STEVE HACKETT
The Circus And The Nightwhale (InsideOutMusic)
Legendary prog rock guitarist Steve Hackett returns with The Circus And The Nightwhale, his 30th solo album and first in two years. Billed as a rite-of-passage concept album, following a young main character named Travla, Hackett has spoken of its autobiographical angle, perhaps the most open example of such in his career to date, adding that here, he says things he’s been wanting to for a long time.
The Circus… starts with a superior epic, People Of The Smoke, that precedes the instrumental These Passing Clouds. Throughout the album, we seem to follow this pattern of powerful-sounding tracks and softer, almost theatrical ballads like Found And Lost. As much as this mirrors the real life of ups and downs, it makes for an uneven listening experience, indeed startling at times. Recording-wise, The Circus… naturally sounds great but still feels like a mishmash of too many albums and styles at once instead of a single cohesive production.
Safe to say though, this and the previous musical history of Steve Hackett will make for an incredible live show when his UK tour reaches Cardiff in October.
words GOSIA BUZZANCA