Yes guitarist Steve Howe has announced that he will release a second volume of his Motif collection, Motif Volume 2, through his own Howesound label on November 24.
Following on from 2008's Motif, ...Volume 2 also sees Howe recording new acoustic guutar pieces and revisiting some favourite from his back catalogue, including new version of Yes's Mood For A Day from 1971's Fragile and his own popular Beginnings, the title track from Howe's 1975 debut solo album.
"The Motif idea pulls together my solo guitar writing and performances combining new tunes and refreshed and revisited studio performances of other tunes," Howe epxlains. "My solo guitar tunes combine country picking with classical guitar pieces that have broader influences, jazz, rock, flamenco and folk, they've all been absorbed in my approach to writing and playing.
"It's 15 years since Volume 1 was released so it's delightful to announce the release of Motif Volume 2. Again I present some new tunes and further explore pulling the selection together to present a clear focus on all things 'solo guitar'. I record these myself onto a hard drive and then work on selecting takes and giving the sound some due consideration. Assembling the running order and then the final mastering means it's on to the sleeve information and design. Soon it's a 'wrap' and you're holding it in your hand."
Motif Volume 2 will be released on black vinyl in a gatefold sleeve, limited to 500 copies, as well as CD, and on digital and in Dolby Atmos formats. You can see the artwork and tracklisting below.
Steve Howe: Motif 2
Side A
1. Cross Country
2. Mood For A Day
3. In The Course Of A Day
4. Surface Tension
5. The Valley Of Rocks
6. Tailpiece
7. Hint Hint
Side B
1. Oceans Cadenza
2. Pumpkin Pickin'
3. All’s A Chord
4. Cactus Boogie
5. Honey Creek
6. Pyramidology
7. The Little Gallard
8. Cascade
9. Beginnings.
