Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Let's talk to the Trees again!, 9 Mar 2007
For many the underlying memory of this album is the yucky green vinyl of the original LP release. Oh the days of novelty vinyl! However what was contained in the grooves was Steve Hillage at his space rock best. After the more song orientated "Motivation Radio", with "Green" Hillage allowed himself to stretch out instrumentally. Plenty of his trademark soaring guitar playing and lots and lots of synths. The album was beautifully produced by Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, who also added "echo drums" to "Leylines in Glassdom", though the CD notes fail to mention this. I actually think that in time Nick Mason will be better remembered in the annals of rock for his work in the production seat rather than the drum stool. Just listen to Robert Wyatt's "Rock Bottom"!
"Green" starts with the wonderfully rich "Sea Nature". This was recently given a sterling cover by German prog band RPWL. The use of sequencers and synths throughout is a clear pointer to Hillage's future work as the techno outfit System 7. But Hillage was always aware of what musically was happening around him. The following album "Open" showed clear new wave influences. "Sea Nature" flows effortlessly into the dreamy "Ether Ships". I love the way this builds up over the bubbling sequencers. Not until near the end does Andy Anderson's cascading drums come in to lead Hillage's guitar off into the fade out. Then onto the languid "Musick of the Trees". This is hazy, easy going, summertime stuff. As is the lovely "Palm Trees (Live Guitar)", which is Hillage's simplest love song and features another in his long line of gorgeous guitar solos. There is a laid back, organic feel to the album as a whole which suits the eco-aware lyrical themes presented. But everything leads to the climax of " The Glorious Om Riff", which in essence is a re-working of Gong's mighty "Master Builder". After this there is nothing more needed! At this point Hillage was nearing burn-out with his phenomenal work rate of producing at least an album a year, in fact "Green" was released barely 6 months after "Motivation Radio"! How he managed to keep the quality level so high is quite an achievement.
Again with all the remasters in this series of re-issues, Paschal Byrne's remastering is subtle and effective, making these recordings sound the way they should. The bonus tracks, personally chosen by Hillage, are really worth inclusion. Of particular note are an excellent, extended live version of "Not Fade Away", including a nod to Gong's "I Never Glid Before" and an exuberant version of "Octave Doctors".
Kudos to Mark Powell in managing this re-issue series. For me listening to these albums again has brought back so many fond memories and reacquainted me with the fact that Steve Hillage was such an original musical visionary.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "Magick" album re-mastered to perfection..., 24 Mar 2007
Of all Steve Hillage's wonderful solo albums, this one holds a very special place in my heart, along with "And Not Or/For To Next," which, despite the use of drum machines, has some wonderful songs and playing.
To me, this is a very personal album, the ecological concept way before its time in the broader world meaning far more now than then I think.
The music in many ways continues to develop the feel of the slightly earlier "Motivation Radio," Steve, Miquette and band trying their best to lift the listener into a higher, more aware and happier frame of mind. Despite the Punk explosion at this time, there were enough of the "Post Hippy" generation like me around to enjoy the music and the spectacular playing contained within Steve's albums has more than stood the test of time, sounding fresher than ever now I can more easily hear what was going on deep in the mix.
The original LP and CD release of this one was always very good indeed, to be fair. Indeed, Steve himself mastered the first CD issue. This re-mastering has subtly improved the ease in which the deepest layers of the mix can be enjoyed and this release, compared to the original, should be a good comparison of how good early CD releases of '70's material can be and how much more subtle modern technology can make them...
The music here has always been truly sublime in its beauty. The musicianship on 'Hillage albums was always of the highest order and there seems an air of happiness that spreads across all of his releases, continuing unabated into his System 7 work too... The bonus tracks are well worth having too, showing how good Steve was and still is as a live performer.
If you haven't got a Steve Hillage CD in your collection, I'd strongly recommend this one. The music is sublime in its purity and sincerity and time, if anything, has enhanced it.
SINCERELY RECOMMENDED!
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent, 9 Feb 2007
This and the Live Herald are simply quality guitar rock!I still remember sitting at a bar with a few friends praising the guitarist Steve Hillage, Fish rising had just come out, and the guitar player we were talking to, Just didnt get it!. He was saying that Steve relied on computers and keyboards to hide his mediocre playing. I rushed out bought a copy and new that this was a guitarist of the highest calibre, maybe the chap at the bar had sour grapes or some personal reason why he should slag of Steve!! I have been a life long fan since getting early material on vinyl, then CD. even before You by Gong. Try Arzachel and hear the ideas this mind of Mr Hillage was seeing...Green is a Prog/Jazz/fusion/space/Rock tour de force and will be even better remastered! plus bonus out-takes. Super guitarist.Super album.
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