Steve Hackett "The Circus and The Nightwhale"

[JJ88]

...Tunnel's Mouth in many ways feels like the template for the subsequent work. That one did have songs I liked a lot, mostly on the first half of the album. But I definitely felt there was a sanding-down of the more oddball elements starting there. Something like 'Down Street' on Wild Orchids springs to mind. I remember not getting that at all to begin with, but it became probably my favourite song on the album.

I think Roger King is an excellent musician. He does a great job on the old Genesis stuff as well. I'm just less keen on that reverb-laden production sound.

[Top Cat]

Wolflight was the last for me as well...great concert DVD as well.
It was the last Hackett concert my wife and I attended, and it was fantastic.

After the last Blu Ray show, I said never again.
But after watching numerous clips on YT of Foxtrot 50, this one looks different, and I like the mix I've heard.
I like Chris Lord Alge's work, and I think this is one of the best mixes of Steve's shows I've heard.
Differing opinions on the Steve Hoffman forum, but still a lot of likes.

[jarmsuh]

Wolflight was the last for me as well...great concert DVD as well.
It was the last Hackett concert my wife and I attended, and it was fantastic.

After the last Blu Ray show, I said never again.
But after watching numerous clips on YT of Foxtrot 50, this one looks different, and I like the mix I've heard.
I like Chris Lord Alge's work, and I think this is one of the best mixes of Steve's shows I've heard.
Differing opinions on the Steve Hoffman forum, but still a lot of likes.

The negative opinion, I speak for myself is for the surround mix choice which was conservative, but the overall mix for a live release is excellent.

[Top Cat]

The negative opinion, I speak for myself is for the surround mix choice which was conservative, but the overall mix for a live release is excellent.

That's pretty much what I've read as well, the negativity is toward the surround mix.
I don't have surround sound, and still listen to stereo, so this should work well for us.

I'm not a fan of using much compression on mixes, it's often done to the point the dynamics can be seen chopped off in the waveform.
And Chris is known for liking compression on mixes, but the waveform I saw didn't look bad on the stereo version tracks.

I'm not sure, but I think Roger King has been doing the mixes for the Blu Rays in the past, does anyone know?

[Rarebird]

I was certainly stunned.

Should that whale be an orca? I'm not sure, but I wonder how it would look with it's mouth closed. I don't think the upper and lower jaw would fit.

[jarmsuh]

That's pretty much what I've read as well, the negativity is toward the surround mix.
I don't have surround sound, and still listen to stereo, so this should work well for us.

I'm not a fan of using much compression on mixes, it's often done to the point the dynamics can be seen chopped off in the waveform.
And Chris is known for liking compression on mixes, but the waveform I saw didn't look bad on the stereo version tracks.

I'm not sure, but I think Roger King has been doing the mixes for the Blu Rays in the past, does anyone know?

Roger King did most of them and Steven Wilson did Selling England by the pound & Spectral mornings live

[JKL2000]

^ Sorry, Steven Wilson did what?

[jarmsuh]

^ Sorry, Steven Wilson did what?

THe surround mix.

https://www.discogs.com/fr/release/1...At-Hammersmith

[Whitelight]

A Hackett solo album with Nad Sylvan on vocals on all tracks would be a sure-fire winner. I really don’t understand why this hasn’t happened yet.

[jarmsuh]

A Hackett solo album with Nad Sylvan on vocals on all tracks would be a sure-fire winner. I really don’t understand why this hasn’t happened yet.

A Live release of Hackett with no Genesis songs would be a treat for me but not sure a winner for the Hackett camp.

[Top Cat]

Roger King did most of them and Steven Wilson did Selling England by the pound & Spectral mornings live

Thank you, I didn't know about Steve Wilson...will pull it out of my library and revisit the mix.

A Live release of Hackett with no Genesis songs would be a treat for me but not sure a winner for the Hackett camp.

I would love to hear Steve do a solo album with different people, including not having Nad do vocals.
Using the same band members, is just more of the same to me.
As much as I love Steve, been following and supporting him since he left Genesis, I think new blood in the creative process would inspire, and stretch the boundaries a bit.
But we are grateful he is still out there, sharing his gift.

His solo stuff on the tour DVDs is always my favorite part of the show. I've heard the Genesis songs sooooooo many times, it's getting tiring for me.
But I still enjoy the Phil, 3 band member era concerts....go figure. lol

[SRS]

A Hackett solo album with Nad Sylvan on vocals on all tracks would be a sure-fire winner. I really don’t understand why this hasn’t happened yet.

Completely agree. Nad, Jonas and the entire touring band should be brought fully into the creative process. Co-writing and developing an album together with Steve.

[JKL2000]

Completely agree. Nad, Jonas and the entire touring band should be brought fully into the creative process. Co-writing and developing an album together with Steve.

That would make a lot of sense!

[Proghound]

I hope the music is better than that awful cover.

I agree completely, that cover is awful. Of all the artists he could use, that is very amateur.

[Dan Roth]

First song from the album:

[Koreabruce]

Great guitar work, as usual. The video was certainly more interesting than the last few he did. I was worried at the beginning because of all the "overused prog sounds you love/hate" that appeared one after the other (radio static, old 78 rpm record, baby crying). There's a bit of idea recycling, but overall... the song is pretty good. I'll give it a few more plays...

[Dan Roth]

[Downbytheriver]

First song from the album:

This from the guitarist that played one of Rock's most beautiful solos in "Firth of Fifth". I found this new song very bland. He is playing aggressively, but the song goes nowhere, makes me feel nothing. I love Steve Hackett's early albums, Voyage of the Acolyte, Please Don't Touch, Spectral Mornings, all with interesting music worthy of his playing. This song I don't care for at all. Maybe it's just me. I
hope the rest of the album is better.

[Splicer]

I feel his music was a lot better when he was working with Nick Magnus.

[Steve983]

I feel his music was a lot better when he was working with Nick Magnus.

Agreed, have a listen to Nick's album Hexameron on which Hackett guests

[Downbytheriver]

Agreed, have a listen to Nick's album Hexameron on which Hackett guests

That is a lovely track. More what I would hope/expect from Steve. I am going to check that album out.

[Wil]

I'd like to think that when the artist was given the title of the album there was a hope that the resulting painting would somehow mix the elements in some creative way, maybe in a metaphorical or abstract fashion. But no, it's literally a circus in a whale's mouth, at night.

[Koreabruce]

I feel his music was a lot better when he was working with Nick Magnus.

100% agree. The chemistry between those two was always something special. I also prefer the production values of those early albums (Voyage ~ Defector) over the modern ones.

[bigjohnwayne]

I like Darktown and To Watch the Storms as much as the first four. But I also like Cured, so maybe do not trust me.

[JJ88]

I like Darktown and To Watch the Storms as much as the first four.

I think both of those are very good albums (as is the underrated Wild Orchids). I'd say far superior to his 2010s output, which has perhaps attracted more attention with his Genesis Revisited touring. I'm glad for Hackett that these albums did OK, but I hope some of those who got back on board with something like Wolflight have checked the 90s/00s albums out. They do go in and out of print.

Cured is indeed probably better than its reputation. I don't personally play it as much as those first four, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, based on what's been said about it.