Anthony Phillips
Anthony Phillips - Private Parts & Pieces (Passport) 1978
1. Beauty And The Beast (4:08)
2. Field Of Eternity (5:10)
3. Tibetan Yak-Music (6:09)
4. Lullaby - Old Father Time (1:15)
5. Harmonium In The Dust (or Harmonius Stradosphore) (2:29)
6. Tregenna Afternoons (7:49)
7. Stranger (6:08)
8. Reaper (7:38)
9. Autumnal (5:57)
10. Flamingo (11:06)
11. Seven Long Years (2:58)
12. Silver Song (3:19)
The first of what will be many, many more acoustic albums from former Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips. The music is mostly instrumental and based mostly around gorgeous acoustic guitars and sweeping pianos and organ. According to everything I have read, the recordings for this album cover a period of time from 1972 through 1976, so there are moments throughout the album that recall some of the more majestic moments of Genesis. This is especially true of "Field of Eternity" which is the only track in which Phillips does not compose alone. The song is co-credited to Mike Rutherford. The track is an over five minute long 12-string guitar solo which includes part of the incomplete "Flamingo" concerto and a snippet from an unrecorded Genesis song, which I assume is where Rutherford's credit is from. The album opens with "Beauty and the Beast", where Phillips performs on two pianos and an acoustic guitar, which are pieces together. However, despite being pieced together from years of work and compositions, the album flows together beautifully from beginning to end. The entire album has a relaxing, atmospheric fell and though "Private Parts & Pieces"sits slightly outside of my normal musical interests, much like Phil Keaggy's "Master & the Musician" it also sits as one of my favorite records when the mood is just right.