Steve Hackett Band – Genesis Revisited – Glenside, PA
Ah, the completion of my trifecta of Steve Hackett Band concerts on this 2013 US/Canadian Tour. I had a chance to see the second of two shows held in Glenside, PA at the Keswick Theater (even better to attend the concert with my brother!). It’s evident that the theater is undergoing a restoration…so a bit of the feeling of Darktown was the aura of the venue (with Gog and Magog swarming around and the ghosts of Keswick conspiring a bit on the house PA system, briefly!).
It was another fabulous night and the band was energetic and tight for this penultimate show on the US tour (the last being tonight in New Jersey before returning to the UK for a brief rest and then a series of UK shows). If you can, go see the concerts–they are a real treat. Last night The Lamia returned to the setlist once again. As always, if you copy and share the photos, please credit “wajobu.com”–thank you.
More on the UK Tour and beyond here: http://www.hackettsongs.com/tour.html
Roger King & “Watcher” Nad Sylvan at the opening of Watcher of the Skies
The closing section of Watcher of the Skies
From the Ridgefield, CT show (although Horizons was part of the Glenside set)
From Blood on the Rooftops (one of my favorites)
From the Ridgefield, CT show (although Blood on the Rooftops was part of the Glenside set)
“He’s been stamped human bacon…” from Supper’s Ready
Thanks to the Steve Hackett Band for a very memorable US and Canadian Tour! (L to R: Roger King, Rob Townsend, Nad Sylvan, Steve Hackett, Lee Pomeroy and Gary O’Toole)
Benjamin Finger – Listen To My Nerves Hum
Time Released Sound – TRS 030 CD – 16 tracks/031 Vinyl – 11 tracks (300 copies)
http://timereleasedsound.com/ – Mastered by Lawrence English
[Frank] Benjamin Finger is a freelance photographer and director from Oslo, Norway who has completed several short films and music videos in addition to his work in television and photo exhibitions. He has two previous albums Woods of broccoli (2009) and For you, sleepsleeper (2011). More on his previous music work is here:
http://benjaminfinger.bandcamp.com/
Listen To My Nerves Hum is a curious album—it took a few listens to settle-in with me. It’s neither soundtrack nor is it a cohesive album of music with a connective tissue other than the pieces are built upon simple (and often repetitive) phrases on piano (co-mingled with voices or field recordings). I tried to find a thread that would tie things together. The album (for me) in the end is more like incidental music to shorts scenes in a film either built upon visions or daydreams. Some tracks conceal mysterious hosts and surroundings (like Birthslides and Consonace of Fear), others sound celebratory (Ano Nuevo Acid Crackers’ fireworks and Ode To Blissa’s marching band with prominent snare drum cadence). Some tracks are somber, almost funereal as on Fearless VK. In particular, I found the first track Birthslides to be appropriate for the approaching Halloween season—rather furtive and mysterious.
Consonance of Fear (Vocals by Inga Lill-Farstad)
Some parts of Listen are quite pleasant and tranquil (Road To Salema, By Sinus and Outside of You), and others I found quite dissonant or distracting (such as Das Paris Des Second Empire Benjamin). I also detected that when adult voices were part of a given mix, the metronomic piano was played on the lower pitch end of the keyboard whereas with the sounds of children upper register notes were used.
Road To Salema
It’s a pity that I didn’t get to see one of the original 70 deluxe CD version before it sold out (boxes with collages and a small hanging sculpture made from antique piano parts known as The Hammerheaded Wippin Bird, Time Released Sound being well-known for their handmade releases): http://timereleasedsound.com/shop/releases/benjamin-finger-listen-to-my-nerves-hum-deluxe-version/
The vinyl LP (limited to 300 copies) is available here: http://timereleasedsound.com/shop/releases/benjamin-finger-listen-to-my-nerves-hum-vinyl-version/
Perhaps the label might consider releasing Tracks 12 through 16 as a digital EP to accompany the vinyl LP.
The CD version has 16 tracks, 11 tracks are on the LP: 1) Birthslides 5:06, 2) Consonance Of Fear Vocals – Inga-Lill Farstad 3:13, 3) Bogatynia In Mother 2:30, 4) Leaving Linjavegen 3:56, 5) Das Paris Des Second Empire Benjamin 2:22, 6) Road To Salema Vocals – Inga-Lill Farstad 2:50, 7) Ano Nuevo Acid Crackers 3:46, 8) Editions Du Scorpion 3:12, 9) Sevilla On Tape 5:00, 10) Returning To Birthslides 4:06, 11) Ode To Blissa 3:00, 12) By Sinus 2:40, 13) Fearless VK 4:08, 14) Lapse 2:54, 15) Voice Crackers 3:06, 16) Outside Of You 2:30
****
This is a solicited review.
wajobu 