Steve Howe

If there's one thing listeners have learned about the solo projects of Yes members (or former Yes members), it's that no one should expect their solo output to be a carbon copy of Close to the Edge or Fragile. That has been true of Chris Squire and Alan White; it is also true of Steve Howe, whose solo projects have ranged from Yes-minded to not so Yes-minded. This 2003 release finds a 56-year-old Howe leading a five-man group called Remedy, which unites the guitarist/singer with two of his sons (keyboardist Virgil Howe and drummer Dylan Howe) as well as saxophonist Gilad Atzmon and bassist Derrick Taylor. Far from an exact replica of Yes, the versatile Remedy has a progressive rock orientation but also gets into everything from bluesy folk-rock ("Where I Belong") to instrumental jazz fusion ("Westwinds," "Pacific Haze"). Steve Howe, quite frankly, has always been a much better guitarist than singer; he's a superb musician, but merely an adequate vocalist. And the fact that Elements contains an abundance of instrumentals -- some fusion, some progressive rock -- is a definite plus. Giving Howe a chance to stretch out and display his virtuosity as a guitarist certainly isn't a bad thing. For that matter, Howe handles himself nicely on the mandolin, dobro, and dulcimer, all of which he plays as secondary instruments. Saying that Howe is merely an adequate singer isn't saying that he shouldn't sing at all. A vocalist doesn't need a fantastic range to offer something meaningful -- Madonna, like Chet Baker, has often excelled despite her technical limitations as a singer -- and when Howe does sing on this CD, he successfully gets his points across. Elements isn't among Howe's essential solo efforts, but it's a decent, respectable outing that deserves credit for its diversity. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide