideOut
Catalog Number: IOMCD 215SPV 085-48402
Format: CD
Total Time: 57:27:00

This review is excerpted from Clayton's July 3, 2005 The Prog Life column found here -ed.

I haven't much been a fan of Yes guitarist Steve Howe's solo work, which is weird, since Yes is one of my all-time favorite bands. The new album, Spectrum, however is -- for me, anyway -- another whole ball of notes. Here, Howe presents a set of short, well-written and produced rock and jazz instrumentals (okay, and a little country) that sound like a cohesive album, rather than a collection of demos and leftovers, which has often been my impression of some other Howe works. What caught my eye at first was Tony Levin (King Crimson) on bass. Being a big Levin fan, I had to hear this disk. I was pleasantly surprised -- so much so, in fact, that I plan on giving other Howe albums another chance. Maybe my ears were screwed on backwards when I first heard them. Or maybe this is an unusually cool Howe album. In either case, it's a good listen, although not very Yes-ish (not a criticism, just a fact).

Tracklisting:
Tigers Den (3:46) / Labyrinth (3:57) / Band Of Light (3:34) / Ultra Definition (3:39) / Raga Of Our Time (4:12) / Ebb and Flow (4:03) / Realm Thirteen (4:27) / Without Doubt (3:45) / Highly Strung (4:30) / Hour Of Need (5:13) / Fools Gold (4:05) / Where Words Fail (4:16) / In The Skyway (3:13) / Livelihood (3:34) / Free Rein (3:52)

Musicians:
Steve Howe - guitars
Tony Levin - bass
Dylan Howe - drums
Oliver Wakeman - keyboards
Virgil Howe - keyboards

Discography:
Yes - The Yes Album (1971)
Yes - Fragile (1972)
Yes - Close To The Edge (1972)
Yes - Yessongs (1973)
Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans (1974)
Yes - Relayer (1975)
Beginnings (1975)
Yes - Going For The One (1977)
Yes - Tormato (1978)
The Steve Howe Album (1979)
Yes - Yesshows (1980)
Yes - Drama (1980)
Yes - Classic Yes (1982)
Asia - Asia (1982)
Asia - Alpha (1983)
GTR - GTR (1986)
Yes - Union (1989)
Asia - Then And Now (1990)
Yes - Yesyears (1991)
Yes - Yesstory (1991)
Turbulence (1991)
Asia - Aqua (1992)
The Grand Scheme Of Things (1993)
Yes - Highlights: The Very Best Of Yes (1993)
Yes -Talk (1994)
Not Necessarily Acoustic (1994)
Mothballs (1995)
Homebrew (1996)
Yes - Keys To Ascension I (1996)
Yes - Keys To Ascension II (1997)
Yes - Open Your Eyes (1997)
Yes - Yes, Friends And Relatives (1998)
Quantum Guitar (1998)
Pulling Strings (1999)
Portraits Of Bob Dylan (1999)
Yes - The Ladder (1999)
Homebrew 2
Yes - House Of Yes: Live From The House Of Blues (2000)
Yes - House Of Yes: Live From The House Of Blues (video) (2000)
Yes - Yes, Friends and Relatives - Volume Two (2001)
Yes - YesSymphonic (ep) (2001)
Natural Timbre (2001)
Yes - Magnification (2001)
Homebrew 1 & 2 (2002)
Masterpiece Guitars (w/Martin Taylor) (2002)
Skyline (2002)
Steve Howe's Remedy - Elements (2003)
GTR - King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents GTR
Spectrum (2005)
Homebrew 3 (2005)
Steve Howe Trio - The Haunted Melody (2008)
Motif (2008)
Steve Howe Trio - Travelling (2010)
Homebrew 4 (2010)

Genre: Various Genres

Origin UK

Added: July 3rd 2005
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum
Score:
Artist website: www.stevehowe.com
Hits: 2699
Language: english