octopus92
“Libéré de Genesis, on comprend mieux à l’écoute de ce disque pourquoi Steve prétendait que le groupe n’acceptait pas toujours ses idées…(deux titres refusés lors des séances de “Wind and wuthering” y figurent)
Ici, cela foisonne et tout est interprété avec une maîtrise exceptionnelle ! Cela commence dès le premier titre avec ses guitares splendides et son refrain entêtant, puis enchaîne avec les trouvailles vocales de “Carry on up the vicarage”, l’émouvant “Kim” en hommage à la femme de Steve (peintre dans la vie et qui désignera une grande partie des pochettes des disques de son mari), le jazzy “Hoping love will last” magnifiquement chanté par Randy Crawford, la suite instrumentale de l’ancienne deuxième face vinyl jusqu’au dernier titre et sa fin en apesanteur (chanté par Richie Havens qui avait assuré la première partie de Genesis en 1977) !
La présence surprenante de musiciens américains (Crawford, Chester Thompson mais surtout deux membres du groupe Kansas) mélangée aux compositions bien européennes permettent un résultat subtil avec des morceaux très forts ayant chacun une identité propre.
L’inventivité et la diversité des compositions est de toute beauté et ne lassera pas l’auditeur.
A noter sur l’édition remastérisée, une version différente de “Narnia” chantée par un anglais John Perry, prévue initialement en promo 45 tours mais jamais publiée pour d’obscures raisons de royalties”.
WhiteWinter
“L’album qui lance vraiment la carrière solo de Steve, après son départ de Genesis.
On a souvent reproché à cet album une trop grande impersonnalité, en raison du fait que la majorité des chansons contiennent un ou des invités. Parmi ceux-ci, Steve Walsh et sa superbe voix, sur le lumineux Narnia. On retrouvera également Randy Crawford sur l’étonnament jazzy “Hoping love will last”, Richie Havens (un des héros de Woodstock) sur “How can I ?” et “Icarus ascending”. Ce dernier morceau est le plus représentatif de l’éclectisme qui habite cet album, mélangeant parties reggae et d’autres à la limite du grandiose ! Une grande richesse doublée d’une certaine ouverture qui me laisse toujours un peu perplexe en tant que tout. N’en demeurent pas moins d’excellents morceaux, notamment Kim (duo guitare acoustique-flûte) et la suite progressive de l’ancienne seconde face (“Land of a thousand autumns” / “Please don’t touch”).”
Tracklist
Things they taught you at school
Can sometimes disappear
Why do you disbelieve
The things I said were true
Of a land nothing planned It’s just happens
Girls and boys who shout come out to play
With a queen cold as ice
You’d best take my advice
To steer clear of her charm
She’s easily annoyed
What’s that sound, you turn around
There just happen to be bells
And reindeers drawing a sleigh
There troubled with snow covered peaks
Till the end of time
We know you’re a daughter of eve
And a friend of mine
Yes I’m cenain that you
Will influence the rest
She could turn you to stone
You’re suitably impressed
And so easily led
There just happen to be repercussions
Months ahead
….Body was found at the vicarage quarter past nine…..
….People die from sudden strokes all the time…..
….Verdict of misadventure mending the roof…..
The doctor’s niece, whilst tending the rosehedge…..
….Stunq to death by a swarm of bees…..
My wife’s cooking is out of this world take a bite…..
Died from some rare tropical disease in the night…..
Dab hand at pharmaceuticals, still no one guessed ….
The village vet was drowned in the pigswill
You wonder whose turn will be next
In the world of sinners all are condemned
my son this gun’s loaded
(A missing floorboard) then screaming from the belfry he fell
When I feel I’m over reacting
and I’m trying too hard it might
that I need to get out in the country
my friend
There are many ways of seeking my fortune
I don’t really have to lose my mind
on the highway (my) thoughts always racing
away to the sun
no one’s stopping me
from lying around
There’s surely something to it all
taking a friend
I know that I can share
another day in the warm country air
(instrumental)
The local radio says sorry time to go
But, I don’t sleep too well. Where are those Southern Belles
Tryn a’ get a telephone line through South Caroline
Your call may bring somebody down from miles around
I’m watching her eyes again. I won’t use no fountain pen.
The lady isn’t here. The message wasn’t clear.
She left an hour ago, screamed from the floor below.
Mother nature never gives in, she wants you to sing
But how can I go on just singing this song
My car’s out of gas again. Hurry home to see my friend
Money won’t help you to win a new look at things
Lovinq can bring you down so you fall
Then why do you still try to get up at all
Your good’n bad side showin through
Problems are a part of you
You must love someone else or face life by yourself
You may expect a call. She’s waiting in the hall
See the garden grows and it grows nobody else knows
And you can wear just any old thing, the show can begin
I’m falling asleep to dream. No more hills to climb it seems
Money won’t help you to win a new look at things
You never give in
So why don’t you sing
But how can I go on just singing this song
My car’s out of gas again
I’ll be home to see my friend
There are many friends that I once knew
who felt the same special thing that I share with you
They’ve growm apart in different ways
I wonder if someone hears as I start to say
Hoping love will last
I’m hoping love will last on and on
Why do I dream love’s labour’s lost
I’m just a face with a name that you soon forgot
but when I’m scared the most, the nightmare ends
then safe and sound I awake in your arms again
hoping love will last
Yes I ‘m hoping love will last on and on
How can I go on alone when your love is all I’ve known
Sometimes we stay many miles away
you know you’re here every minute throughout the day
within my thoughts, so take good care
I only wait for the moments we both can share
hoping love will last I’m hoping love will last on and on
(instrumental)
(instrumental)
(instrumental)
There are many things that I would rather do
Many many places I would rather be
Splendour wings of ambition
Melted by the sun
To the sea of remorse
Graveyard come
Dogs that bark at night are fearful of the moon
Will the sound of children’s joys remain in tune
The same light shines on vineyards
That makes deserts its true
What awaits me if I follow you
All that’s behind me
And I flew this time
Never falling
Since your eyes first touched mine
Things they taught you at school
Can sometimes disappear
Why do you disbelieve
The things I said were true
Of a land nothing planned It’s just happens
Girls and boys who shout come out to play
With a queen cold as ice
You’d best take my advice
To steer clear of her charm
She’s easily annoyed
What’s that sound, you turn around
There just happen to be bells
And reindeers drawing a sleigh
There troubled with snow covered peaks
Till the end of time
We know you’re a daughter of eve
And a friend of mine
Yes I’m certain that you
Will influence the rest
She could turn you to stone
You’re suitably impressed
And so easily led
There just happen to be repercussions
Months ahead
Things they taught you at school
Can sometimes disappear
Why do you disbelieve
The things I said were true
Of a land nothing planned It’s just happens
Girls and boys who shout come out to play
With a queen cold as ice
You’d best take my advice
To steer clear of her charm
She’s easily annoyed
What’s that sound, you turn around
There just happen to be bells
And reindeers drawing a sleigh
There troubled with snow covered peaks
Till the end of time
We know you’re a daughter of eve
And a friend of mine
Yes I’m certain that you
Will influence the rest
She could turn you to stone
You’re suitably impressed
And so easily led
There just happen to be repercussions
Months ahead
Infos générales
Sorti en 1978
Steve Hackett : guitares electriques et acoustiques, chant (2), claviers, percussions
John Hackett : flûtes, piccolos, pédalier basse, claviers
Richie Havens : chant (5, 10), percussions
Randy Crawford : chant (6)
Steve Walsh : chant (1, 3)
John Acock : claviers
Dave Lebolt : claviers
Tom Fowler : basse
Chester Thompson : batterie, percussions
Phil Ehart : batterie, percussions
James Bradley : percussions
Graham Smith : violon
Hugh Malloy : violoncelle
Dale Newman : choeurs (10)
Dan Owen : choeurs (10)
Maria Bonvino : chant soprano (6)
Produit par John Acock et Steve Hackett