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Anthony Phillips

The Golden Hour - Private Parts And Pieces XII

Review by Gary Hill

The latest in an ever-growing string of Private Parts and Pieces albums from original Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips, this release works very well. There is a nice mix between guitar and keyboard dominated pieces. There is even one full rock arrangement complete with vocals. This never feels tired or redundant. It has some high points, but there really aren't any low points. This is one of my favorites of the series.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024  Volume 3 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.

Track by Track Review
Wychmore Hill Suite I : Country Mile
The acoustic guitar stylings on this bring both a folk and soft rock vibe. It turns pretty rocking further down the road.
Wychmore Hill Suite II : Ring of Steel

This feels more dramatic somehow. It leans toward fusion and has some Spanish guitar things at play. It gets particularly intricate and more proggy later.

Wychmore Hill Suite III : Peaceful Land

I really love the energy and melodies on this acoustic instrumental that manages to rock.

Wychmore Hill Suite IV : Jack The Lad

The intricate guitar work on this really shines, while the tune has a lot of acoustic prog rocking energy. There are some different moods at play on this via different sections.

Twilight of a Diva

This piano piece is quite pretty. It seems to have both jazz and classical elements at play.

High Flight

Electronic and lush, this is another beautiful piece of music. It's a keyboard based number.

Sarabande Noir

Intricate acoustic guitar is on the menu here. This is very evocative and compelling. It has plenty of classical music elements at play.

Kathryn Downes Trad.

This piano solo is quite pleasing. It's gentle and rather classical in nature.

The Golden Hour

The multiple layers of acoustic guitar on the title track work so well. This is a moving piece of music. It has so much beauty and charm built into it.

Hour Glass

This is a short piano piece that works well.

Roads In Between (vocal version)

Here we get a real rock music arrangement. As you can guess from the parenthetical, this includes vocals. It's an effective melodic rock song. I really love everything about this when it rocks out further later, but the acoustic guitar in particular stands out.

Benediction

An acoustic guitar solo, this piece is just what you expect by this point.

Soliloquy for Sylvie

With both keyboards and acoustic guitar in the mix, there is a real sedate magic to this track. It has a sadness to it, but also real beauty.

Rushlight

This powerful guitar piece feels a lot like the early era of Genesis.

New World

More of a new age vibe permeates this slow moving, but lush track.

Cirrus

This is a short piece of atmospheric keyboard sounds.

Under The Southern Stars

The piano modes on this are quite classically based and very pretty.

Sea Drift

We're back to acoustic guitar now. This is an intricate solo piece. At less than a minute long, it's also very short.

Night Spectre

Trippy electronics are on the menu here.

Mean Streets

Built on more of a full fusion arrangement, I really dig the bass work on this.

Sky Diving

I love the energy and vibe of this electronic piece. It reminds me a little of Synergy perhaps. It has some synthetic orchestration and chorale sounds.

Summer's Lease

Here we get more piano work. This is evocative and pretty.

His Final Bow

There is a synthetic richness to the keyboard textures on this closing number.

 
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