Wild Orchids

Steve Hackett | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Inside Out U.S.
• ASIN: B000H9I0ZQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,054 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Until his back catalog was recently reissued, it was easy to forget what an important musician Steve Hackett was in the late 1970s and very early '80s. That was when the former Genesis guitarist was releasing LPs like Voyage of the Acolyte and Spectral Mornings. Though he's continued to record albums at a steady clip, ranging from forgettable pop to flirtations with classical music, he still faded away in the '80s. Wild Orchids finds him in the terrain of many post-prog rockers, moving all over the stylistic map. He jumps from classical on the orchestral "She Moves in Memories" to American folk on Bob Dylan's "Man in the Long Black Coat." He sings the latter in a deep baritone reminiscent of Leonard Cohen and tears off some blistering distorted blues guitar leads in the process. "A Dark Night in Toytown" almost sounds like an art song (as in classical, not art-rock) touched by a bit of Broadway. There are many echoes of the '60s, including references to Pink Floyd and especially the Beatles. "Waters of the Wild" calls up the spirit of "Tomorrow Never Knows" with a trancy rhythm and Eastern overtones as Hackett mutates his guitar from a sitar to electric sarangi. An instrumental called "Howl" ends the album, and its demonic groove and afterburner guitar recalls one of his earliest songs, "A Tower Struck Down." It reminds us that Steve Hackett hasn't quite found a voice that resonates the way it did 30 years ago--but Wild Orchids makes me think it should. --John Diliberto

Product Description

For almost 40 years now, Steve Hackett has been one of the most innovative artists on acoustic and electric guitar. His technique came to be known as landmark in the musical business and influenced rock giants like the original Genesis formation, among others. As a solo artist, he skilfully moves between various musical spheres of refined rock music. After the release of his classical album Metamorpheus, he again has produced in Wild Orchids a real rock album that bursts with experimentalism, playfulness and vigour and shines with its jazzy and folky elements. The unique artwork, which is quite characteristic for all Hackett’s works, derives its ideas entirely from Kim Poor, his wife.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars hackett: wild orchids, November 12, 2007

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AbbysK - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Wild Orchids (Audio CD)

I highly regarded Hackett's first 4 solo records but then he got boring. I would check in to see what he was doing but didn't suit me anymore until he put out "To watch the Storms". "Wild Orchids" is a great follow up to "Storms" so I'm collecting Hackett again.