STEVE HACKETT: "The Circus And The Nightwhale" (16 February 2024) - review online

    Quote from Art Vandaley

    In my humble opinion, Genesis has never had a good album cover. The music from 71-77 captures my soul. The album covers are a major disappointment. Yes, otoh, are SUBLIME thanks to my boy Roger Dean!

    See album covers thread here.


    Can't stand Yes's RD ones. The two Hipgnosis ones, while not brilliant, were a relief of sorts.

    Abandon all reason

    Have already contributed to the album cover thread but I agree, Genesis album covers were never a strength. I’ll reserve judgment on this new Steve one until I see it and how it relates to the album. Of his, I quite liked Voyage, nothing else stands out, (Wolflight does but it’s not great) Gabriel has the most striking covers generally speaking and Ant has some great ones. Probably a rich alternate thread here in solo album covers.

    • Official Post

    I also don’t like his stuff, but this is just my taste and of course this has nothing to do whether or not he’s a nice guy! I see you enjoyed meeting him :)


    so, back to topic, which is the new Hackett album.

    Indeed, Christian, I know you will not want to say much until you do a proper review, but can you say if your advance copy of the album is a physical one and, if so, is there more artwork than just the cover picture? Is all the artwork by the same artist?

    Thanks

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    Quote from Thelawnmower

    Indeed, Christian, I know you will not want to say much until you do a proper review, but can you say if your advance copy of the album is a physical one and, if so, is there more artwork than just the cover picture? Is all the artwork by the same artist?

    Thanks

    physical promo copies are something from the past. I haven't seen those for quite some time. Usually you'll get a digital press kit with bio, cover, photos and the album with a suggested press text (that's why nearly all of them sound the same). I only have the cover. Both cover and titles were clear to me prior to the official announcement. I wasn't allowed to reveal any of that before the 16 November.

    45 Minutes is not a lot for a Hackett album, but I'd say that's a good sign! Lookin forward to this album (with lower expectations than several years back) and I simply do hope it will be better than the cover image ;)

    ... any moment that we bring to life - ridiculous sublime

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    • Official Post

    The new album is now available for pre-order


    We have a list of formats


    / Steve Hackett: New album available for preorder (genesis-news.com)

    Yep, it sounds pretty much like what I can expect from Steve these days. There are bits of promising ideas, shoved together in a way that has no logic or flow, making Steve sound like he has about a 20-second attention span. The best ideas fail to be explored to any satisfying extent, and the time they should have been given is instead handed over to a bunch of pointless meandering. Overall, the result is more interesting for what it could have been than for what it actually is.


    So... it's got good stuff in it, but it isn't what it could have been.


    I think Steve is the only artist I've ever wished would make his material a little more conventional, if only in terms of song structure.

    Little known fact: Before the crowbar was invented...


    ...crows simply drank at home.

    Edited once, last by DecomposingMan ().

    Like 2
    Quote from DecomposingMan

    Yep, it sounds pretty much like what I can expect from Steve these days. There are bits of promising ideas, shoved together in a way that has no logic or flow, making Steve sound like he has about a 20-second attention span. The best ideas fail to be explored to any satisfying extent, and the time they should have been given is instead handed over to a bunch of pointless meandering. Overall, the result is more interesting for what it could have been than for what it actually is.


    So... it's got good stuff in it, but it isn't what it could have been.


    I think Steve is the only artist I've ever wished would make his material a little more conventional, if only in terms of song structure.

    Have to agree with this. A promising opening which peters out into what seems like random bits of music stuck together. About a third of these bits are then any good.


    It thrashes around between speeds and styles far too much – just like too much of his recent work. Some good stuff in there which is why it's so frustrating.


    The vocals and the arrangement let down some good glimpses of music and great guitar work as ever.

    Agree with what others have said. Seems very typical for what Steve has been releasing the past 15-20 years.


    I know I'll buy the CD when it comes out, but most likely will join his last several releases that get played once, and never again.

    I just watched the video which at least gave me a few unintended laughs. The crying baby at about 00.30 in is hilarious. The lumpen literal-mindedness of the imagery - the song mentions 'bombs fall in the night' and we see a street of wrecked houses and it's quite dark. 'Fairground' is mentioned - now here comes a twirling carousel. 'The bell tolls' - DANG! - oh look there's Big Ben!


    As for the song itself, it's shite.

    Abandon all reason