HIGHLY STRUNG

Well, I´m happy that I´m getting to know Steve hackett´s 80´s albums now. If I got them at the time probably I´d be quite disappointed. In hindsight, however, I understand the rut most prog acts were stuck in and they had to do something to save their careers from total oblivion. And Hackett did try hard. He hasn´t really forsaken his prog roots while he worked a much more poppier material since Cured. On Highly Strung he still delivers that hybrid style of music, if I can call it that: half prog, half pop. Only this time he jumped into the techno-pop wagon.

As expected, there is some nice material, and even some very strong tunes here and there (like the opener Casino Royale). Nice melodies and all, ok. Some really bad songs too (Walking Through Walls is definitly one). But the worst thing about this CD is the cheesy 80´s synth sound and the drum machines. They are all over the place and it´s sad to hear such talented guy like Nick Magnus playing this way... The guitar is a little subdue in several parts here, but is sitll very good anyway. No acoustic pieces this time, making Highly Strung sound more ´modern´ (for its day) and coherent in its premise. Hackett´s new found vocal prowness works again in his favor and he shows to be a very good singer after all (while old band mates Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford surely aren´t). Not bad for a guy who never even sang backing vocals while on Genesis!

In the end a quite interesting, if dated, album. Not amonhg Hackett´s best stuff for sure, but has its moments. If you like his guitar playing then you should check it out, as long as you have his other essential works (meaning everything he did before Cured) and do not expect anything too great. Rating: 2.5 stars.