Yes and former Asia guitarist Steve Howe has announced the details of his latest solo album, Guitarscape, which he says sits a little outside his usual canon.
The follow-up to last year’s Motif Volume 2, the 14-track album has been described as a “guitar masterclass” by its creator, who has partnered with his son and drummer, Dylan Howe, for the LP.
“We get on great and he seems to know what to play around my guitar, it’s almost instinctive,” he says of their familial relationship. “Dylan and I fit together really beautifully. We’ve had the chance to do this together, so it’s wonderful.”
The new material will traverse the multitude of guitar styles Steve Howe has explored throughout his effervescent career, from rock, jazz, and classical to Spanish guitar and pedal steel.
“This album has given me the opportunity to do something different,” says Howe. “I’ve utilized most of the colors, as I like to I think of my styles, and I’m always pleased when I hear them running through and it moves from a steel, maybe, to a Spanish guitar.”
Save for the drums, he plays all instruments on the recording, taking in acoustic, electric, steel, and bass guitars along with keyboards. The latter has reshaped his approach to chord progressions and songwriting, helping the record evolve into one that distinguishes itself from his other solo releases.
“I bought a Novatron Summit keyboard and found that it had a wealth of inspiring sounds,” Howe details. “It gave me a golden opportunity to create chordal movements and structures that I thought were a bit different.
“I think differently on a keyboard, I don’t see the chords looking the same, but then I had fun playing around with the guitar to see where that goes.
“Because it’s a different sort of album,” he expands, “I’m not using terribly conventional chord sequences but things that give me a fresh feeling and opportunities to improvise and stretch out as well as be melodic and make this a nice tuneful experience.”
Although unconfirmed, Howe’s beloved Gibson ES-175, an ever-stay since a then-17-year-old Howe bought it in 1964, is expected to feature.
He updated his live rig in 2020, pairing the vintage Gibson with a Line 6 Helix modeling amp, saying pedalboards are “passé to me.”
“I like to press one button and radically change my sound. That is heaven,” he says. “The [Line 6] Helix can do everything I can possibly want and, therefore, that’s all I want to use.”
Guitarscape is set for a September 27 release via Howe’s own Howesound label. It will be available in CD, vinyl, Dolby Atmos, and digital formats.
Head to Howe’s Linkfire page to pre-order the LP.
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