PLEASE DON'T TOUCH!

Steve Hackett's superb debut "Voyage of the Acolyte" was released in 1975 while he was still a member of Genesis. In some ways, that album had the feel of a Genesis album from around that transitional period in the band's history. The success of the album led to some unrest within the "Then there were three" Genesis members, and Hackett subsequently agreed not to release any further solo albums while he was a member of the band.

By 1978, he had indeed left having made a considerable, and many would say grossly undervalued, contribution to what are generally acknowledged as Genesis finest albums. As a free agent, it did not take Steve long to release his first album as a solo artist (as opposed to his first solo album!).

"Please don't touch" finds Hackett bravely trying to retain the many of the factors which he had brought to Genesis, while testing the water with a diverse array of alternative sounds and styles. That diversity is accentuated by the three guest vocalists who sing on the album in addition to Steve himself. The appearance of Kansas' Steve Walsh may not be too surprising, but soul crooner Randy Crawford and the golden tones of veteran Richie Havens are much less predictable. On a number of the tracks here, Hackett takes a bit of a back seat, relying on others to deliver his composition and vision.

The opening "Narnia", nominally based on a C.S. Lewis children's book, could easily have been lifted from a Kansas album; Walsh's vocals suiting the style of the song well. Hackett steps up the mike himself for "Carry on up the vicarage", a rather whimsical title for this tribute to crime writer Agatha Christie. The track blends "Acolyte" symphonic instrumental sounds with distorted child like vocals.

Walsh returns to share lead vocals with Hackett on "Racing in A", a song which combines some pleasing symphonic sounds with a rather lacklustre vocal melody. Steve's tribute to his partner "Kim", who was responsible for the fine sleeve illustration, is a brief, delicate, flute led melody supported by acoustic guitar.

Richie Havens first appearance is on "How can I?", a song which, had Phil Collins been singing, would have fitted in perfectly on "Wind and Wuthering". Richie's wonderfully emotional voice suits the song well though. This is immediately followed by Randy Crawford singing "Hoping love will last", a number which sounds like a facsimile of some of her best known works.

The reflective instrumental "Land of a thousand autumns" serves to introduce the title track, also an instrumental. This is much more in keeping with what we might expect from Steve, being a complex and adventurous romp through a number of sounds and styles. "The voice of Necam" is a pleasant acoustic guitar interlude, which leads into "Icarus ascending". The title of this, the album's longest track at just over 6 minutes, may conjure expectations of another "Shadow of the Hierophant", and there is certainly a passing similarity here, especially in the regal pace of the song. Richie Havens' vocals are once again exemplary, and combine well with Steve's symphonic arrangement. The track seems to lack a punchline though, with Havens' closing "oo-ooing" feeling less than satisfactory.

In all, a brave attempt by Steve Hackett to explore unfamiliar territories and to test the water with a wide array of style. In the end, he is at his best though when he reverts to type and plays symphonic prog. Worth a listen though.

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