Steve Hackett - (1984) Till We Have Faces

Steve Hackett - (1984) Till We Have Faces

Studio Album, released in 1984

As I've lately refreshed my relationship with Hackett's music with many surprisingly fine albums, it is strange to think he has done an album of this low quality. Hackett is not at home at all in this commercial effort. Guests include a group of Brazilian musicians and Ian Mosley (who joined Marillion that year). I had this LP some 17 years ago and the only song that I liked was 'Taking the Easy Way Out'; it's the only one with a glimpse of that certain Hackett beauty, even if it's a bit too sweet ballad. 'Let Me Count the Ways' tries to be a nice blues ballad but sounds too lifeless to be that. Most songs are horribly bad. I dare say (after hearing most of his albums) that this is definitely his worst ever. I give this only one star, but all in all I rate Hackett VERY high as a guitarist and a composer. Everybody fails sometimes.

Track Listings:
1. Duel (4:50)
2. Matilda Smith-Williams Home For The Aged (8:04)
3. Let Me Count The Ways (6:06)
4. A Doll That's Made In Japan (3:57)
5. Myopia (2:56)
6. What's My Name (7:05)
7. The Rio Connection (3:24)
8. Taking The Easy Way Out (3:49)
9. When You Wish Upon A Star (0:51)

Total time: 41:02

Tracklist of Inside Out CD re-issue (2002):

1. What's My Name (7:04)
2. The Rio Connection (3:19)
3. Matilda Smith-Williams Home For The Aged (8:04)
4. Let Me Count The Ways (6:05)
5. A Doll That's Made In Japan (3:56)
6. Duel (4:48)
7. Myopia (2:54)
8. Taking The Easy Way Out (3:48)
9. The Gulf (6:30)
10. Stadiums Of The Damned (4:37)
11. When You Wish Upon A Star (0:48)

Total Time: 52:00
Line-up/Musicians

- Steve Hackett / guitar, guitar synthesizers, Koto, Rainstick, Etruscam guitar, marimba, percussion, harmonica, vocals
- Nick Magnus / keyboards, percussion, Yamaha DX7, Jupiter 6, Juno 60, Moog source, Jupiter 8, Memory Moog, Emulator, Vocoder and Linndrum
- Rui Motta / drums, Simmons drums
- Serginho (Roupa Nova) / drums
- Ian Mosley / drums, percussion
- Waldermar Falcao / flute, percussion
- Fernando Moura / Rhodes
- Ronaldo Diamante / bass
- Clive Stevens / Wind synthetizer
- Kim Poor / Japanese voice on "Doll"
- The Brazilians Percussionist: Sidinho Moreira, Junior, Jaburu, Peninha, Zizinho, Baca