VOYAGE OF THE ACOLYTE

Steve Hackett's first album "Voyage Of the Acolyte" is a true gem and probably the best effort of his solo albums. Enjoying the freedom he had after a temporary break with Genesis, you can tell his imagination really went wild here. One of the reasons I like this album so much, is that its got something for every prog fan. Ace of Wands is a furious fast paced instrumental, while other songs like "Shadow of the Hieophant" is a slower paced epic with beautiful female vocals. In addition, this is by no means a guitar dominated album, as you would might expect, but has the musical depth of any Genesis album. This album sort of proves how good Hackett was at writing music, and how significant his contribution to Genesis really was (not that anyone doubted that). Infact, I'd even say this is better than any Genesis album after "The Lamb". All in all, this is without a doubt an essential album. It may not be the most unique prog album you've ever heard, but to me that isn't such a bad thing. Its just classic prog, even if its a bit generic, that any fan of the genre should be able to "get" pretty much immediately. Its got everything you could ever want in a prog album.

4.5 stars. Essential, and nearly a masterpiece.