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Anthony Phillips: Wise After The Event - Deluxe Edition

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Anthony Phillips: Wise After The Event - Deluxe Edition
A founding member of the time-honored progressive rock band Genesis, guitarist Anthony Phillips suffered from stage fright and followed his physicians' advice by departing the group in 1970 after Trespass was released. In hindsight, the guitarist may have lost out on some lucrative paychecks, but since the golden days of prog he's amassed an impressive discography as a solo artist.

This clamshell boxed-set should kindle the appetites of Phillips' fan base and completists. This reissue presents a concentrated focus on Phillips' second solo album originally issued in 1978 for Passport Records. Included are the obligatory out-takes and demos, a new crystalline stereo mix, and an audiophile DVD-audio disc, which offers a higher sampling rate than conventional CDs. For repeated listens and reviewing purposes I focused on the stereo remix of the core album.

In addition to his guitar expertise, Phillips is a multi-instrumentalist. And the box includes a foldout with the lyrics and a comprehensive booklet with updated notes. Moreover, legendary drummer Michael Giles—who made a huge impression with his advanced techniques during the original lineup of King Crimson—is featured on various tracks, along with his one-time Crimson band-mate, reedman Mel Collins. Caravan bassist John G. Perry also lends his wares and the album was produced by influential musician and bandleader, Rupert Hine. Other than the rockers, Wise After The Event is not a crash and burn effort as Phillips imparts a British Canterbury scene type impression in several movements along with exquisite treatments via his arsenal of guitars and keys.

Phillips' mellifluous and largely, cordial vocals add a pensive element to these rather enchanting works. His musical personification from Genesis sneaks its way into the program. For example, he blends acoustic folk with dreamy vocals on "We're All As We Lie," followed by Giles' pulsating backbeats and an enduring melody line. But Collins adds a sanguine anecdote on sax that offsets the thrusting rock groove, leading to the following piece "Birdsong and Reprise," anchored by Phillips blissful thematic content and sustain driven electric guitar lines.

"Moonshooter" is a Phillips piano ballad, broadened by a stately flute-based synth pattern that develops into a cinematic orchestral part. Hence, the leader's formal classical training gets put to use here. Additional ballads and capricious segments span the remaining tracks along with majestic narratives, including "Now What Are They Doing To My Little Squirrel Friends," which surges forth as a classic prog rocker of yore, once again kindling thoughts of vintage Genesis.

Wise After The Event is generally viewed as one of Phillips' finest solo efforts to date, and is among several worthy reissues that receive an overhaul with state-of-the-art remastering processes and other pleasantries executed by this UK-based label. Even though this era of prog rock is long gone, many of us middle-aged folks wish it never ended.

Track Listing

Extras – We’re All As We Lie Link; Sleeping On The Interstellar Plane; Paperchase (instrumental demo); Birdsong (instrumental demo); Moonshooter (Cottage Tapes demo); We’re All As We Lie (Cottage Tapes demo); Pulling Faces (Cottage Tapes demo); Squirrel (instrumental mix); Wise After The Event (instrumental mix); Magic Garden (solo piano mix); We’re All As We Lie (7-inch single mix); Regrets (piano mix); Chinaman (basic guitar mix); Now What (Are They Doing To My Little Friends) (instrumental mix). CD3 The Original Stereo Mix Re-mastered – We’re All As We Lie; Birdsong and Reprise; Moonshooter; Wise After The Event; Pulling Faces; Regrets; Greenhouse; Paperchase; Now What (Are They Doing To My Little Friends); Squirrel. CD4 DVD (audio only) The 2016 5.1 Surround Sound Mix.

Personnel

Anthony Phillips: guitar, sitar, organ, bass, Polymoog, Mellotron ARP Pro Soloist, vocals; John G. Perry: bass; Rupert Hine: percussion; Jeremy Gilbert: piano, harp, synth, vocals; Hugh Etheridge: drums; Michael Giles: drums; Vic Stench: finger- clicks; Humbert Ruse: finger-clicks; Mel Collins: soprano saxophone;

Album information

Title: Wise After The Event - Deluxe Edition | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Cherry Red Records

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