Album title: The Night Siren
Artist: Steve Hackett
Genre: Progressive Rock
Nationality: English
Release date: March 24
Position in Discography: Twenty-fifth solo
Fear Factor: Very Low
Familiar with this artist? Very
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Extremely
Average RYM Score: 3.44
Those who know me will assume this album to be a shoe-in for a ten rating, but don't be so sure. The thing about Steve Hackett is, that though he was a part of Genesis for most of what is generally acknowledged as their golden era – the early to mid seventies – he is first and foremost a classical guitarist, and while that's great, sometimes it can be quite boring to listen to unless you too are a guitarist, and I'm not. Personally, I've liked a lot of Hackett's solo stuff but loathed a lot too. For my money, he's best when he does prog rock – that beautifully simple instrumental “Horizons” on
Foxtrot, just before the epic “Supper's Ready”, the intro to “Blood on the Rooftops” off
Wind and Wuthering, the simple backing tune to “For Absent Friends” on
Nursery Cryme – these are the pieces I admire him for. But far be it from me not to want anyone to spread their musical wings, I just may not wish to accompany him on that journey.
So I hope I will love this album, or at least like it, but there's no real guarantee that I will. Well at least there are vocals on the first track, though I expect some instrumentals. Heavier than expected, real “Kashmir” kind of sound, some really nice classical piano here too, very epic track to kick off with, then “Martian Sea” is more straight prog rock, with a very catchy chorus (that could be a single). Lot of sitar on this as well as flutes, and it also features Spock's Beard's Nick D'Virgilio on drums. A very Alan Parsons sound to “Fifty Miles From the North Pole”, and a nice choir too. Then we get the first instrumental, but it's heavier than expected and quite epic.
Hmm. “Anything But Love” opens on a flamenco guitar then becomes some sort of AOR thing, quite Kansas-like with a smidgeon of that riff from “Don't Fear the Reaper” too. More APP in “Inca Terra”, which then develops into some sort of East European folk thing with almost Beach Boys harmonies. Certainly an album of varied styles; not sure I would categorise it purely as prog rock, or even as such at all. To be honest, it may in fact be this which is turning me in the direction of, not hating or even not liking the album, but not loving it. I think maybe Hackett is trying too hard here, and it's coming across as overcomplicated and a little indulgent. No, that's not fair: a
lot indulgent. This seems to be becoming a real “Look at me! I'm Peter Gabriel/Paul Simon/Add World Music Artist Here all rolled into one!” Yeah. Stick to the guitar, Steve, huh?
Troy Donockley's uileann pipes add real feel to “In Another Life”, as they always do when the Nightwish man is involved in anything, but I am getting increasingly bored now and kind of can't wait for the album to end. This is what I was afraid of. More “Kashmir” for what appears to be the single chosen for release, “In the Skeleton Gallery”, which really reminds me of something apart from the Zep classic, though I kind of don't really care now. The album ends strongly, but it's been something of a confusing disappointment.
Check out more from this artist? I'm sure I will over the course of time
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Always (assuming we're talking here about prog rock, which this really isn't)
Expectation Index: 8