CURED

With a cover that is more than suspicious given his shy personality and style traditionally oriented to hide behind mysterious and spectral imagery, and bearing whimsical summer similarities to E,L&P's ill-fated "Love Beach", Steve Hackett presents "Cured", his fifth solo album. Assuming the role of lead singer and correctly using the least compromised tones possible and bent layers given his vocal limitations, Hackett relies on Nick Magnus, survivor of the band formed for the predecessors "Spectral Mornings" and "Defector", to accompany him on keyboards and drum programming.

And as soon as the first tracks resound, such as "Hope I Don't Wake", "Picture Postcard" and "Can't Let Go", of a commercial pop character, "Cured" confirms what the cover would presage: a change not only aesthetically but also in their musical proposal, aiming towards more accessible and sweetened territories, reinforced by the also light "Funny Feeling".

The album is saved from the fire, partially at least, by "The Air-Conditioned Nightmare", an effortful instrumental exercise where Hackett manages not to forget his recent past, and takes some shine with the beautiful and acoustic "A Cradle of Swans", his proud habit of paying homage to classical influences, complemented by the initial arpeggios and some faint lights of the incongruous "Overnight Sleeper". But that's not enough.

Finally, the dull "Turn Back Time", a soporific ballad with no major aspirations, contributes to the overall lightness of the album and, closes it with more sorrow than glory.

"Cured", without further ado, is the beginning of a series of Hackett albums that will alternate, in the following years, both lights and shadows.

Discreet.

2 stars