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Rick Wakeman - Wakeman With Wakeman [Aka: Lure Of The Wild] CD (album) cover

WAKEMAN WITH WAKEMAN [AKA: LURE OF THE WILD]

Rick Wakeman

 

Symphonic Prog

2.76 | 20 ratings

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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
3 stars "Just do what I do son"

While for obvious marketing purposes this album is credited in large print to RICK WAKEMAN, the performance is in fact by Rick and his son Adam (assisted by Stuart Sawney on percussion and programming). They don't actually play together much, Adam writes and performs entirely two of the tracks, contributes organ to one, and solos on two others. Only on "Jiggajig" do we really get both Wakemans together. This is unfortunate, as the track is little more than an elaborate chopsticks for two pianos.

The album is entirely instrumental. Rick sticks to his well know synthesiser sounds most of the time, varying the pace from track to track, but from time to time the sound lapses into new age muzak.

I am reminded regularly throughout the album of Wakeman's "Six wives". This album has similarities to that masterpiece, but the compositions are not so strong and it lacks the uniqueness that album had. Wakeman has perhaps visited the well once too often since.

The best track is the 9 minute "Caesarea", indeed a friend cites this as his all time favourite track by Wakeman. I wouldn't go that far, but it's certainly an inspired performance, with time and mood changes plus strong melodies.

The album closes with an interpretation of Jagger/Richards' "Paint it black", which is performed in a jazz manner. The theme is played out a few times before Wakeman (Rick) improvises around it, returning from time to time to the main theme.

"Lure of the wild" certainly stands out from the mass of new age and muzak albums Wakeman has released. It falls short however of his classic works. The recordings were made on the Isle of Man where Wakeman lived, and there's s definite feeling here of being just a little too comfortable.

Easy Livin | 3/5 |

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