Album of the Day

Darktown, by Steve Hackett (1999): From the very beginning of "Omega Metallicus," with it thumping bass and drum loops and angry guitar, it's clear that Darktown is not your older brother's Steve Hackett album. Hackett adopts some more modern production techniques (loops, serious synth programming, etc.) and combines them with his typical varied group of tunes to produce an album that is dark, brooding, and (in places) gorgeous. I think this is one of Hackett's best vocal albums, with him handling the duties on most tracks, occasionally with the aid of various studio technology. At once, it doesn't sound a thing like the guy who spent the 70s in Genesis and turning out solo albums like Voyage of the Acolyte. But at the same time, it sounds exactly what that guy would sound like if he modernized a bit without losing his adventurous spirit.