Squackett – A Life Within a Day – CD & Blu-ray Edition (2024)
The 2012 album A Life Within a Day by Squackett, the powerhouse collaboration between late Yes co-founder Chris Squire and ex-Genesis maestro Steve Hackett, got a fresh reissue this year, bundled with a Blu-ray featuring a rich 5.1 surround sound mix. This isn’t just an audio upgrade, it’s a chance to rediscover an album born from a partnership that spanned four years, and one that artfully balances the progressive rock ethos with more mainstream detours.
The project sprouted when Squire, knee-deep in crafting a solo album, sought Hackett’s distinct guitar style. What started as a simple contribution bloomed into a full-blown collaboration, mixing elements of progressive rock with jazz and mainstream rock, topped off with rich vocal harmonies. But let’s be clear, most of this album won’t scratch the itch for die-hard prog fans. This isn’t the epic, mind-bending epic album you might expect; it’s more of a fluid mix, dipping its toes into different pools without staying too long in any of them.
However, where the album shines, it truly dazzles. Take the title track, “A Life Within a Day.” This is where things really cook. The track kicks off with that unmistakable Hackett touch before morphing into something akin to a Relayer-era Yes jam session. Squire’s basslines are an absolute masterclass here while Hackett’s guitar soars with his signature finesse.
Another standout is “The Summer Backwards.” It’s a softer moment, but one that wraps you up in its acoustic warmth, and the vocal harmonies lush and delightful. Hackett sneaks in one of his trademark solos, elegant, precise, and just what the song needs without overindulging.
Then there’s “Perfect Love Song,” which thankfully dodges the cliché its title hints at. Far from a saccharine ballad, it’s a masterstroke of progressive composition, building layers of sound leading to a deeply satisfying crescendo where both vocals and guitars shine in tandem.
The rest of the album, though? Well, it drifts a bit. Some tracks veer into radio-friendly territory, AOR, soft rock, and a touch of pop, certainly not what the prog faithful signed up for. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with those tracks, they may not resonate with fans looking for that intricate, challenging sound that Hackett and Squire are capable of delivering.
In the end, A Life Within a Day isn’t a full-blown prog effort, but it’s a fascinating document of two prog legends exploring different terrain.
Hackett described the process as “a bunch of pals swapping notes and anecdotes,” while Squire noted that the album has “a flavor to it that is reminiscent of a few things from different artists. There is some clever Prog Rock stuff, some jazzy bits, but there are parts that have vocal harmonies like Crosby, Stills And Nash.“
Disc One
A Life Within a Day – CD
1 A Life Within a Day
2 Tall Ships
3 Divided Self
4 Aliens
5 Sea of Smiles
6 The Summer Backwards
7 Storm Chaser
8 Can’t Stop the Rain
9 Perfect Love Song
Disc Two
A Life Within a Day – Bu-Ray, 5.1 Surround Sound mix
1 A Life Within a Day
2 Tall Ships
3 Divided Self
4 Aliens
5 Sea of Smiles
6 The Summer Backwards
7 Storm Chaser
8 Can’t Stop the Rain
9 Perfect Love Song