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BEGINNINGSSteve HoweCrossover Prog |
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But back on the subject of Steve HOWE's singing: he's not a very good singer. Flat and nasally is how to describe his singing. Someone should have told him to stick with guitar (actually apparently someone did, because he didn't sing on his following albums). Certainly I have a lot of prog rock albums with questionable vocals, but the music is so darn good I can block out the vocals. But the music here sounds like the bad vocals just makes it worse.
I know there are people out there who like this album better than me, I understand. But this could be a better album if it was instrumental, or at least get someone else to sing.





This album was made involving many talented musicians like Patrick Moraz, Alan White, Bill Bruford from Howe's Yes-mates. He also brought chamber string orchestra The Philomusica performing fully classical outfit "Beginnings". Looking at the music, I enjoy most of acoustic guitar work. A good example is "Australia" where Howe gives his talented guitar playing which produces amazing acoustic guitar sounds. The other track that come into my attention is "The Nature of The Sea" where Howe blends acoustic and electric guitar into a good music. Patrick Moraz contributes his piano section in "Lost Symphony" - a song with (I think) loose composition.
Overall, this is not a bad album at all and it's worth only for fans / collectors. Keep on proggin' ..!
Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW




"Doors of Sleep" is a sort of love song, or maybe a tribute to a woman, most likely Howe's wife, whose photo is featured inside the cover fold of the album. This is a pretty sparse tune, with Alan White filling in on drums and Howe providing guitars and bass, as well as vocals. The lyrics are centered on an obscure 19th century poem by the British suffragette Alice Meynell. It is a rather tepid tune, and an odd choice to launch his first solo effort.
"Australia" sounds a bit like a dated nationalistic jingo for that island nation, but since to my knowledge neither Howe nor White has a strong connection to Australia, the significance is lost on me. "Australia" kind of flows into the instrumental "The Nature of the Sea", which is a decent enough wandering tune, but again adds little direction to the album. White is replaced by Gryphon band-mates drummer David Oberle and guitarist Graeme Taylor, but without the liner notes this isn't really a noticeable change.
Howe kicks up the tempo a bit on "Lost Symphony", and expands the sound of the album for the first time. Bassist Colin Gibson (who at the time was in Snafu), and Patrick Moraz on piano join White and Howe, along with some several saxophones played by Bud Beadle and Mick Eve, for an upbeat little number that is has some nice variety with Howe's mandolin and organ work, and the saxophones give the music a bit of a richer texture than the rest of the album up to that point. The lyrics border on just dull though: "Leaves enjoy their autumn. Do you like the fall? Suppose yourself above it all, in our self-made worlds". Right - pass the pipe Steve.
"Beginnings" is a rich work with an accompanying section referred to as "the Philharmonia", which consists of a couple of violins, viola, cello, string bass, flute, piccolo, oboe, and bassoon. Moraz continues on piano, though more subdued here, and adds a few short passages on harpsichord and moog. White's drums are nearly absent. This reminds me a bit of mood music for an old Merry Melodies cartoon. The musicianship is done well enough, but I fail to see the point of including this in the debut album of a guy who is about to be named the best guitarist in the business for the next five years.
"Will O' the Wisp" is a return to the Howe-White sparse duo, with a bit of piano sprinkled in from Moraz. Moraz is also credited with playing a mellotron on this song, but the sound doesn't stand out at all. Howe's guitar work is most distinctive here as anywhere else on the album, but again it fails to really grab the listener's attention for more than a few moments. There are two voices here at times, so either Howe overdubbed himself, or Moraz is doing some singing.
"Ram" is a very short interlude solo by Howe where he pretty much just shows that he can play a variety of instruments, including a dobra, banjo, and a washboard. This demonstration seems to be the only point of the two minutes this song lasts, and it sounds a bit like both a Spanish guitar tune, and a 30's urban movie soundtrack.
"Pleasure Stole the Night" has several singers on it, although again only Howe is credited for vocals. Perhaps the others begged off blame. Someone named Malcolm Bennett is credited with a flute on this one, and Bill Bruford makes a bit of a surprising appearance to close out the album on drums. Another forgettable song and Howe doesn't even stand out on guitar on this one.
The album ends with "Break Away From it All", where Howe kicks out a bit on both electric and steel guitar. Here again are the un-credited backing vocals. I guess this is a song about the metamorphosis that occurs as a boy becomes a man, in terms of exercising his individuality and finding a course in life. Sort of deep, but probably too deep for someone like Howe to pull off.
So in summary, the significance of this album is that it is the first solo Steve Howe released, done while he was still in his twenties and enjoying a lucrative career as a member of Yes. It's also (thankfully) the last one in which he performs all his own vocals. Other than that, there's little on this album to distinguish it or make it a desirable addition to anyone's record pile, except to complete a Howe or Yes collection. So, two stars is the right mark for Beginnings.
peace


Dutch natives will know what I'm talking about, since the landscape depicted on Roger Dean's album cover looks like a faithful reproduction of the 'houses of the dwarfs' in well-known Dutch theme park 'De Efteling'.
Oh well, at least such a cover suggested that there was some kind of continuity with Yes music. It helped me try to like BEGINNINGS.
But let us face it: three of (relatively) conventional songs on this album ('Doors of Sleep', 'Australia' and 'Will o' the Wisp') are no more than an awful, tuneless sludge, and they're not helped in any way by Steve's shaky vocals and dreadful lyrics. As a Yes fan, I used to try and find redeeming features (on 'Will o' the wisp' there's one charming moment where Steve plays mellotron-accompanied guitar!) but it simply wouldn't work. What's weak, remained weak.
The album's title track is a pointless and totally unconvincing attempt to prove that Steve could play along with a bunch of classical musicians. Similar experiments on Steve's second solo album would prove more fruitful.
'Ram' is a throwaway acoustic ditty, not too different from 'Clap'.
All the tracks I haven't yet mentioned are fairly good, and even (in just one or two cases) great. Let's look at them in ascending order of importance.
'Lost Symphony' is a catchy, brass-driven pop song, with interesting solos by the Master. 'Pleasure Stole the Night' is a moving prayer which sounds as if you're getting to know Steve intimately - even though it's unclear what he's praying for. ("Epochs past, lives were spent, / until a new band came" - he wasn't dreaming of Asia, was he?) 'Break away from it all' is a forceful rocker, propelled by Bill Bruford's inimitable drums; what a shame it ends on a rather decrepit guitar solo. All three of these tunes have more-than-acceptable vocals. But the album's real highlight has to be 'The Nature of the Sea': a superb four-minute instrumental, on which Steve is accompanied by three members of Gryphon (who had supported Yes on their 1975 tour). If only the entire album had been as joyful and inspired as this.
Fuxi's verdict: Yes fans will enjoy some of this - but only if they can get it at a bargain price.

Steve Howe's first solo album (ah, so that's why it's called "Beginnings"!) dates from 1975 between the Yes albums "Relayer" and "Going for the one". At the time, all the band members were indulging themselves in solo projects, so "Beginnings" faces comparison with albums such as Chris Squire's "Fish out of water", Patrick Moraz "Story of !" and Jon Anderson's "Olias of Sunhillow".
For me, Howe's first effort was something of a disappointment. While he calls in some heavyweight musicians including fellow Yes men Alan White, Bill Bruford and Patrick Moraz, he decides against outsourcing the vocals. Howe's voice works well when it used as a harmony to Jon Anderson's lead, but it does not sit well at front and centre stage. Unfortunately, on this album Howe is quite vocal, with over 50% of the tracks requiring him to sing. Howe also composes all the material with the exception of an adopted poem within the first track. Songs such as "Australia" are adequate, but without the minds of Yes as a group to develop them, they have a tendency to sound like they remain in demo format.
Steve's guitar work is of course technically excellent, but for me it sounds dry and unexciting. To be fair, he does try to introduce some variety to the proceedings, with added brass on "Lost symphony" (which sounds anything but symphonic) and a small orchestra (whose parts were written by Patrick Moraz) on the instrumental title track. This pleasantly baroque piece is probably the highlight of the album. This and the following "Will o'' the whip" account for about a third of the album, the latter being a distinct improvement with an interestingly progressive structure. Moraz plays mellotron here, but it is a bit too far back in the mix, plus Howe is credited with Moog.
While "Beginnings" might be hailed as a decent first album by a talented newcomer to the music scene, we have to bear in mind that Steve had been around for a while by the time of this release. Ultimately its principal message is that he is at his best when he is a part of a great band.
Howe had the presence of mind to ask Roger Dean to design the cover, but even here the fine illustration is marred by a rather clinical photo of Steve and his guitars.

I still think this an excellent record, with great songs and astonishing musicanship of all involved, but specially Howe himself. He may not be the best of singers, but I like his vocal very much anyway. The guys has an interesting voice and does his parts with passion and conviction. Highlights are Pleasure Stole the Night, Doors Of Sleep and the beautiful classical arranged Beginnings. Production is only adequate, but works well. Maybe it was a bit rushed, but I can live with that.
All in all very fine solo efford. This could be the ultimate self indulgent guitar hero solo album (certainly Howe had credentials for such a thing). But he managed to do a pleasant CD with lots of technique, only with little showing off. The arrangements are subtle and bright. A much maligned album which should be heard with less prejudice. Not perfect, but a four star rating is fair.

Many complain about Howe's vocals, and while I agree that he is not a great singer, I don't think that the vocals is the main problem. If he had really good songs to sing, his limited vocal abilities would be forgiven very quickly. But the material on Beginnings is not very strong; it is certainly listenable, but not memorable. The progressiveness of the album is also rather limited; the songs are quite conventional in their structure.
Other reviewers have focused on the people involved, so I will not get onto that. There is really no need to mention specific tracks either. Nothing here is poor, but there is also nothing that stands out as great. I will have to mention Ram, though, which is almost a carbon copy of Clap - not very imaginative at all.
The strangest thing about this album is that it is not at all a very good showcase for Howe's guitar prowess. His enormous talent and unique guitar sound is far better represented on the Yes albums of the 70's and on several later solo albums.
Recommended only for Steve Howe fans!

If you were expecting another Fish Out Of Water with the first solo release of the other Yes-ax-man then you'd be sorrowfully let down by this album. Steve Howe's Beginnings is an album full of ideas, but not all of them are top notch. It would seem that at this point in his career Howe would still need collaborators (such as those in Yes) to streamline his ideas, and while this album does have some excellent high points, there are also some points which just make you want to reach for the skip button.
Let's get it out of the way right off the bat that Howe is not a very good lead singer. His backup vocals in Yes are good for texture, but as proven by this release, they fall flat when put out front. His vocals are still good in limited quantities, but they don't have the amount of range needed to stay interesting for the whole album. Still, there are a couple of very good tunes that have Howe standing behind the mic - the first is actually the album's opening track, which sets up the entire thing very nicely. Doors Of Sleep opens the album whimsically and has some very pleasant melodies that drift along to some well placed riffs. Lost Symphony ends side one with another excellent composition, this one rivaling some of the best moments from Squire's only solo venture. It's likely the album's standout, Howe voices for a bit before letting the climactic instrumentals take hold to bring the first side to an end. Unfortunately what lies in the middle is somewhat forgotten, and Australia makes too much use of Howe's weak voice to really be able to appreciate the instrumental sections present in the song.
The second side is even more uneven. Things get off to a start with the promisingly lengthy instrumental, Beginnings, that actually turns out to be the weakest song on the album. It's 7-minutes of orchestral rambling, which honestly sounds like it could be the soundtrack to Bambi. There's a certain degree of whimsy present (that which Howe is at his best with on this album), but the light hearted rompage is just so mundane that it turns into a 7-minute chore to listen to. Luckily there are two songs that save this side from complete destruction, Will O Wisp and Break Away From It All, but even these are not memorable enough to really make an impact by this point.
Overall, Howe's solo debut is not for everyone. Fans of Yes would be best to consider this a collector's item and fans of Howe should probably do the same. Still, this group of people will still find a lot to like about it, although everyone else - who are likely looking for some more complex, heavy hitting, well voiced progressive rock, would do best to look elsewhere. Good for a couple of listens, but then it'll probably hit the shelf for good. 2.5 stars, a weak effort with some shining moments.

At least there are enough good songs (if you can ignore his voice) to make this worthwhile. The Nature Of The Sea and Pleasure Stole The Night, each featuring members of Gryphon are good, as is Break Away From It All with Bill Bruford. Ram sounds like The Clap with added banjo and slide guitar.

"Australia" sounds nice with very competent and tasty guitar work and slightly jazz-rock feeling , if you can stand Steve's voice, which is not bad, but not for everyone's taste. I like acoustic and multi layered album's sound. Production is good, you can hear all separate instrument's sounds. Alan White, Bill Bruford, Patrick Moraz between many other guests just do their best.
I like rich violin sound in some songs, nice drumming, excellent combination of electric and acoustic strings. Yes, not all songs are melodically bright, and Steve's vocals often doesn't sound as good addition to the music, but I like great musicianship of all team and nice total sound.
This album, even when far from perfect, has this forgotten now atmosphere of early prog albums, when you like just sound, each moment of music you hear, even if final product is not so excellent. Not bad album in all cases, could be a nice listening for early Yes works fans, and for all with nostalgia to progressive sound from the early 70-s.



Even without the vocals, though, this is mostly a 3rd-rate 70's prog album (that it's sung by a 4th- rate vocalist only amplifies the problem). I'd say there are two tracks that are clearly a cut above average: "The Nature of the Sea," a nice instrumental (with a good amount of variety in Howe's guitar approaches) that alternately conveys peaceful aspects of the sea and more "energetic" aspects of it, and the title track, which may be a little overlong but has some nice Howe acoustic parts amidst Moraz's orchestrations for winds and strings. It's as prissy as anything, but it has some nice atmosphere, and I don't mind listening to it.
The rest of the album, whether instrumental or with vocals, is really not good. The opening "Doors of Sleep" shows some promise in the opening parts, but Howe's singing is just soooo bad, and the song never really establishes a coherent direction. "Australia" has even less direction and even worse singing, and "Lost Symphony" largely wastes a pretty introduction by going into a brassy shuffle with Howe's bad vocals dominating things way more than they should. On side two, other than "Beginnings," the only other track that I notice for good reasons is "Ram," yet another in Howe's enjoyable finger-picking acoustic jaunts, yet this is definitely nowhere near the level of "Clap." "Will o' the Wisp" is six minutes of boredom, and not even Bill Bruford's drumming contributions on the last two tracks can save them, even if they have some pleasant aspects.
The thing is, I can hear plenty of ideas on here that could have worked to make really good music, but only if they'd been bounced off other people and grafted into other people's snippets of good ideas (I have the same complaint about Jon's solo album during this period too, mind you). As is, most of these ideas have no chance to grow into something great, especially when the singing is such a catastrophe. Only a handful of tracks keep this from being a disaster, and I must strongly recommend for Yes fans to stay away from this.

While officially a solo album, BEGINNINGS contains a whole army of supporting musicians including contributions from other Yes members. Both Alan White and Bill Bruford offer drum contributions. Patrick Moraz helps out on Moogs, Mellotrons and general keys and then there are quite a few others who are on board contributing bass, flute, sax, violin, viola, cello, piccolo, oboe and bassoon thus offering an instrumental heavy feel for a mere solo album, but this is a solo album by one of the greatest prog bands in history, so this is something special, right?
Well, not really. This is one i've tried to like for quite some time and no matter how much i try to reconnect with BEGINNINGS i'm simply put off for one glaring reason: STEVE HOWE is an awful vocalist. With all the extra hands on board in the musical department, HOWE somehow felt it appropriate to handle all the vocals himself and if you haven't heard him sing before, let me just politely say that he is no Jon Anderson. In fact, he's embarrassingly awful! It is quite the fate of the gods that a man can be so brilliant on his respective instrument of choice but have absolutely zero talent in other musical arenas.
One of the reasons this one is so bad is simply because the music is so good. Where no vocals mar the performances such as on the stunning instrumentals "The Nature Of The Sea" or "Ram" it doesn't get any better with performances matching Howe's best of the best bringing "The Clap" to mind. The musicians work together in tandem to offer some serious prog workouts for the most part and all is fine until Mr HOWE opens up his big fat mouth and utters the vocal equivalent to fingernails running down a chalk board in the middle of a beautiful symphony. While the music itself is mostly quite divine, some tracks like "Lost Symphony" are a little too sleepy (and long) and qualify as pure classical music rather than rock but do display the ease that HOWE fluidly delivers with his brilliant classical guitar playing. When the album shines it shines bright. Unfortunately those moments are few and far between. This is one for only the most hardcore of fans but i keep it around for the two aforementioned instrumental tracks that continue to blow me away.

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