Saturday, August 2, 2014
Steve Hillage Rainbow 1977 Gonzo 2014
Steve Hillage remains
one of the most recognizable and influential guitarists in the
world!
Brent Black / www.critialjazz.com
Steve Hillage gained
world wide attention for his work with prog legends Gong. Long associated with
the infamous Canterbury scene and successfully pushing his own harmonic
boundaries in bands such as System 7, Steve Hillage is the perfect example of
the evolution of the modern guitarist. Between 1976 and 1979, Hillage released
several critically acclaimed records including this long lost treasure live from
the Rainbow Theatre in London.
What immediately works
is the overall sound of the band. The natural inclination would be that a 1977
recording is going to sound well...dated. Rainbow 1977 sounds as though it could
have been done in the last few years. There is a crisp forward motion in the
material, Hillage is at the very top of his game while an oddly spiritual vibe
runs through the entire set. An ethereal quality lacking pretentious overkill is
a tough tightrope to walk, Hillage makes it look effortless. Winning tracks
include Octave Doctors, Radio and Hurdy Gurdy Man.
Six string
aficionados not familiar with Hillage since the death of the traditional album
rock radio will be blown away.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO
No comments:
Post a Comment