Spectral Mornings

Spectral Mornings is the third solo album by Steve Hackett. It appeared in 1979 at Charisma Records.

Creation and publication

After his first two solo albums Hackett wanted to put together a band to perform live can. He engaged Pete Hicks as a singer, Dik Cadbury as a singer and bass player Nick Magnus on keyboards and drummer John Shearer. Also Hackett's brother John, who has been involved in the previous albums, was again as a flutist for the occupation. This eventually played an even Spectral Mornings. The album was recorded in Hilversum. Hackett produced it with his former keyboardist John Acock. In 2005, a remastered version was released with bonus tracks.

Title list

Page 1

Page 2

Bonus tracks

Style

Spectral Mornings is a varied progressive rock album with influences from pop music. There are many catchy melodies, both humorous and dark pieces, experimental or ethnic inspired and acoustic passages. Hackett's striking and virtuoso guitar playing stands mostly in the foreground.

Reception

On the Baby Blue Pages album is indeed a torn, criticized unsatisfactory and in some cheesy, and the Music Express 1979 ruled: "The record is again very successful, as well as precursors ' Please Do not Touch ', but it is neither better nor worse. What was at a compositionally attractive and substantial, now make grown technique and tighter woven atmosphere betting. The weak points of the present LP namely lie in the elegiac and lengthy second side. " Dave Connolly of Allmusic praises, however, that Hackett put his versatility to the test and all its strengths ausspiele. The music magazine eclipsed took Spectral Mornings on its list of the 150 most important prog albums.