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

ambitious .... erm ... cover artwork

13 tracks in 45 minutes is something I did not expect

Quote from Nanunami

ambitious .... erm ... cover artwork

🤣 Yes that's one way of putting it!

That is one of the most hilariously preposterous covers ever but I suppose it very literally cleaves to the ludicrous title.

Anyway, marvellous. Another new album for him to practically ignore when he goes on tour.

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13 tracks in 45 minutes is something I did not expect

For me, that's at least one potentially positive thing in that it hopefully means an absence of the overwrought noodling of too much of his recent work.

That's the ugliest Steve album cover ever, and certainly the worst in a long time. If I didn't know better I'd think that Kim Poor was back on the job, and doing it even worse than before. (Not that she didn't do some good ones, but they were the exceptions.)

Well, I don't buy albums for their covers, and some of Steve's albums have demonstrated this well!

Quote from Backdrifter

🤣 Yes that's one way of putting it!

That is one of the most hilariously preposterous covers ever but I suppose it very literally cleaves to the ludicrous title.

Anyway, marvellous. Another new album for him to practically ignore when he goes on tour.

For me, that's at least one potentially positive thing in that it hopefully means an absence of the overwrought noodling of too much of his recent work.

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ha ha. That was my first thought...looking forward to the new' Nightingale meets a Fox and a Lamb on the way to a Cinema Show ' tour...🤣

Quote from Simon1967

ha ha. That was my first thought...looking forward to the new' Nightingale meets a Fox and a Lamb on the way to a Cinema Show ' tour...🤣

Until they have faces? You missed out the fact that he *obviously* will be commemorating that 40th anniversary next year. He just hasn't mentioned it yet. 🙄

There is the usual purple prose about it on the Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/stevehackettofficial

http://www.hackettsongs.com/ne…GMd68suBbxHwSeHvVhl5oPFz0

He claims it's 'autobiographical' and states that "It's a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?" Even better, the character in the concept is actually called 'Travla'.

Well I don't know, Steve. I've been around for long enough now to know that these new albums are released and then vanish into the ether. If the songs are relatively short, who knows. Perhaps he might play a couple more of them for at least one tour.

Quote from FeelItComing

There is the usual purple prose about it on the Facebook page.

He claims it's 'autobiographical' and states that "It's a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?" Even better, the character in the concept is actually called 'Travla'.

'Travla'. 🤦‍♂️ Oh man...

I like to think he writes this stuff while knowingly smirking. I hope, anyway. I actually thought the blurb was relatively toned down from the stuff about worlds melting, galaxies colliding and the universe exploding while fantasy and reality dance the fandango together in a celestial frenzy of trans-dimensional passion.

… I honestly like the cover. I also like the album’s short running time. I agree that his recent records have had samey sounding jam sessions that drag em down. For instance I’ve been thinking that Wolflight would be considered a great record if some of the songs were shorter.

I’m excited to listen to this

I like the idea of a concept album and the title is intriguing. I'm hoping the scaffolding of a concept and the shorter songs might lead to more light and shade and more space for the music to breathe than we have had in recent offerings. I like to think he's got at least one more cracking album in him. I'll wait to see the cover properly but at first sight it reminded me of the style of 'Til We Have Faces and some of the Julia Donaldson books I read with my Grandchildren. It may be that the whole package, especially if it is a gatefold, suits the material. I prefer it to some of his more recent album covers but it is a bit literal as Backdrifter says. Lots of tracks on a short album, I'm guessing some very short connecting instrumentals, which will leave a few longer tracks and that might mean we get some much needed light and shade and room to breathe. I just hope he takes a leaf out of his earlier books and allows for some natural sounding instrumentation, without clattery metally drums all over the place and the same keyboard wash with a few 'world' sounds flown in. This is a food chance to blend the best of his later stuff (rough and loud guitar shredding, good vocals and harmonies and some genuine incorporation of international music) with the best of his earlier music (contrasting dynamics, a romantic sweep, prog elements and ethereal passages with flutes and a sense of unhurried development). Oh and bit of mellotron wouldn't go amiss! If it's good I'd love to see him play the whole lot as a set one, followed by Genesis and solo classics, but I think he has such a successful formula now to the live shows I can undertstand how that's not going to change much. He now has a lot of folk relying for a living on the size of shows he is generating, it's a lot to risk.

Quote from Christian

this is from the press release we have received some days ago and it is for this reason also on our website. See link in my first post.

I know nothing about art but i do not like this cover artwork.

The album itself (I have it already) is better than his previous ones, imo. It also helps that it is only 45 minutes long. It serves the songs and some interludes are just wonderful short instrumentals.
so, different approach here.
The final track is an acoustic instrumental from 2018, first released on the Wuthering Nights live album as a bonus track on the Japanese edition.

Sorry Christian, just putting my own ''spin' on it. I probably didn't need to include the links.

Is it rude of me to ask how you already have it?

And how is the album? The sound? It seems to have been recorded in a studio and not in his living room... the vocals? Thank you for your very general answer.

That's the most beautiful ugliest cover I've ever seen... Weird.

Looking forward to the album !

Quote from Thelawnmower

... Lots of tracks on a short album, I'm guessing some very short connecting instrumentals, which will leave a few longer tracks and that might mean we get some much needed light and shade and room to breathe. I just hope he takes a leaf out of his earlier books and allows for some natural sounding instrumentation, without clattery metally drums all over the place and the same keyboard wash with a few 'world' sounds flown in. This is a [good] chance to blend the best of his later stuff (rough and loud guitar shredding, good vocals and harmonies and some genuine incorporation of international music) with the best of his earlier music (contrasting dynamics, a romantic sweep, prog elements and ethereal passages with flutes and a sense of unhurried development). Oh and bit of mellotron wouldn't go amiss! ...

Steve should hire you to write promotional releases for him.

While, I know it's just speculation and wishful thinking at this point, the prospect of an organic-sounding, electric album where concisely constructed tracks are broken up by brief interludes of acoustic guitar and flute would certainly raise my hopes for an album offering, as you put it, "much needed light and shade."

Quote from Witchwood

Steve should hire you to write promotional releases for him.

While, I know it's just speculation and wishful thinking at this point, the prospect of an organic-sounding, electric album where concisely constructed tracks are broken up by brief interludes of acoustic guitar and flute would certainly raise my hopes for an album offering, as you put it, "much needed light and shade."

thanks, I probably should have added that I’m not holding my breath…

Is Roger King involved as producer? He's a brilliant keyboard player but Steve really needs a refreshing change to his overall recorded (as opposed to live) sound.

Quote from Duke of Earl of Mar

That's the most beautiful ugliest cover I've ever seen... Weird.

Looking forward to the album !

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!