Steve Hackett "The Circus and The Nightwhale"

[bfd]

Legendary rock guitarist Steve Hackett will release his new studio album, "The Circus And The Nightwhale", on February 16, 2024, via InsideOut Music. A rite-of-passage concept album with a young character called Travla at the centre of it, "The Circus And The Nightwhale"'s 13 tracks have an autobiographical angle for the musician who says about his 30th solo release: "I love this album. It says the things I've been wanting to say for a very long time."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/steve-...the-nightwhale

[moecurlythanu]

I hope the music is better than that awful cover.

[Steve983]

Ok, so which track is the latest Kashmir knock off

01. People Of The Smoke
02. These Passing Clouds
03. Taking You Down
04. Found And Lost
05. Enter The Ring
06. Get Me Out!
07. Ghost Moon And Living Love
08. Circo Inferno
09. Breakout
10. All At Sea
11. Into The Nightwhale
12. Wherever You Are
13. White Dove

[revelogicPA]

08. Circo Inferno

Cisco Inferno would have been a hilarious song title. lol

[r2daft2]

Wonder if Nad Sylvan is getting measured up for an Aquaphibian costume.....PWOR

[moecurlythanu]

Cisco Inferno would have been a hilarious song title. lol

That's how I read it first time through.

[Dave (in MA)]

stunning cover painting by Denise Marsh.

I was certainly stunned.

[SRS]

Steve's amazing! Near constant touring and an album of new original material every other year. And here I was blaming Hackett for why Jonas doesn't have time to finish the new Karmakanic album. But if Steve can do it Jonas should be able to. Nad comes close to keeping up. LOL

[Aquatarkus]

I rather like the cover! Agree that Steve is amazing. I'll be seeing him next spring in my town. First time live since 1981!

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/steve...-7bd9de00.html

[gojikranz]

I don’t mind the cover. It’s at least got some character more so than the rather bland stock photo kinda stuff he’s had on his last few.

[JKL2000]

I hope the music is better than that awful cover.

This cracked me up, just because it was the very first comment. We're off to a good start!

Doesn't he already have a couple of other songs called "People of the Smoke?" Well, I'm looking forward to this, even if his previous one wasn't one of his better albums.

[Kcrimso]

I kind of like the cover. But I don't have high expectation for the music. It has been long time that I really enjoyed anything that Hackett has released. Hopefully the new cover art also heralds a new style of production!

[SRS]

Doesn't he already have a couple of other songs called "People of the Smoke?"

You know I was thinking that same thing but I just checked and we must be thinking of "Behind the Smoke" from The Night Siren. A sequel? Now we know what is behind the smoke...people!

[gojikranz]

Wonder if he will swap in some songs from this for the next leg of foxtrot 50 tour next year. I saw it a few days ago but was actually planning a trip that could get me near one of those shows if I so desired.

Imagine it will make up a chunk of the lamb hits show though if I want to be patient.

[Scott Bails]

The cover is almost as bad as the title of his autobiography.

[pinkpanther]

“A Trick Of The Whale”

[soundsweird]

A young character called"Travla"? Get it?

If I saw that album cover in the record store, it would not make me want to hear the music, although I certainly bought a bunch of Italian Prog LP's back in the 70's with worse cover art...

[Mr.Krautman]

The cover art is obviously not to everyone's taste, but does it really matter ? Music is the most important to me, cover art is secondary.

And I don't think these are really much better:


cover_SHFR.jpg

cover_nova.jpg

I remember when I first saw the S.Hillage Fish Rising cover I thought it was awful and I could do much better myself. Now it's a classic...

[Progatron]

The cover is practically a Rembrandt painting in comparison to Hackett's former bandmate Tony Banks' album artwork for Strictly Inc. It's all relative!

[Koreabruce]

I kind of like the cover. But I don't have high expectations for the music. It has been a long time since I really enjoyed anything that Hackett has released. Hopefully, the new cover art also heralds a new style of production!

Yes, I agree though not so much about the cover. In my case, I've been critical of Steve's studio output since To Watch the Storms; others would go as far back as Guitar Noir. There is a lot of repetition of ideas, sounds, and styles, but the most obvious criticism, as Kcrimso alludes to, lies with the overly dense, effects-laden production values courtesy of Roger King. It would be refreshing to hear a batch of new songs realized with a leaner sound palette ala the live-in-the-studio approach. His band are all clearly top-notch players, so I think it would be a treat to hear them all interact in real-time outside of a live concert setting. In particular, I really wish for a more natural vocal sound all around.

Now I realize that all of this may come across as one long-time fan's incessant howling at the moon (which it is). To his credit, Steve has definitely improved as a singer. That high-register stuff he did in the 80s was really hard on these ears! Most importantly, however, is that his guitar work ALWAYS shines, and that is the one constant I can always rely on. Despite my misgivings, I always remain cautiously optimistic that Mr. Hackett will change things up.

[moecurlythanu]

It's all relative!

I'm pretty sure all of my relatives could have come up with a better painting than Shamu swallowing a circus tent.

[JJ88]

Yes, I agree though not so much about the cover. In my case, I've been critical of Steve's studio output since To Watch the Storms; others would go as far back as Guitar Noir. There is a lot of repetition of ideas, sounds, and styles, but the most obvious criticism, as Kcrimso alludes to, lies with the overly dense, effects-laden production values courtesy of Roger King. It would be refreshing to hear a batch of new songs realized with a leaner sound palette ala the live-in-the-studio approach. His band are all clearly top-notch players, so I think it would be a treat to hear them all interact in real-time outside of a live concert setting. In particular, I really wish for a more natural vocal sound all around.

I'm glad he's had this resurgence in popularity, but I bowed out from the new albums some years ago. The last one I liked somewhat was Beyond The Shrouded Horizon and even then, not all of it. Wolflight didn't do it for me other than 'Love Song To A Vampire'. It's been years since I played either album though. I remember liking his Squackett songs, particularly 'Divided Self'. Some of those were a bit different.

I think To Watch The Storms and Wild Orchids (the first one I bought on release) are stronger albums than the 2010s albums, but they attracted less attention. If you look at the Once Above A Time DVD from that period, he wasn't doing much Genesis stuff at all in those days.

I always listened to the sample tracks and will do so again this time, hopeful of a shift but not really thinking there will be one.

[mozo-pg]

I own all Hackett's releases up to Wolflight. Steve is my favourite guitarist and I've been loyal in supporting him but the blandless releases are too take. I stopped by his CDs about 3 album ago. So, definitely not an autobuy anymore.

[Downbytheriver]

I own all Hackett's releases up to Wolflight. Steve is my favourite guitarist and I've been loyal in supporting him but the blandless releases are too take. I stopped by his CDs about 3 album ago. So, definitely not an autobuy anymore.

I pretty much feel the same way. He really needs a good songwriting partner. His early albums had some interesting stuff, but as the years went by he seemed to settle into making the same album over and over again. Great guitar. Bland music.

[Steve983]

I think Wolflight was the last one for me too although I got rid of quite a few so that the last one I now own is Out Of The Tunnels Mouth. After that it all became rather samey and mediocre. It would be interesting to hear what would happen if Nick Magnus came back to his band but Roger King is well and truly bedded in now.