Hackett, John / Nick Fletcher - Beyond The Stars CD (Mega Blowout Sale)
SKU
23-EANT CD 1072
“Beyond the Stars sees John and Nick on an epic journey through time and place, from wistful reminiscing about happier times to a vision of a dystopian future. The songs take you on a rollercoaster ride showcasing Nick Fletcher's incredible virtuosity on the guitar alongside John's trademark flute. Their writing partnership, first featured on the John Hackett Band album We Are Not Alone, goes from strength to strength and Beyond the Stars shows them to be a musical force to be reckoned with. The duo are joined by drummer Wayne Proctor (King King) and six string bassist Simon Hall in what is a stellar recording of some highly original music, creating something unique in the progressive genre.”
- LabelEsoteric
- UPC5013929477230
Customer Reviews
Average Rating
This disc is a bit of a sleeper maybe - don't know where I've been, but I never knew that Steve Hackett had a little brother who was always annoyingly playing his flute and keyboards while young Stevie was trying to practice his guitar. This is an album of good songs, and everything's well played, but I never got the impression the songs were just vehicles for a bunch of licks and chops. Or maybe they were - Nick's guitar (never heard of him before either) is everywhere, he almost never shuts up, but in this case it's a good thing. In each song his playing features a great guitar sound and imagination. Hackett's flute playing is also a highlight, though in contrast to the guitar, there's not a lot of it. But whenever it comes in, it's really enjoyable, and you wish there was more. The drums are not as fiddly and chaotic as I would usually prefer, but here, the sturdy drumming and solid bass playing serve the music well, making it Rock instead of some sort of tiddly Fusion. And speaking of that, the lyrics are a secret weapon, usually at street level instead of Contemplating the Cosmos. Said lyrics are delivered by Hackett in a voice that once again serves the songs rather than knocking you out with its virtuosity. His voice is also recorded in such a way that it is not up front but rather has a kind of diffuse quality. Interesting. This is a strong album. Four big and very bright (as opposed to little and twinkly) stars. -T.A.
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