Steve Rothery, The Ghosts Of Pripyat

album by Steve Rothery:
Steve Rothery Band
Version:
MP3
Price:
£6:93

Reviewed by:
Rating:
5
On 20 September 2014
Last modified:20 September 2014

Summary:

"It's inspiring stuff when you can't pick out one individual song on this album thats better than the rest. Their all so good it's impossible!"

For the first time in many years I’ve actually felt myself emotionally moved by a piece of music! Not since British rock group Rainbow produced the B-side track ‘Weiss Heim‘, have I heard such an amazing sound. Steve Rothery of Marillion fame, has put together an album of seven beautifully crafted songs to take you on a magical carpet ride. During the albums conception (which was recorded at Real World Studios in Wiltshire) he also invited guests Steve Hackett who was lead guitarist with Genesis, and part of their classic line up with Gabriel, Collins, Banks and Rutherford, and also Steven Wilson, the acclaimed guitarist. Both Steve’s performed with Steve Rothery on several tracks, and to dramatic effect!

Morpheus ” quietly awakes from your speakers slowly growing in a somewhat mystic swirling manner, and then gently caresses your ears. At the mid point the sound builds to heady multi riff laden duel guitar session, Rothery uses a special Vo-96 equipped Farida acoustic guitar. Steve Hackett teams up with him on both this song and the third song ‘The Old Man of the Sea ’, which also features a stunning solo by the much lauded Steven Wilson. With “Morpheus” comes the great use of piano and Hammond organ effects to accompany in the back ground a nice bass and drum combo which keeps it all together just perfectly. The next song on the album “Kendris ” I really enjoyed. If I go off on one please forgive me. When I hear this track I’m just whisked off to firstly the Australian outback, with what I thought sounded like an Aboriginal bass beat intertwined with Asian riffs and a little hint of a Moroccan slant? All these sounds mixed up with western style melodic rock over-plays really does lift your spirit, and I for one couldn’t help but drift off into my own tiny world of day dream scenarios. “White Pass “, from start to finish, brilliant! I’ll keep this one as a surprise, but just after half way through this song something really special happens. If you like your music Zeppelin-ized this is one track you’ll like. Magical stuff for sure!!

Yesterdays Hero ” offers yet another musical twisting mix of regional sounds. The guitar playing on this track by Steve Rothery really does take the album to a higher plain. Myself I can hear past hints of Marillion, with this time a slight hint of old Scotland in the style perhaps? It’s inspiring stuff when you can’t pick out one individual song on this album thats better than the rest. Their all so good it’s impossible!  I just left it on repeat and drifted away in the dark to another place! Again “Summers End “, awesome guitar work from our lead man, but of course lets not forget all the other guys who helped on this album who over the course of 2013-14 laid down all the foundations that built this stunning piece of work!

Steve Rothery:- “I had a few strong ideas and got together for a couple of writing sessions with my good friend and fellow guitarist Dave Foster. Dave and I have a great musical chemistry which brought forth a lot of amazing music. After a couple of days rehearsal with the fantastic rhythm section of Leon Parr and Yatim Halimi I realised this was going to be something really special.” 

Last and album title song is “The Ghosts Of Pripyat“.  After a beautiful acoustic guitar duo starts off the song, it then comes to life with a gusto. The acoustic themed beginning is now carried through the entire song using electric guitars, organs, drums, bass and synthesized sounds to make an eclectic heady mix of a title track. Below you will find just a teaser of an official video from Steve Rothery, and to be real honest, yes it does a good job. But to really appreciate this album you need to listen to it in it’s entirety. My own CD is now on order, I suggest you get yours soon before they run out of stock!!

 

 

The Steve Rothery Band                 ~ Steve Rothery – Guitar, Dave Foster – Guitar, Leon Parr – Drums, Yatim Halimi – Bass Guitar                                                                                                                                          Riccardo Romano – Keyboards.

 

Album Track List                                       ~Morpheus ~ Kendris ~ The Old Man O f The Sea ~ White Pass ~ Yesterday’s Hero ~

                                                                                                     ~ Summers End ~ The Ghosts Of Pripyat ~

   

The Album ~ Out 22/09/2014, will be available as a standard CD and a CD + DVD special edition digipack, via www.steverothery.com and www.marillion.com, as well as via digital platforms including iTunes.

 

Tour Dates ~

5th Nov – GLASGOW Oran Mor
6th Nov – MANCHESTER Band On The Wall
7th Nov – BILSTON Robin 2
8th Nov – LONDON Bush Hall

 

 

"It's inspiring stuff when you can't pick out one individual song on this album thats better than the rest. Their all so good it's impossible!"

About Dave Bradbery

Dave Bradbery. A writer/Interviewer & contributor to Planetmosh.comMy favorite motto is:-"You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need!" ( Rolling Stones,1969 ) very true words.