A Life Within a Day by SQUACKETT

SQUACKETT's 2012 album, A Life Within a Day, is a unique work by an extraordinary duo that has been at the heart of progressive rock for decades. The duo is comprised of Steve Hackett, well-known in  Genesis, for his outstanding solo career and numerous collaborations, including those with Steven Wilson,  Karmakanic and Djabe, to name a few of the most recent, and  Chris Squire, the legendary  Yes bassist, who has a splendid solo album under his belt, Fish Out of Water.

 

The album features top-notch musicians such as Roger King on keyboards (also programming and producing), Richard Stewart on cello, Christine Townsend on violin and viola, Dick Driver on double bass, and the great Jeremy Stacey (King Crimson) on drums, in an extraordinary performance, along with Amanda Lehmann on (usual) excellent backing vocals.

 

The vocal harmonies are beautiful in the pop-rock of this album, designed to be accessible and to incorporate moments of prog. But it's not a purely prog album; we can define it as a dreamy, relaxing, and very accessible pop-prog, enjoyable for both serious music fans and a wider audience. It highlights the undisputed immense talent of Hackett and Squire with performances that only masters of their caliber can offer, splendid sounds and guitar solos, and bass lines that are nothing short of fantastic.

 

- The title track ("A Life Within a Day") has a powerful, epic opening, in perfect Hackett style, a driving song with a monstrous drum and keyboard part, amazing bass, and fantastic distorted guitar. It's the album's top track, at times overwhelming.

- "Tall Ships" is beautiful, with its opening acoustic guitar and a terrifying bass line, followed by a rhythmic guitar and lead, a blues-rock mood with plenty of room for virtuosity.

- "Divided" is a beautiful song with its upbeat and relaxed mood, very pop, with a catchy melody and a great folk-like solo by Hackett.

- "Aliens" is a beautiful ballad with splendid acoustic and electric guitars, a masterpiece of melody and execution.

- "Sea of ​​Smiles" is beautiful, with its upbeat and rhythmic progression, a beautiful pop piece in the style of late Hackett.

- "The Summer Backwards" features a beautiful acoustic guitar and vocal intro for a sublime start, sweet and relaxed throughout.

- Then there's a TOP track, "Stormchaser," which starts powerfully and develops into a pop prog sound at times very complex, an exceptional song with experimental guitar work by Hackett. A great piece.

- "Can't Stop the Rain" is a moving ballad with a soft mood, deep bass and drums, chiseled guitar, and emotions that surface in the slow repetition of a splendid chorus punctuated by the backing vocals of the great Amanda Lehmann.

- "Perfect Love Song" closes the album with a beautiful, hypnotic guitar riff and great harmonies.

 

The vocals, sung by both Steve and Chris, are also beautiful. This album, unfortunately, is the only one of this collaboration, and I definitely recommend it to everyone because when two giants like these come together, even pop with a fine prog edge becomes complex and refined.

Tracklist

1. A Life Within a Day (6:36)
2. Tall Ships (6:18)
3. Divided Self (4:06)
4. Aliens (5:32)
5. Sea of Smiles (5:25)
6. The Summer Backwards (3:01)
7. Stormchaser (5:27)
8. Can't Stop the Rain (5:48)
9. Perfect Love Song (4:04)

Duration 46:17

LineUp

- Steve Hackett - guitar, harmonica, vocals
- Chris Squire - bass, vocals

Featuring:
- Roger King - keyboards, programming, producer
- Richard Stewart - cello (1)
- Christine Townsend - violin and viola (1)
- Dick Driver - double bass (1)
- Jeremy Stacey - drums
- Amanda Lehmann - backing vocals

This album is a true Progressive Rock METEOR. Visit the PROG METEOR section for more information.

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.