Light Walls

by Greg PratoCarlos Santana seemed to kick off an early-21st century music industry craze -- by combining a crusty classic rock veteran with other star-studded talent (as evidenced by Santana's highly commercial yet mega-hit Supernatural). On first glance, it appears as that longtime Yes guitarist Steve Howe also followed this guideline to a degree with his 2003 solo release, Light Walls. But in actuality, the double-disc set collects highlights from a pair of Howe solo releases -- 1999's Portraits of Bob Dylan and 2001's Natural Timbre. There's no Rob Thomas or Lauryn Hill to be found here, but there are quite a few names that will be familiar to many who have a Yes CD or two in their collections. Featured are guest appearances by Yes' Jon Anderson, Asia's (and brief Yes member) Geoffrey Downes, and GTR's Max Bacon. Expectedly, quite a few Bob Dylan covers abound throughout, including "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" (which features Anderson) and "Going, Going, Gone" (which features Bacon), as well as Howe originals, including the country strains of "Family Tree" and the Asia-sounding title track. To sample what Howe was up to in the late '90s and early 21st century, Light Walls is a swell sampler.