Spirit of the Unicorn (inscription)
November 24, 2023 (released)
November 24, 2023
On top of all this, he found time to record and release several solo albums and these 6 are celebrated in this new box set. There are a number of bonus tracks and 2 CDs of rare and previously unreleased live and studio material.
Starting out as a bass player to avoid any conflict with his brother's classical career, he became a multi-talented player and songwriter and was highly influential in the Prog and Melodic Rock genres.
From 1980's 'Caught In The Crossfire' to 2011's 'Raised In Captivity', his music is categorized by his strong bass lines (often using the famous Chapman Stick) and his clear and forward baritone vocals.
To an extent, the music is 'of its time' and you can clearly hear the progression of music over the 30 years these albums span, but what is clear in every track is the sheer musicianship of the man. The music transcends style or date and is remarkably audible today.
He had many top musicians working with him on these albums – such as guitarist Martin Barre (of Jethro Tull), drummer Simon Kirke (of Bad Company), as well as saxophonist Malcolm Duncan (of Average White Band) all collaborated with him . 'Caught In The Crossfire) while Robert Fripp, Steve Lukather and Simon Phillips also feature on other albums.
I have been amazed at how well this material has stood the test of time. The game's template has a lot to do with it, but a lot of credit has to go to the songwriting itself – not exactly AI-generated pop-mulch.
There's a lot here, but with the nights drawing in, there's no better time to soak up some great music – one of the best compilations I've heard recently.