I never thought that this was going to happen, two of my favourite prog rock guitarists, playing together on a unique, instrumental album. However, it did happen, and the title of this album, which is the best of both prog rock guitar worlds, is The Roaring Waves. Steve Hackett's (ex-Genesis) and Steve Rothery's (Marillion) debut album has taken almost eight years in the making, and the result is truly brilliant. The Roaring Waves, a standalone album by the way, features seven instrumental guitar beauties, and all the tracks are cinematic, atmospheric, and very intimate indeed: highlighting the immaculate guitar playing of Rothery and Hackett for 100%. With the assistance of Ricardo Romano (RanestRane keys, bass guitar) and Leon Parr (Steve Rothery Band drums), Hackett and Rothery created a guitar masterpiece which left me breathless after the first spin indeed. Now, after lots of intense listening to The Roaring Waves, I can honestly say that I am now 100% addicted to this impressive album and that it will not leave my turn table for months to come! Hackett and Rothery start this "concept" album - all songs have one common theme: the profundity of the sea - with a song called The Storm. A song which was born from a jam session and where Hackett plays the amazing opening riff, while Rothery adds his melodies, evolving into a wonderful almost ambient guitar piece, which ends with Rothery's and Hackett's guitars interfacing in a most beautiful way. There is of course more to enjoy; the marvellous K-129, featuring one of those well-known goosebumps' solos of Rothery, the elegiac Sandsend or the harmonica filled Pacific Coast Highway. But I will not go into too much detail, as this is an album that you have to experience for yourself. While listening to the seven tracks you can marvel about the technical dexterity, the stylistic flexibility, the compositional craft and the tightness and cohesion of Rothery's and Hackett's superb guitar playing. So, a MUST have album for fans of Rothery and Hackett and for fans of immaculate, breath-taking guitar playing and finally I must tell you that this album even sounds better with your headphones on, completely cut off from the rest of the world; cheers! ***** Martien Koolen (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
