GENESIS REVISITED II

Thankfully Steve Hackett has a well deserved reputation for clinical honesty in perpetuating his craft, always truthful to his muse and indifferent to any outward criticism from a genuinely adoring public. He has carved a legendary status that is impressive, so one cannot claim that he is trying to cash in on past glories, quite to the contrary! The man is intelligent, technically unrivaled and continues to create brilliant music whether through his solo work or his many guest appearances, especially lately with the miraculous Kompendium project. He also chooses to surround himself with some the most celebrated artists in prog and beyond (hello Nik Kershaw!), the list is an impressive who's who = Nick Beggs, Francis Dunnery, Roine Stolt, Jakko Jakczyk, Steve Rothery, Mikael Akerfeldt, Nad Sylvan and Steve Wilson. His current band mates have been around for such a long ride, loyalty has its rewards (O'Toole, Townsend, King, Lehmann). Steve Hackett's work keeps getting better and better, this seminal monument to his participation in one of music's greatest achievements, which ended with HIS departure.

The Genesis catalogue is inspired with some masterful performances that have totally rejuvenated pieces that have attained legendary status already back in the 70s and ever since, armed with a cleaner, crisper production and enough variations on the themes to make it often better than the original ('Entangled, Dancing with The Moonlit Knight, Can Utility and the Coastliners, The Chamber of 32 Doors, Eleventh Earl of Mar, Ripples, the majestic ultra-progressive duo of Unquiet Slumbers and its companion piece , ...In the Quiet Earth , Blood on the Rooftops").

The only puzzle here is Neal Morse (never was or will be a fan) who just sucks on "The Return of the Giant Hogweed". Strange as John Wetton does a grand job on "Afterglow", his voice perfect for this kind of super-prog ballad!

"The Musical Box" is one of those classics that just cannot be bettered, period; it's a Gabriel masterpiece and Amen! While "Supper's Ready" has a Broadway feel with 5 different vocalists covering the Gabe's ghostly delivery of sheer magic. Akerfeldt, Simon Collins (Phil's son), Conrad Keely, Dunnery and Hackett himself do great honors to this timeless epic. Bravo!

"Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers?" and ",,, In the Quiet Earth" are the show stoppers here, a grandiose upward vortex of dizzying sounds and stellar playing, quite unparalleled in music history. The originals were brilliant and the reworks, well?.

I must also mention Steve Wilson who shines on both "Can Utility and the Coastliners" vocally and "The Shadow of the Hierophant",on guitar , doing terrific renditions on both counts.

Brilliant time-tested tunes, tastefully modern reworkings, obvious passion and reverence for his craft, lovely packaging and mostly a sense of respect form the guitar man.

Bloody wow! This is a must have collection of Genesis/Hackett classics

5 eternal beginnings