HIGHLY STRUNG

Often the cover of an album tries to transmit, in an image, its musical proposal, and thus give it a visual aspect that reinforces it. And from that place, and with "Spectral Mornings" and "Defector" as clear graphic references, "Highly Strung", Steve Hackett's sixth album, seemed to have taken up the path again after going astray with "Cured". Moreover, and now referring to the purely musical aspect, recruiting Ian Mosley, Marillion's renowned drummer since "Fugazi", who joined Nick Magnus on keyboards, also gave a hint of what the album could be.

And beyond the promising first minute of "Camino Royale", with its keyboard variations and scratchy guitars that Hackett rehearses halfway through the song, "Highly Strung" ends up being more of an illusion that doesn't materialise than a reality. Carrying the reminiscences of his discreet "Cured" on his back, Hackett doesn't abandon the line of composing catchy and accessible songs, like "Walking Through Walls", "Give It Away" and "Weightless", which move between the weightless and the self-indulgent, without the sensation of leaving anything more than easily digestible melodies.

But there are some bright spots, certainly. Passages on the upbeat "Cell 151", Hackett's guitars on the instrumentals "Always Somewhere Else" and "Group Therapy", and the heartfelt "India Rubber Man" with an accomplished vocal performance from Hackett properly tucked in by Magnus' keyboards, end up being the album's highlights and make up the final result.

The irregular "Highly Strung" finally ranks a few steps above "Cured", but also a few steps below the guitarist's first albums.

2.5/3 stars