Prog Magazine Top 100 Prog Albums of All Time Challenge. Album #97. Voyage of the Acolyte by Steve Hackett.
Now I figured it out! The first real Song by Song review!
[Originally Posted September 14, 2023]
Prog Magazine Top 100 Prog Albums of All Time Challenge. Album #97. Voyage of the Acolyte by Steve Hackett..
For info about the Challenge see this post: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=6684569734933012&id=100001401549636&mibextid=Nif5oz
When sharing your thoughts about this album, use the following scale to indicate how familiar you are with the album:
0- Never heard anything from this album, totally new to my ears.
1- I might have heard a song on occasion, or I know a big hit from the album but not the full album.
2- I've listened to the full album a few times, but it's been a while. Slightly familiar with it.
3- I listen to this album periodically, fairly familiar with it.
4- I have listened to this album many times. I know it inside out. Very familiar with it/expert level
I will post links for anyone who needs them to be able to stream it in the comments below. Remember, no matter what your experience level with the album going in, please listen to the album before commenting. I will post album #96 on Monday.
Enjoy! (And be nice!)
[My Review]
OK, so I must admit that I am a "1" when it comes to this album, which I know is a classic. This may come as a surprise to some of you. However, I am remedying this situation today! Hopefully, I'll get to keep my Prog Club Card.
Brilliant playing, of course. Eye opening intro! Hackett seems to be making a statement of intent here! He wanted to blow the listener away right out of the box with a wide range of styles, tempos and textures in just under 5 and 1/2 minutes. Absolutely brilliant.
Track 2 - Hands of the Priestess, Pt. 1
This one takes a more pastoral mood with a flute solo taking the lead, played by his brother John. It's a beautiful piece, which seems to have the effect of letting the listener catch their breath after the high energy opener
Track 3 - A Tower Struck Down
While I am no expert, I know enough about Tarot Cards (which is, of course, the theme of the album) to know that the Tower card is the most menacing card to draw out of the deck. The music here certainly reflects that! Mid Tempo, yet spooky, it would be a good track to include on a Halloween mix! The chanting in the middle has been interpreted by some to say "Seig Heil", but in actuality, it is chanting "Steve Hackett". A very peaceful yet mournful ending closes this track out.
Track 4 - Hands of the Priestess, Pt. 2
Definitely continues the mood of the first part. Again, possibly to kind of clear the mood after the spookiness of Tower Struck Down. John sounds as if he is classically trained on the flute.
Track 5 - The Hermit
Vocals for the first time, sung by Hackett himself. A bit of a harpsichord ballad, with Hackett's lower register vocals almost buried in the background. Very peacefully sad and remote--Much like a Hermit would be.
Track 6 - Star of Sirius
Ballad-like with Phil Collins on vocals. An ethereal beginning. And then the tempo and rhythm picks up at around 2:30. This one seems to take us on a musical voyage, as promised in the album title, with many different tectures and dynamic levels. Again, the vocals are there, but not "out-front" in the mix. A but of a jazz-fusion feel in the higher tempo sections.
Track 7 - The Lovers
Starts with a very distant sounding classical guitar part. Then it sounds like a backwards recorded section with mellotron and winds. Seems to be an interlude before the grand finale.
Track 8 - Shadow of the Hierophant
The Epic closer. Soprano vocals by Sally Oldfield, brother of Mike Oldfield. Peaceful beginning, with a big, albeit brief, dynamic change at just under 3:00 in. The piece has the feel of something you might hear on a classical recital hall, up until around 4:45, excepting the louder mellotron segments. At around 5:30, it begins to take on the feel of a Genesis track, until everything drops out for an unaccompanied glockenspiel solo. Becomes orchestral in nature starting around 7:30. A slow building crescendo is happening after this until around 10:45 (over 3 minutes), when the track begins fading out.
Overall impression.
I definitely see why this album is so highly regarded. Hackett could have recorded an entire album of tracks like "Ace of Wands" to show off his guitar prowess, but he didn't. I know that Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford are essentially the rhythm section on this album, but really, not much of it (save for a couple of minutes in "Shadow of the Hierophant") feels like a Genesis album. Honestly, much of it feels closer to true classical/chamber music with a few rock instruments added in. I did enjoy listening to it, and would gladly do so again. However, while a strong album, It does not quite reach the 5-star level for me personally. I give it a solid 4-Star rating.
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