THE STEVE HOWE ALBUM

"The Steve Howe album" was actually Steve's second solo release, coming some four years after his "Beginnings" album. As 20% of Yes, Howe is unquestionably a legend; as a solo artist however, he is something of a trainspotting bore. A quick look at the inner sleeve of the LP reveals a wide array of guitars and related stringed instruments, together with a guide to which of them appears on which track.

Technically the album is excellent, Howe is a master of his craft. This however is the equivalent of the bit in a live concert where the rest of the band go for a comfort break, and half the audience go to the bar. The first four tracks here consist of Howe noodling on his guitars in various styles, making excellent but dull music. We have for example a "Cactus boogie" where the title is totally descriptive, and later a similarly onomatopoeic "Meadow rag".

Howe's Yes band-mates Alan White, Bill Bruford and Patrick Moraz all make appearances as guests on certain tracks and Howe sings briefly on one track, "All's a chord". The wonderful voice of Clair Hamill features on "Look over your shoulder", a song which serves to demonstrate how Howe (red indians coming?) is at his best when he is collaborating and co-ordinating, not simply soloing. Ronnie Leahy adds some nice Hammond organ here too.

The album is something of a game of two halves. On the first side, Howe uses no less than fourteen different stringed instruments, while on side two he restricts himself to just four for the entire side. This is due to the fact that apart from a couple of brief solo acoustic guitar pieces, side two is by far the more adventurous. There is a cover version ("The continental"), an orchestrated suite ("Double rondo"), and an interpretation of Vivaldi's "Concerto in D".

"The continental" in an instrumental working of a song dating from 1934, which first appeared in the film "The gay divorcee" staring Ginger Rodgers. Here, the rendition is enhanced by some jazzy violin played by Graham Presket. "Double rondo" finds Steve accompanied by a 59 piece orchestra playing one of his own compositions (although the orchestration was carried out by Andrew Jackman). The piece has distinct classical overtones, Howe's guitar work effectively being the lead instrument in a concerto.

The final track, Vivaldi's "Concerto in D" is very similar to Joel Schwarcz's interpretation on Continuum's excellent 1971 album "Autumn grass", although here Howe uses a string ensemble while Continuum used a mellotron. It is a lovely piece which ends the album on a high.

In all, while this is a technically brilliant album, it is a classic case of the performer doing what he wants to do, regardless of whether there is an audience for his efforts. The album has a number of highlights, but is also has a substantial amount of dull excellence.

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