THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS

We all know that when Steve Howe starts to lead-sing it starts raining, and this album is no exception even if he sings a bit better than in Beginnings. I might say that his singing ruins the music but in this case there's not much to ruin anyway, the material being rather weak.

I like the previous Turbulence but here he does not quite hit the mark. It feels like a sort of family album for him, with both his sons Dylan and Virgil playing around.

16 songs so obviously most of them rather short, thankfully because this makes it more easy- going, and the music is very accessible, not complex, and may sound good, but it does not awake any enthusiasm.

Of course we are talking of Mr. Steve Howe so surely there is quality guitar playing and several of the instrumentals (about 50% of the album) are pretty decent, including the The Clap clone "A Valley of Rocks", but the songs with vocals are in general terribly weak and surely we can not say that this is a good album.

For fans and if you find it cheap it's ok for some of the instrumentals.