DEFECTOR

A wonderful refinement and polishing of the approach Hackett took on Spectral Mornings, Defector finds the guitarist in fine form, playing in styles ranging from the soaring progressive rock of the opening track to the New Wave-influenced The Show. Sentimental Institution is the novelty track this time around - and unlike The Ballad of the Decomposing Man from the previous album, it doesn't outstay its welcome (being just over two minutes long) and is pleasant to listen to. On balance, then, this has all the finer qualities of its predecessor without being marred by a seriously substandard song in the middle of the running order, making it an ideal companion piece to that album.