| Track: | Rating: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cavalcanti | | | | | |
| 2. The Sleeping Sea | | | | | |
| 3. Portrait Of A Brazilian Lady | | | | | |
| 4. When The Bell Breaks | | | | | |
| 5. A Bed, A Chair, And A Guitar | | | | | |
| 6. Concert For Munich | | | | | |
| 7. Last Rites Of Innocence | | | | | |
| 8. Troubled Spirit | | | | | |
| 9. Variation On A Theme By Chopin | | | | | |
| 10.Pierrot | | | | | |
| 11.Momentum | | | | | |
| 12.Bouree | | | | | |
| 13.An Open Window | | | | | |
| 14.The Vigil | | | | | |
All tracks written by Steve Hackett except "Bouree" (J.S. Bach) and the first section of "A Bed, A Chair And A Guitar" (traditional).
Steve Hackett once claimed that the GTR project "wasn't the most subtle thing [he] ever did", but that it "filled the coffers" nicely for his next acoustic project. This suggests that dances with the devil can sometimes be useful, if you're the one calling the tune.
Although released only two years after GTR, Momentum has absolutely nothing to do with that fiasco. In fact, if one were to listen to Momentum in conjunction with Hackett's Bay Of Kings (1983) and Till We Have Faces (1984), one could almost be convinced that GTR was nothing more than a horrible collective dream.
Momentum was Hackett's second full-length venture into acoustic, classical guitar performance. He'd already proven his credibility in the genre with Bay Of Kings, which featured a series of guitar vignettes written in honour of his Brazilian travels (with his Brazilian- born wife, Kim Poor). That album, performed with keyboardist Nick Magnus, painted a number of scenes derived from the South American oceanside -- impressionistic colour patterns abounded, especially in the majestic "Petropolis". It was a radical step for Hackett, and was met with some resistance (particularly from Charisma Records, which refused to release it). In retrospect, it's also one of his most important albums.
With Momentum, Hackett managed to refine his skills in composing music of this sort. Some of the compositions on this release are longer, and more thematically ambitious. Hackett's decision to record the album without a strong reliance on keyboard accompaniment also indicates his strengthened confidence -- by handling the multi-layered melodic lines on his own, Hackett gave himself the ability to explore the richness his guitar was capable of providing.
Another distinction between Bay Of Kings and Momentum is the subtle incorporation of jazz elements into the performance. While no-one would mistake Momentum for the first side of My Goals Beyond, Hackett nevertheless manages to work a few more sevenths into the mix than before. In conjunction with his normal tendencies towards pastoral folkiness and classical austerity, this has a rather impressive effect, and helps give him a unique voice within the field. His classical performances since then have withdrawn from this direction, which is a shame -- his clever shadings are one of the best aspects of Momentum.
The austere beauty of the album is perhaps most evident on "Cavalcanti", its very first track. Despite Hackett's claim that the piece was inspired by a love of horses, there's still a strong oceanic pull on the track (akin to the better aspects of "Petropolis", in some respects). The jazziness seems to enter the track via a side door, and the whole thing constantly suggests darker patterns which are never fully explored. At about 4:40, John Hackett suddenly makes a surprise guest appearance, briefly taking the lead melody in a section which compares favourably to the instrumental moments in early Genesis -- he's gone in less than a minute, though, leaving Steve to bring the number full circle.
"The Sleeping Sea" is one of the most evocative titles on the album, and the music matches it quite nicely. The lead melody is shadowy and elusive, as the listener might expect. Hackett's reference to Debussy, in the liner notes, seems appropriate for this work.
"Portrait Of A Brazilian Lady" is dedicated to Nina, Kim's mother, and suggests a solid personality -- rippling lines provide a gentle transcendence on the surface of the piece, with more complex features lying immediately beneath the surface. Hackett's jazzier tendencies mingle with a Bay Of Kings starkness on this track to a very satisfying effect. (The end, incidentally, is a bit puzzling, and may represent a personal dedication of some sort -- I'm not entirely certain of what he had in mind.)
"When The Bell Breaks" is another oceanic piece, featuring a flamenco performance -- as Hackett notes, the technique gives the impression of two simultaneous guitar lines. The top melody is the piece's primary strength, which is otherwise fairly stable throughout its development (note that this is a description, not a condemnation).
"A Bed, A Chair And A Guitar" is divided into three sections. The first, a traditional piece entitled "Nicola" exudes an extremely Victorian countenance; this is following by a folky section, loosening the binds of the introduction in a subtle manner. After this, Hackett finally decides to wear his jazz influence on his sleeve, while somehow maintaining the solidly-English nature of the piece. One section towards the end seems modeled on Charles Mingus, interestingly enough.
"Concert For Munich" is something of an "odd track out" on the album, having been originally commissioned by Tony Stratton-Smith for a film about the Manchester United FC(!). It's not completely out of place on purely music lines, however, although it is very distinctively "film music" in a way that the surrounding tracks are not. Steve seems to be playing a guitar synthesizer, while John once again guests on flute; the end result is not unlike their duets on Voyage Of The Acolyte. This might have fit better on the second side of Guitar Noir, but it's still a good piece on its own terms.
Hackett's baroque influences are strongly pronounced in "Last Rites Of Innocence" -- the top line even takes the sound of a harpsichord for a few seconds! Not for the first time on the release, the austerity of the format works to Hackett's advantage, creating more powerful imagery in the tradition of the Bay Of Kings tracks.
"Troubled Spirit" begins with something of a disturbed melody, as befits the title -- the sparse lead intertwines with some fragments of a more agitated mind. This track may take a number of listens to reveal its charms, especially as its plot (by far its least interesting aspect, eventually resolving on a more positive note) can be an unwanted distraction.
Chopin may not be the most imaginative choice for one venturing into the classical idiom, but Hackett still manages to come up with something interesting for his "Variations". Not all of his tangents come up winners, but there's enough solid material here to make the journey worthwhile.
"Pierrot" was the first track written for the album, a brief vignette depicting a childhood fantasy about the famous doll. It's a touching piece, in its way, though it may also be the least satisfying track on the album -- there isn't much drama here, somehow. One shouldn't criticize an obviously "innocent" piece like this too harshly, but that's not much lying beneath the surface on this one.
"Momentum" was the final track on the original album release. It features a vibrant Spanish melody, busily developed (ie. with many notes) unto its conclusion -- the middle section isn't quite as engaging as the beginning or end, but this isn't a major complaint. One might wonder, though, if this was really the best note on which to end the release -- unlike "Calmaria" (from Bay Of Kings), it doesn't draw an obvious conclusion ... nor does it really point anywhere else.
Thankfully, the inclusion of three bonus tracks on the CD reissue managed to bury this problem -- as well as creating additional incentives to acquire the album. While the bonus numbers on Bay Of Kings added little to the overall quality of that work, these three tracks bring Momentum to an even higher level.
"Bouree" is Hackett's brief adaptation of the famous Bach piece (from the Lute Suite No. 1, and also featured on Jethro Tull's "Bourree"). The composition, of course, is completely solid, and Hackett's performance competent. One possible complaint, from a classical standpoint, is that Hackett is a bit too austere this time around, focusing so strongly on the melody line that the potential for drama within the piece is squandered (compare with Julian Breen's recent version of this piece and you'll see what I mean ...). Still, it's a nice touch.
"An Open Window", though, is the true gem of this section, and possibly the best track on the entire album. Almost ten minutes in length, this tracks presents an image of a complex afternoon reverie -- following the mind's travels through a variety of different forms. English folk, jazz, and even progressive shadings get their due here, with interesting melodic developments throughout. Hackett claims that this piece wasn't completed in time for the initial release, which is perhaps the only justifiable reason for its exclusion.
The album then ends on a proper note with "The Vigil", a simple and sparse piece of master craftsmanship, modeled on Venetian stylings. The richness of this piece is comparable to "Calmaria" in its sense of bringing the greater narrative to completion.
This album is strongly recommended for fans of Hackett and early Genesis (although they may wish to buy Bay Of Kings first).
(review originally posted to alt.music.yes on 17 Apr 2000)