STEVE HACKETT

Unstoppable brilliance from an old master.

NEAT ARPEGGIOS, DAZZLING SOLO RUNS… GOODNESS, HE CAN PLAY.

The cover of Steve Hackett’s 26th studio album features a man stood beneath a rocky escarpment. He looks up, as sheet lightning breaks through a black sky. At first glance, it would be easy to miss this man, overwhelmed by natural forces. However, whatever else might be said about At The Edge of Light, the little man in the corner of the cover should not be confused with Hackett himself. For if this follow-up to The Night Siren shows Hackett continuing to showcase some fine world musicians, there is no doubt who is front and centre. As he approaches his 70th year, Steve Hackett’s spectacular talent is undiminished and At The

Edge Of Light is a tour de force.

At The Edge Of Light finds Hackett exploring familiar themes: a world in decay in which the good might be overwhelmed by hate. The worldbeat elements found in the opening chords of Fallen Walls And Pedestals – which features tar player Malik Mansurov – weave beautifully into a neoclassical wig-out that puts Yngwie to shame. This opener flows into the deceptively sweet Beasts Of Our Time, featuring jazzer Rob Townsend’s sublime sax.

This album is also a reminder that Hackett’s voice has come on in leaps and bounds. There are fine performances, not least on Under The Eye Of The Sun – a spaced-out groover where Hackett’s vocals are harmonised with Floyd backing singers, the MacBroom sisters. The Byrds-like Hungry Years also testifies to Hackett’s vocal confidence. A shout-out should also be given to the MacBroom’s stunning performance on Underground Railroad, a tribute to those who escaped slavery in the Antebellum Southern United States.

Arguably the beating heart of Edge Of Light is the 11 minute epic Those Golden Wings. It begins in almost bel canto classical mode, before heading into wintry pastoral. It’s a questing love song that showcases the whole Hackett guitar armoury – neat arpeggios, dazzling solo runs and tasteful melody. Goodness, Hackett can play. On penultimate track Conflict, as he dances around the neck with fret-melting speed, he demonstrates why he’s influenced everyone from Van Halen to Rothery to Lifeson.

This album shows that class really is timeless. As his solo output pushes into the second quarter-century of releases, one might reasonably expect a decline in quality, yet Hackett keeps getting better. His grasp of musical form and appreciation of how to blend instruments – from digeridoo to sax to sitar – is first-class. But, oh, that guitar tone and technique. It’s enough to make you want to give up guitar; it’s enough to make you want to try harder.