Steve Hackett
showcases his skills as a guitar player side by side with his skills as a
songwriter on his latest album Beyond the
Shrouded Horizon, a hefty release which takes its time unfolding. It is an
album that can be fully enjoyed while sitting down. The former Genesis
guitarist and ever prolific solo artist seems determined to prove with his body
of work that Rock is not only timeless, but ageless as well. It’s got the
Hackett stamp all over it, and should appeal to old fans and newcomers alike.
“Loch Lomond,” the albums lead off track, transitions
seamlessly into “The Phoenix Flown”. Similarly does “Wanderlust” bleed into
“Til These Eyes.” Most of Beyond the
Shrouded Horizon is presented in this way, a vague delineation between
tracks presented in pairs. But on the occasions when there is a pause between
songs it too seems deliberate and is welcomed for what it is: a brief moment
for the listener to reflect on what they just heard, like resurfacing for a
breath of air before diving back beneath the water’s surface. I always
appreciate when the tracks seem deliberately arranged on an album, as they do
in the case of BtSH. There is an
obvious ebb and flow to the tide of songs, which makes for a very dynamic hour
of listening. Neatly spaced instrumental tracks give the bits with lyrics a
little more import.
“Til These Eyes” is an outstanding number -
short but sweet, hiding subtle hints of Simon and Garfunkel in its minimal
instrumentation and simple harmonies. “A Place Called Freedom” is a little
drawn out and a little too feel-good, but that’s an aesthetic complaint, not a
technical criticism. “Looking for Fantasy” is almost like a lullaby, featuring
soft nylon string acoustic guitar, lightly brushed high-hats and ethereal
harmonies executed with no small amount of assistance from the synth. It sounds
soft and sweet but the lyrics lend to it a melancholy quality that does not
quite agree with the light, breezy progression and accompanying melody.
“Looking for Fantasy” is about a woman who is doing exactly that, harboring
delusions and living in the past, looking for an escape for reality – into
fantasy. Rich with pathos, this one is. Hot on its heels is “Summer’s Breath,”
a short acoustic instrumental number, which just about finishes lulling you
into a thoughtful dream…when “Catwalk” explodes onto the scene and snaps you
wide awake again. Featuring Chris Squire (of Yes) on bass, “Catwalk” is, in the
main, a dirty down-tempo rock song steeped in the blues tradition; the kind of
song that practically requires you to
play it on a jukebox and then strut back to the bar with an intense (yet also
distant) look about yourself. This is right about where BtSH takes a hard left turn into the home-stretch.
The final track, “Turn This Island Earth,” is
an epic and intricate composition, hands down the “proggiest” (or most
prog-like): heavily riff-laden with quick rhythm changes, sparse vocals and sweeping
synth melodies and textures. At about the seven minute mark the “A” theme dies
out and is replaced by the “B” theme, a darker concept that sounds like what’d
be playing if you were being led (and then chased) through a darkened forest in
a Tim Burton film.
If you’ve liked any of Hackett’s past work,
you’ll find something on Beyond the
Shrouded Horizon that you can get behind as well. There’s no steep point of
entry into these songs, but that doesn’t mean they lack depth. The production
value is high and nothing feels forced, which is less of a relief as it is
surprising that after 40+ years of releasing records the man still has it in
him to reach for that one more, as if he’s chasing a sound he hasn’t yet found,
or even better still – does it out of genuine love of his craft.
3.5/5 Stars
Key
Tracks: Waking to Life, Turn This Island Earth, Catwalk
Drew
Vreeland
October
10, 2011
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