Given that he has song writing partners now (Roger and Jo), and that his output has deteriorated, I'd suggest they were the last things he needed. His output as a solo composer was just fine!
STEVE HACKETT: "The Circus And The Nightwhale" (16 February 2024) - review online
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I finally gave this album a listen. While it's maybe not the worst of his recent output, it's still quite forgettable and I probably won't be returning to it for a long time.
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Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to buy this CD in the U.S.? So far I'm finding limited availability and higher prices than I want to pay. If not, it looks like I'm going to have to wait a while.
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Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to buy this CD in the U.S.? So far I'm finding limited availability and higher prices than I want to pay. If not, it looks like I'm going to have to wait a while.
This is the inside out US stone
STEVE HACKETT - The Circus and the Nightwhale - Mediabook CD + Blu RayTHIS PRODUCT WILL SHIP OUT ON/AROUND FEB 16th 2024 If you have pre-order items in your cart, your entire order will ship when all items are ready to ship…centurymedia.store -
Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to buy this CD in the U.S.? So far I'm finding limited availability and higher prices than I want to pay. If not, it looks like I'm going to have to wait a while.
I recently discovered an amazing, employee owned small chain of shops called Bull Moose. Most of their stores are in Maine, and a couple in New Hampshire. Their physical stores are laden with new and used CDs, DVDs, Blu ray, vinyl, books and video games. It's an absolute paradise for me. And they have the most incredibly useful online store I've ever seen, that shows what's available in all of their stores. I stumbled across one in Brunswick and they were very friendly and helpful.
Anyway they have Steve's album for a couple of buck less than the store Christian linked too, and a non-blu ray version that will be around $15 but appears to be on order.
https://www.bullmoose.com/pid/36924422/steve-hackett-the-circus-the-nightwhale-cd-blu-ray
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French review - 4,5/5
Steve Hackett - The Circus and the Whale - Rolling Stone
(although they think it's just a whale...)
A review that, well, "ticks the boxes", but is to my mind, straight from the "say something polite and generic" drawer. A review that is as bland as it's lazy as it's formulaic.
But then, perhaps that is the album perfectly described?
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I've heard the album now and on one listen, I think the review from Genesis News seems fairly accurate.
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After a couple of spins I have to say the album grows. It is not his best work or whatever "bigger, better, faster" category some are thinking of, but it is certainly a good album and I think it's safe to say it's more interesting has his last 2-3 (which I have also played just t get an idea and to compare).
I think the difference are the little instrumentals, which hold everything together on the Circus / Nightwhale album.
Nevertheless, it should habe been produced better.
Now I am curious how many tracks Steve will play from this album on the forthcoming summer / autumn tour.
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Made the purchase. Best price I found (for U.S.) was here:
The Circus And The Nightwhale (CD) by Hackett, Steve (lasercd.com)
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Received the CD today and just finished my first listen through. Not Steve's best by any means, but it has some good moments and is definitely a keeper. There are occasional little echoes of things Steve's done in the past, but it never sounds like Steve is just repeating himself.
BTW, I did a quick flip through the CD booklet and realized that I really didn't care to familiarize myself with the "plot" of the album's story (as given in small bits on the pages for the various songs). In the case of this album, though, one can listen to it without being concerned at all about the "story" -- something not so easily done with, say, THE LAMB LIES DOWN.
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I have always enjoyed Hackett's solo albums and even the recent ones I have quite enjoyed. Normally I will buy his new releases within a week of them coming out but still have not got this one. I think I have heard one song from it but can't remember what it was called. Been interesting to hear the very different reviews.
I will hopefully get it by the weekend and look forward to listening to it
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It is in general pretty hard these days to listen to new stuff with fresh ears, since you get all sorts of opinions in forums, social media and on websites etc. I try to keep away from that as much as I can, but I can't really say it works all the time ... in this case not.
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Made the purchase. Best price I found (for U.S.) was here:
Alas, the regular CD is currently no longer available from the seller I linked to. I'm glad I got it while I could. Hopefully they'll have it again; it was a good price and the shipping was really quick.
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Alas, the regular CD is currently no longer available from the seller I linked to. I'm glad I got it while I could. Hopefully they'll have it again; it was a good price and the shipping was really quick.
What is the issue with the North American market? I thought InsideOut have a separate branch there?
In Europe, it's widely available
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Thoughts after giving the album a second listen:
My main impression is that the album seems like a large, varied whole rather than a collection of songs. There really aren't any songs I would pull out and play individually for any reason, and if I listened to the album without knowing where the track breaks were I'd probably guess most of them incorrectly. There also really aren't any parts that stick in my head after hearing the album, except the chorus of "Taking You Down." At the same time, I get little if any sense from the album that there's a story being told.
My favorite moment is probably still the vocal part of "Enter the Ring." I also get a bit of a laugh from the "baby's cry" effect at the beginning and the weird little voice effect in the middle of "Circo Inferno."
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Made the purchase. Best price I found (for U.S.) was here:
The Circus And The Nightwhale (CD) by Hackett, Steve (lasercd.com)
CD is again available at the above link.
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Enter The Ring came on random in my car yesterday.
At first I thought it was a Yes track, then Jon Anderson solo. Eventually my brain told me it was one of Steve's new tracks - what a plonker I am!
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I liked the album more when it came out but now I somehow lost interest. That reminds me about the last few albums, that was a similar experience, whereas I still listen to Shrouded Horizon or Guitar Noir from time to time ....
Enter The Ring came on random in my car yesterday.
At first I thought it was a Yes track, then Jon Anderson solo. Eventually my brain told me it was one of Steve's new tracks - what a plonker I am!
And that track is still one of my favorites!
