Customer Reviews

Out Of The Tunnel's Mouth

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Technology is wonderful these days. You can do anything, including recording at your own house. Steve actually recorded this album in his living room with the help of his keyboard player Rodger King.The guest stars are Chris Squire, Anthony Phillips and more. Steve's writing is outstanding on this one. The lyrics have a more personal approach than previous albums. The music speaks itself. From the music box beginning, to an anthem chorus and guitar solo of Fire on the Moon; to a flamingo spanish jam session Nomads. This song is where Steve should do more of. His spanish guitar playing is outstanding!! The song Tubeheads is ana all out jam session. The song also features a very talented Chris Squire hammering away like a jack hammer.The rest of the album is very good, even Anthony Phillips twelve string guitar makes an appearence on Emerald and Ash. Even though there is nothing new, this is still vintage Steve Hackett. The song Sleepers is different than most of his recordings. Trade mark rythem and mood changes throughout the song make this one a stand out. The last three are not bad either. Steve has been on a mideastern swing The song The Last Train to Istanbul with its violin and the ever intersting drums will keep the train rolling. All in all , I highly recommend this album.From the die hard to the new fan or the guitar enthusiast.

Steve is a man known for his many diverse styles. On any given album you're likely to hear a mix of classical, blues, jazz, and rock. Steve has taken a slight departure from his 'eclectic' format here, giving us an album that manages to be both diverse and consistent. Many of the songs here take a similar songwriting direction, such as Sleepers and Emerald and Ash. He still ventures out a bit into flamenco and middle-eastern sounds, even some folk/blues (don't be ashamed to love Still Waters. It's quite brilliant). His goal seems to be to write rock songs with extended and varied instrumental sections that are more reminiscent of classical music. In this area, he succeeds admirably. He gives just the right amount of space for the instruments and the vocals and never dwells too much on the same theme. I think he's created a true work of art unsurpassed by most of his previous solo albums.

While it may be true that he's not breaking much new ground musically, he's still created a totally original masterpiece utilizing fresh songwriting formulas and new sonic soundscapes. In other words Steve is still Steve, there's no changing that; however after dozens of albums he still sounds fresh and original. I think I'll be listening to this one for years to come.

Give it a go. Incredible engineering, masterful guitar work with beautiful "prog-soundscapes" from every musician. Each song will grow more and more on you which is guaranteed to fester into your psyche. Very heartfelt lyrics Steve - been a long time fan of ALL the repertoire, and I can honestly say that whether what song is played to my ears (great, good, or so so) each track completes the other.

Don't be afraid to disturb the neighbors. Just because Hackett recorded this mostly in the living room of his house direct to computer, and thus hardly making a sound out side the headphones, doesn't mean you should litsen to it that way. This deserves to be played loud. The eight songs here on the first disc play to all of Hackett's strengths. The dynamics go from hushed, Bach influenced interludes to wailing crescendoes full of extraordinary dynamics. Added to the mix are magnificent contributions from his regular band, including Roger King, and special colleagues, namely Anthony Phillips and Chris Squire. If there is a drawback to this, it is Squire as he does tend to overwhelm Phillips and Hackett. You can adjust the bass down on his contribution. The great thing is he plays with abandon and that's clearly the order of the day.
To hear Phillips and Hackett essay their efforts on acoustic 12 and 6 string guitars is to listen to the craft of playing at its very highest. And all this didgery do is in service to the songs themselves, which are among Hackett's very best. There are world influences from Andalusia to Istanbul, compelling rhythm work and imaginative lyrics. I had never been much of a fan of Hackett's voice, but he holds his own strongly on this outing. In fact, I can not imagine anyone else singing these songs with more authority.
The second disc is a collection of live cuts, hallmarks of his Genesis years. Blood on the Rooftops and Fifth of Firth are absolutely brilliant. The closer is an extra living room track. All in all, not just a bunch of extras, but songs with a life and vitality of their own.
This is a superb outing in every respect. If you are a Genesis fan, this is the best post Genesis album by any member, including Gabriel, since Hackett's revisiting of his G catalogue a few years back. If you are simply a fan of great guitar work, this ranks at the top. For Hackett, it excels in ways I wouldn't have expected. By all means, pick this up.

Well in Aug 2009 I started to get excited about this new release from Steve which was due later in the year! You see I had just booked my ticket to see one of my favourite musicians live in the Shepherd's Bush Arena in London in November. The only other time I had seen Steve live was in the National Stadium Dublin in 1972 with a then mainly unknown little band called Genesis!! (believe it or not Genesis were playing support to Lindisfarne on that tour...incredible when I think back on it now?) Anyway the London gig was just amazing!! Steve was in top form and playing brilliantly. He played a good few tasters from the "Out Of The Tunnel's Mouth" and I was impressed. I purcased my copy at the gig and over the next few days I began the the the pleasureable journey of "digesting" the new album....

I have been a Genesis fan since "Nursery Crime" which was Steve's first album with the band. From that time on I loved his guitar playing and to this day I would look upon him as being one of the greatest and most innovative guitarists and musicians of the last 4 decades. Most of his albums have been brilliant and "Out Of The Tunnel's Mouth" is no exception.

The album is different to what i would have expected after his last two rock albums "Wild Orchids" and it's predesessor "To Watch The Storms". These were both masterful works and surpassed anything he had done up until then. With "OOTTM" he has kept things much simpler and made(by his own admission)a more personal album. Yes of course it is great and is unmistakably Steve Hackett!! Like many of his recordings it is also very varied with plenty of surprises. On "Emerald And Ash" which is one of the most beautiful songs he has ever written there are reminiscences of Genesis with some lovely lyrical imagery. "Fire on the moon" "Sleepers and "Nomads" are in the same style and are very dreamy. There is exceptoinal playing and production throughout with Steve shining on electric and acoustic guitar. Some of his best guitar work ever has to be on "Still Waters" I even hear echoes of "Supper's Ready" in "Sleepers"!..? Thanks Steve!for some more incredible music....

Having purchased the near totality of Hackett's catalogue, I can heartily recommend this latest work from the Master of Sonic Landscapes. CD1 is totally new and features Steve's magnificent guitar sustain and imaginative acoustic runs. CD2 highlights live performances with the exception of the final track. Hackett's last few Prog endeavors, "To Watch The Storms" and "Wild Orchids," are proof that Steve is the Grandmaster of all things guitar and OOTTM does not disapoint in the least. Now that this gem has finally been released in the U.S., you have no reason not to add this to your collection for a decent price. It is hard to believe that an album that has been recorded in someone's living room can sound so wickedly awesome. God Bless Steve Hackett!

After folowing Mr. Hackett all these years since "Voyage" and actually conversing with him. His new CD
"Out of the Tunnels Mouth" becomes an interesting listening. I think Steve has a small "hook",where he plays real nice and quite ,then all of a sudden the band burts in with everything they have and it comes back down again.
He does this through about 3 songs. I guess its trying to hold on to the earlier years of Hackett,when he could actually write some nice tunes. I spoke to him about his change like going into "Dark Town". This was a very very dark album for him. And all he said was "wanted to do something different" I have waited a long time to get the
double cd ,that has Chris Squire playing. Its still always not worth that wait. I must commend the man
for still playing and keeping those Genesis song out there. The man has not stopped playing,while the rest
rest of Genesis has faded away like a "wind and Wuthering". Thank you Steve for giving us something to listen
to ,dont stop playing my friend. This man is now on tour,please go see him and support him. He was always the favorite underdog anyway.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME. YOU RAVE ABOUT THE HACKETT ALBUM AND EVEN MAKE REFERENCES TO THE EPIC SUPPERS READY. I THINK A BIT OVERBLOWN. I HATE COMPARISIONS TO CLASSICS AND THAT WAS GENESIS NOT JUST STEVE HACKETT. ANOTHER GREAT ENTRY INTO HACKETTS LIBRARY. NICE SUPPORT AND A VERY SOLID EFFORT. EVEN THOUGH THE PRICE IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY. BUT US HACKETT FANS WHO HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO. WITH THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN SUCH A DOWNWARD SPIRAL YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD GIVE THE CONSUMER A BREAK. BUT NO JUST SLAP IMPORT ON IT AND WATCH THE PRICE GO THROUGH THE ROOF!! IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT GET THIS CD. YOU WONT REGRET IT. NOTHING LESS THAN 5 STARS WILL DO. THAT INCLUDES IRELAND TOO!! JAKE THE SNAKE (CALIFORNIA PROG FREAK)

Just received my copy of Steve's new CD. Just like his last several releases, great stuff. A nice variety of tunes.
Highly recommended for any Hackett fan.

What can I add- regarding such a legendary guitarist like Steve Hackett? During his participation at Summer Festival in Lugano in July 2009 -He played with a strong impact and a great feeling along with the Swiss crowd too- and that particular gig let me think of the renewed sessions inside his own Recording Studio!! Instead as usual here you find a traditional style, in the vein of some classic successful rock albums such as "Watch the storms" or "Defector" (listen to the opener "Fire On The Moon"), but without forgetting his new exploration into new music territories (a sort of Spanish and ethnic folk, by thinking of the last track)...Anyway, talking about the first songs and in particular "Nomads", you can already understand and have a small "sampling" of his new music direction, which is well supported by Anthony Phillips with a 12-string guitar (obviously in the most "sensible" and acoustic parts); but his typical style is the main part of the whole work. Instead Chris Squire, regarding the bass guitar and Ferenc Kovacs at the violin represent a remarkable choice (the first one as an important member of Yes and the second one as for his strong presence inside an ensemble of World Music, called Djabe!!)...Moreover his vocalism is usually his unique defect within a few solo albums- while here it's offset by the female vocals by Amanda Lehman, as well as the backing vocals by Jo Lehman, being good...then regard John Hackett at the flute, which is able to keep on maintaining the perfect balance between the acoustic parts and those electric ones, when the electric guitar is not present and- at the end-such an important feature makes the present album well worth checking out at least (even though I don' t like his rock-blues style very much- like inside his previous album, but it's a minor defect)...ok, it's not as much important as for instance "Spectral Mornings", but a good product to buy after all!!...
Final score: between three and four stars- cause the present work is often enriched by means of previous unreleased and already listened to- stuff (already played I mean, during his recent concerts all over Europe).