by Greg PratoFor those expecting epic prog riff rockers à la"Heart of the Sunrise," Steve Howe's 2002 solo release, Skyline, may come as a surprise. Instead, Howe has constructed an album that proves to be quite a serene and calming listen from front to back -- a far cry from Yes' over the top tour de forces that used to take up entire sides of albums. Also throughout, the songs tend to be quite stark -- bringing additional focus to Howe's guitar talents (with sometimes only a synth or piano joining in). Most of the selections contain an unmistakable new age-ish element, especially on such tracks as"Moon Song," while new age meets jazz and flamenco guitar elsewhere (on"Meridian" and"Avenue de Bel Air," respectively). And veteran prog heads are afforded a small taste of their main musical preference on the soaring album opener,"Small Acts of Human Kindness."