So comparing this new retread of a well worn shoe leather, with the The Last Domino-The Hits, only The Carpet Crawlers 1999, I know What....., and Congo is additional, in the track listing between the two.
Is it really worth and expected to buy this near duplicate, regurgitated release? At £50 (!!!!!!) That's Fifty (!!!) pounds. Wow. And not the good wow either.
I would have paid for a special edition, stand alone e.g RSD release of Carpet 1999 instead of this tired disappointment.
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?
With this latest musical version of industrial roadworks involving a whale, or something 
, from Steve, how would Steve's fan base have evolved had this been an early "standard" from the days of leaving Genesis instead of what we know? Think of the wonderful singers of the past (Crawford, Havens, Walsh, Oldfield et. al.....), the instrumentals (too many to suggest...), the structures etc, etc. All this random minefield stuff, the overbearing saxophone, the choice of vocalists....... Anyway, it's a good job I'm loyal 
"Where have the moments of fine poetry gone that Hackett once had a knack for?"
Exactly. It's bombastic mayhem on a runaway fairground train. With Roger King switching the track points.
I've bought it (loyalty?), but have as much excitement and anticipation, so far, as a ticket on a bombastic, mayhem strewn......
Hmmm. The, unfortunately, ongoing Steve double vocal track, the completely random arrangement, with Roger King's overblown, more is worse production style on this promo single release hasn't endeared me.
Yes, I have indeed made a blunder. It appears that I was let loose to misread, assume and post without a grown up present. My advisors shall hear of this......
It's Phil's vocal (again) here that raises this song to "outstanding!".Very emotive.
