Customer Reviews

Gtr (Mlps)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Though I always liked the GTR album, I felt that the original LP release and the original CD release sounded awful. I couldn't attribute it to Geoff Downes production, just because I felt he was too much of a pro to create such a thin sounding album. Well this new release has proven that it was just a horrendous mastering job. I emplore anyone who likes the GTR album to purchase the remaster. It sounds so, so, so, SO much better. It is an amazing and full production that is everything the first release wasn't. Plus, at the price, how could you go wrong?

Wow--I totally forgot about these guys for years until I happened to randomly think of them one day while doing a search on Amazon.com. Much to my surprise I found a remastered version of this long-forgotten album. Since I am in the process of replacing many of my cassette albums with CDs, I decided to give this one a try.

As a couple of others have mentioned, the remastering of this album makes it an even better listen. The awesome hit "When The Heart Rules The Mind" sounds as fresh and exciting as when I first heard it on the radio over 15 years ago. Song like "The Hunter" (which I believe did have a video back in the day when MTV actually played videos), "Here I Wait", and "Imagining" also sound fine with the highly layered production. The two instrumentals aren't back, while the other tracks range from average to very good.

This is not the best "supergroup" effort I have ever heard, but it is certainly an interesting and worthwhile listen. Call it a slightly more produced and progressive version of early '80s Asia, which makes sense considering the artists who put this band together. Definitely worth the price for a more obscure piece of that '80s music puzzle.

I bought this on cassette when it was originally released in 1986 and I liked it. Seeing it had been remastered and available on cd I picked it up. I had forgotten what a great recording this was.
Featuring the great prog-rock guitarists Steve Howe of Yes and Steve Hackett of Genesis with help with little known musicians; bassist Phil Spalding, drummer Jonathan Mover and outstanding vocals by Max Bacon this group may have released one the most underrated discs of its era.
This album has great playing by all and some great songs including the hit single "When the Heart Rules the Mind" and the "The Hunter" written by Buggles and Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes.
If you want some eighties music nostalgia get this disc pop it in your cd player and this will take you back to the era of the supergroups.

GTR was formed in 1986 by veteran progressive rock stars Steve Howe, who played guitar as a member of Yes and Asia, and Steve Hackett, former guitarist for Genesis. Along with bassist Phil Spalding, drummer Jonathan Mover, and the superior vocals of Max Bacon, GTR's self-titled debut went soaring up the charts.

The signature song on the cd is "When the Heart Rules the Mind" and features Howe and Hackett at their very best. "The Hunter" and "Here I Wait" are also very good.

There are two guitar solo tracks on the cd, one by Howe ("Sketches in the Sun") and one by Hackett, appropriately titled "Hackett to Bits". I've been a big fan of prog-rock groups such as Asia, Yes, and ELP, and this fine cd deserves a place alongside these other groups. If you like good guitar playing and top notch vocals, then check out GTR. You'll be glad you did.

This 1986 release from this British supergroup gives fans of Yes, Asia and Genesis a bittersweet feeling. This group gave us one album and made us wonder what could have been. Besides that sentiment, this album is one for a collection, in an era when MTV played quality music, GTR's "When the Heart Rules the Mind" was of a high-quality nature. The aforementioned song is worth its weight in the guitar exchanges between Steve Howe and Steve Hackett. Max Bacon's voice shoots to the sky and Phil Spalding and John Mover do an admirable job as the rhythm sound of the band. "The Hunter" is good as well and "Here I Wait" once again displays Bacon's voice with the guitar heroics of Howe/Hackett. Each guitarist does a solo version song, with this writer prefering Hackett's, "Hackett to Bits." "Reach Out" and "You Can Still Get Through" give the later half of the CD a strong punch. With this CD, you can get the expression of Hackett's ability and listen to Howe's guitar and it will remind you of his days with Yes and Asia. It is worth the purchase to listen to this band, albeit for one album.

There are some REALLY good songs on this album - ones that have stuck in my head for going on 15 years. To me, that's what makes an album worth owning: songs that really stick with you. Okay, the album WAS made in 1986, and it does sound that way ... but to me - and call me nuts (I've been called worse) - the melody, hook (chorus), and arrangement of a really good song make it listenable, memorable, and give it a life outside of the time period in which it was recorded. This is the case here, at least to my ears. And while it's true that I grew up in the 80's, generally, I don't like to live in nostalgia-land. The songwriting & performances are enough to make this a CD worth owning - even if you hated the 80's.

The remastering job, incidentally, does make a difference. 80's records were awful bright sounding ... but as mastering standards and technology changed, things got louder (and in some cases, not as "tinny"). It's a lot more listenable than the original.

And is this the "prog-rock" album fans were hoping for? No - but it has its moments, and some good "arena rock" songs. Check it out.

As soon as I found this available on cd, I picked it up. I had the rare experience of seeing them live in Utica, NY shortly after the release of their one and only album- what a concert! On both sides of the stage- as far back as one could see, were guitars lined up - Steve Hackett & Steve Howe played every one of them that magical night! They covered everything from old Yes, to all of equally familiar Genesis songs..., the songs still ring in my mind to this day - GTR, What wonderful memories...,

When I saw this album with these 2 great artists, I was excited and bought it quickly. After listening to it I am greatly disappointed. This album appears to be an attempt to have a success like Asia. The qualities that make these guitarists great are not apparent. If I had heard this without knowing who it was I would have never suspected. It is almost undiluted pop-rock-shlock from the 80s.

Only two songs are bearable, "Sketches in the Sun" and "Hackett to bits." Sketches is a lyrical acoustic-type song played on electric guitar. Hackett is a slightly altered version of Steve Hackett's "Please don't touch" on the album of the same name. That album and that version of the song are far superior.

This is much more akin to Asia, Journey, or Boston than to King Crimson, Yes, or Gentle Giant. If you're looking for an undiscovered progressive gem, look elsewhere. This isn't it.

Steve Howe (from Yes and Asia) and Steve Hackett (Genesis fame) team up with 3 relatively unknown musicians to form the short-lived GTR supergroup. Sounds like a mesh of hard rock (with guitar work metal fans should find enticing) and arena rock. The results here are not wanting.

Fans should remember "When The Heart Rules The Mind" from 1986. It's style is silimar to Europe's "The Final Countdown" without all the keyboards. It was the biggest song on here, and took "arena rock" to a new level. It meshes acoustic and electric guitars in an upbeat performance that does include an interlude of big drums after a blistering guitar solo in the middle. One of my favorite songs.

"The Hunter" was written by Steve Howe's Yes and Asia buddy Geoff Downes. Very haunting keyboards and acoustic guitars in a tempo just above that of a ballad. Very enjoyable track. (Incidentally, the John Payne version of ASIA also recorded this same song on their Anthology CD. That version is pretty good too.)

"Hackett To Bits" (an instrumental) and "Imagining" are two tracks that blend into each other and make up the same song. This is an amazing piece of music. There is some excellent drumming and guitar work. Don't let acquaintanceship with Yes and Genesis fool you - these guys can rock out with the best of everyone short of Van Halen heaviness.

"Toe The Line" is the only ballad on here, although the instrumental "Sketches In The Sun" comes close. The rest of these songs are quality recordings. Hackett and Howe had quite a formidable musical outfit with this group, although it lasted only very briefly. I like all the CD, although my personal faves are the first two and Imagining. And with producer Geoff Downes at the controls, it's hard to not hammer out a winner in the studio.

This release may be very hard to find - you may have to suffice your search for it with "When The Heart Rules The Mind" and "The Hunter" downloads, but those are best tracks here if that's all your search for this music can produce. Good Luck.

This one-off from this supergroup belongs in any fan of Asia/Genesis/Yes collection. A superbly written and performed collection of great songs. Only 'Toe the line' falls short, I can live with that easily. My only complaint is the 'stadium-sized mix' which results in a big sound, sometimes too big reverb-wise. Max Bacon is a very capable front-man with soaring vocals. The band cooks relentlessly. Get this and then the King Biscuit live disc.