j o e

Despite the title, this album is not a concept album of C.S. Lewis' classic re-telling of the Psyche and Cupid myth. Which is a shame, since that might have been pretty interesting. It is basically a half 'n' half-er that doesn't quite reach the heights of Hackett's earliest albums. Still, one has to give him credit for striving for different ideas. Till We Have Faces showcases a new, daring blend of influences to add to Hackett's repertoire: Eastern music ("What's My Name," "A Doll That's Made in Japan"), blues ("Let Me Count the Ways"), funky studio jams ("The Rio Connection"), and most obviously the music of Brazil, where this album was recorded. The album's weaknesses lie primarily in the vocal department, as Steve sounds pretty nasal here. There are also some lackluster songs: the dated, keyboard-driven "Duel," which is based on the famous Spielberg film and also "Myopia," which has little else going for it apart from a guitar riff. On the plus side, continuing the proud lineage of dark humor to be found on Hackett's solo work is "Matilda Smith-Williams" (I love the line "And if you smuggle in/another drop of gin/ we'll take your hearing aid away"). That one has some spirit to it, especially with the percussive break in the middle. I also like the brief, purposefully overdone Disney quote at the end; a nice touch. Although the extended tunes have the most going for them, don't let the artwork make you believe this is Voyage of the Acolyte II, and you'll find an enjoyable album that is a bit too all over the map. The latest, remastered reissue of this CD features a few additional songs, recorded by Hackett in the 90s. review by Joe McGlinchey — undated —

e r i c

As with many of Hackett's recordings, my biggest complaint with this one is poor vocals. Musically it is much more adventurous than either Cured or Highly Strung. Written in Brazil in 1983, Hackett states being influenced by the local music to add a world music feel to the record. More percussive than prior releases, the local influence does not overpower the music. For Marillion fans, Ian Mosely plays drums on this CD. The songs do have a more progressive nature than the prior two releases, but overall it is not a consistent CD. "What's my Name" opens with 2 minutes of percussion, heavy effects on vocals, some Japanese sounding instrumentation, and an excellent keyboard section following the vocal. "Rio Connection" has anupbeat, jazz/funk feel, with nice guitar and keyboard interplay. "Matilda Smith-Williams Home for the Aged" has a similiar feel to the newer versions of "Camino Royale". "Let me Count the Ways" is a blues song with poor vocals but nice guitar work. "A Doll That's Made in Japan" is musically interesting, with a catchy chorus, and the vocals are pretty decent here. "Duel" opens with a boring repetitive riff, talking vocal, good guitar solo. "Myopia" contains a cool riff but not much else; "Easy Way Out" is a mellow ballad. "The Gulf" is a synth heavy, mellow track with percussion and low choir in the background, atmospheric, and opens with some great guitar. "Stadiums of the Damned" has an evil sounding keyboard intro and is very eclectic musically. "When You Wish Upon a Star" is a nicely orchestrated version of the Disney classic. It's an interesting way to close the record. Not what you would expect from Hackett at times, but very adventurous for 1983, and Steve is about experimentation. Nice change from the synth-dominated releases prior to this one. review by Eric Porter — undated —