Tag: Steven Wilson

The new Steven Wilson out today

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

STEVEN WILSON HAND. CANNOT. ERASE. AVAILABLE TODAY

Steven Wilson’s conceptual masterpiece, Hand. Cannot. Erase. (Kscope), released today to critical acclaim – the groundbreaking songwriter, four-time Grammy-nominated artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, has long been celebrated by an elite audience of audiophiles and tastemakers, with the new release eclipsing all expectation.

The critics so far:

“Hand. Cannot. Erase. is an album rooted in sonic and spiritual modernity, largely eschewing early prog tropes in favour of an inventive blend of lbealk and brooding industrial soundscapes and rugged muscular ensemble performances from Wilson’s virtuoso henchmen…” Score: 5/5  – The Guardian

“…Wilson set out to capture Vincen’ts life as only he can – through sprawling, dense, challenging and often strikingly beautiful music.  The result is Hand. Cannot. Erase….” – Buffalo News

“Hand. Cannot. Erase. is nothing short of an epic tale of modern-day isolation.” – Huffington Post

“It’s beautiful and haunting.  As with many great prog records, there’s no shortage of musical layers, instruments and themes.” – Huffington Post

“What’s striking about Hand. Cannot. Erase. is its vast spectrum of musical colors and the life-affirming vitality of its hummable melodies.  Wilson’s best album to date…” – Under The Radar

“…produced and mixed by Wilson, the album is sonically rich and detailed. It’s an immense, imaginative landscape that melds classic album rock, sophisticated ’80s pop, metal, prog, and electronica in expertly crafted songs.” – All Music

“Bucking virtually every convention in today’s music business, Wilson’s career and exponential rise to fame has, quite simply, been extraordinary.” – All About Jazz

“It’s this ability to combine narrative and music in brave and adventurous ways during a time when the very longevity of the album-as-cohesive-statement is constantly being questioned that makes Wilson one of the most compelling musicians of his era. His music seeks to connect on a deeply human level, and stands in contrast to a popular music culture obsessed with disposability. This makes him a rare and precious commodity.” – Buffalo News

“If Neil Young is the “Godfather of Grunge,” then Wilson has likewise (and rightfully) earned his place as the “Patriarch of Prog.”” – Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Musically, it’s a full-course sound-and-genre menu that runs the gamut from epic prog-rock to industrial textures and rhythms to pastoral acoustic pop.” – Music Radar

“..a rich musical journey with numerous moments of vivid melodic simplicity…” Score: 5/5  – The Guardian

“If there is any such a thing as a renaissance man left in popular music, then Steven Wilson is surely it.” – Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“…there is a cohesive and strong narrative to the album, there are enough music twists throughout the 11 tracks to keep you on the journey right to the very end.” – fdrmx

“…rather than being a Progressive Rock album with a capital “P,” this is a progressive album in the dictionary sense of the word; an album that represents progression for Wilson and, with its unintended but undeniable crossover appeal, an album that moves music forward in a way that’s detailed under the hood but immediately accessible throughout.” – All About Jazz

“This troubling but deeply moving record is a metaphorical treatise on societal alienation, loneliness, and urban dislocation, offered without pretension. It is aesthetically attractive while being emotionally and intellectually resonant; pop music can hope for no more.” – All Music

“Hand. Cannot. Erase. is a crystal clear indicator of just what can be achieved with a little thought, some finely-honed talent, a quality team, and plenty of hard work. Box-negating, limit-ignoring, and utterly fantastic.” – The Music Melting Pot

“Steven Wilson has once again achieved a perfect mix. It is delicate and dynamic, and it has a lot of space for everything to breathe.” – The Monolith

“…Steven Wilson’s new album, Hand. Cannot. Erase., is simply The Thing That Shouldn’t Be: Eleven tracks clocking in at over 65 minutes, it the genuine concept record article, built more for sustained, top-to-bottom listening experiences rather than short-bite consumption.” – Music Radar

“As someone capable of delivering accessible music that is, at the same time, compositionally and lyrically deep—detailed and, at times, unapologetically complex—Wilson makes absolutely no compromises in doing what he does. And yet, almost in spite of it all, his star continues on an increasingly rapid upward trajectory.” – All About Jazz

“Hand. Cannot. Erase. grabs your full attention from the beginning to the very final note…the sign of a great album.” – fdrmx

“Wilson’s refined skill as a songwriter and studio guru combine to fashion songs that deserve a much wider audience than one that views his work as a modern equivalent of Pink Floyd and Genesis.” Score: 5/5  – The Guardian

“Steven Wilson’s new album is that perfect hybrid of edgy pop and progressive rock” – Power of Pop

Co-produced by the four-time Grammy-nominated artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Hand. Cannot. Erase. is available at retailers nationwide and digitally with a limited deluxe edition for pre-order via Kscope (http://bit.ly/1DhHN6c). Steven Wilson and his band will embark on a tour through the UK and Europe in March and April 2015, then head to North America dedicating much of the summer beginning on May 21 in Albany – itinerary below.

Best known as founder and front man of British rock act Porcupine Tree, Wilson has produced and collaborated with diverse acts as Opeth, Blackfield, Yes, Roxy Music, and XTC. His prolific engineering work can be heard on his mixes of classic releases from King Crimson, Jethro Tull, and most recently the 5.1 surround sound version of Tears For Fears’ classic Songs From The Big Chair reissue, released in November 2014. Porcupine Tree’s last album went top 30 in both the UK and USA, and the tour climaxed with sold out shows at Royal Albert Hall in London and Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Following the release of his critically acclaimed 2012 release, The Raven That Refused to Sing, Wilson set out on a world tour, having assembled a virtuoso band – Marco Minnemann (drums), Nick Beggs (bass), Theo Travis (flute and sax), Adam Holzman (keys) and Guthrie Govan (guitar).  His latest studio creation completed, the cinematic Hand. Cannot. Erase. features dynamic performances by Wilson, his touring ensemble, and vocal accompaniment from
Ninet Tayeb.

# # #

www.stevenwilsonhq.com

North American Tour dates:

May 21                   The Egg                                     Albany

May  22        Berklee Performance Center                    Boston

May 23                   The Whitaker Center                     Harrisburg

May 26                   930 Club                                    Washington, DC

May 28                   Keswick Theatre                          Glenside, PA

May 29                   Best Buy Theater                         New York City

May 30                   Best Buy Theater                         New York City

May 31                   The Grand                                  Wilmington, Delaware

Jun 02           The Palace Theatre                      Pittsburgh

Jun  04          Park West                                  Chicago, Illinois

Jun 05           Park West                                  Chicago, Illinois

Jun 06           Barrymore Theater                       Madison

Jun 09           Boulder Theater                           Boulder, CO

Jun 11           Mesa Arts Center                         Mesa, Arizona

Jun 12           The Grove                                  Anaheim

Jun 13           The Wiltern                                 Los Angeles

Jun 14           The Warfield                               San Francisco

Jun 16           Aladdin Theater                           Portland

Jun 17           Neptune Theater                          Seattle

Jun 20           Vogue Theatre                                      Vancouver

Jun 22           Myer Horowitz Theatre                 Edmonton

Jun 23           Theatre Junction Grand(Flanagan)   Calgary

Jun 26           The Danforth Music Hall                Toronto

Jun 27           Montreal Jazz Festival                            Montreal

Jun 28           Montreal Jazz Festival                   Montreal

Jun  29          Impérial                                     Quebec City

An Excellent Interview with Steven Wilson by Stephen Humphries

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music3 Comments

A friend of mine, Stephen Humphries, just interviewed Steven Wilson.  Well worth reading.  Humphries is a natural.

My story began to spin off other things that I wanted to talk about: nostalgia for childhood, regret, and isolation and alienation,” says Wilson. “When most people say ‘concept album,’ they think of fantasy. But for me, the quintessential concept albums are things like Tommy, Quadrophenia, The Wall, OK Computer. These albums are actually about very similar things. They are about a fear of the modern age, they are about alienation from technology and alienation from society. They are also albums about individuals becoming isolated from the rest of the world. I think there is a lineage that this album appears to be a part of.

To read the entire interview (and you should!), please click here.

Steven Wilson sine ira et studio

On By Time LordIn Progarchy5 Comments

I’m somewhat mystified by the accusations of arrogance and hubris against Steven Wilson. The remarks I read him making don’t strike me as being uttered in that spirit.

He strikes me, rather, as more of a Peartian “most endangered species”: viz., “the honest man.” The evidence brought forward against him, as evidence of his alleged ego, seems to me, rather, to be evidence for his lack of ego.

He frequently stresses how art holds up a mirror in which we can find a common experience. This seems to me to be the opposite of an egoist who insists on his own special uniqueness.

Here is Wilson’s spiritual apologetic for how he operates; I think he does quite well correcting the unfair misunderstandings about him with his own words:

With Grace for Drowning, I was moving into the next phase of my creativity, which is a balance between me as a producer, editor or architect, and being able to draw on musicians that are more spiritual in how they approach music.

I suppose as a catch-all, you could say “spiritual” just means “done for the right reasons.” What I mean by that is there is no attempt on this album to fit the music into a specific market or genre, or appeal to the existing base, managers or record companies. I’m not suggesting I’ve ever done that, because I’m pretty much incapable of doing that. [laughs] I think I have a willful streak in me in that whatever I do, I have to do it in a way that ultimately pleases me. So, being spiritual in that sense is a need to get in touch with my own soul to fulfill my own creative needs.

The music industry is full of people that are clearly not being fulfilled by their work. They do things for reasons that are perhaps different from when they started or when they first fell in love with the whole creative process. There are plenty of people doing it for the same reason as when they fell in love with music—I’m not suggesting I’m unique in that respect. But the industry all too often crushes people into thinking they have to make music to please other people. That situation is the antithesis of spiritual music. The bottom line is spirituality means something that touches you and can touch other people as well. It’s the idea that art is a kind of mirror. You create something in a very selfish way and then when you release it into the world, it becomes a mirror. If other people see themselves reflected back in what you’re doing, then there is a sense of touching people. Touching people means making people understand that they’re not alone in feeling the emotions they’re feeling. In that sense, spiritual music is about making people feel they are part of a collective consciousness. None of the things we feel in this world are unique to us, no matter how bad or good they may feel.

I think that if one listens to Wilson’s new album sine ira et studio (to use Tacitus’ apposite phrase) then one might conclude this is the finest album of the year (nota bene: Dave Kerzner’s New World is excluded only on the technicality that it was half-released last year already, in order to avoid any conflict between these two masterpieces).

Wilson is hardly some small-minded egoist who merely steals from others and recycles without attribution. People are free to prefer the work of other artists, but it is hardly fair to make invidious comparisons that pronounce Wilson merely a lesser version of one’s own favorite artists. He does not seem to be jockeying for position or rank, but rather has loftier, more spiritual goals.

The words I have quoted above, I think, are truly spoken in the spirit of Rush’s “Spirit of Radio,” and thereby illustrate that Wilson is not simply an artist with talent, but also an artist with unusual integrity.

No wonder he finds himself a target.

Steven Wilson — Hand. Cannot. Erase. ★★★★★

On By Time LordIn Progarchy2 Comments

Some of my initial thoughts on Steven Wilson’s five-star masterpiece, Hand. Cannot. Erase.:

The title track, Hand Cannot Erase, which is already available, explores the theme of the transcendence of love. Significantly, it is a hopeful affirmation, albeit a fragile one, offered amidst the brokenness unflinchingly explored by the album’s other songs.

Perfect Life, for example, depicts the main character’s ecstatic discovery, at the age of 13, of a sister she never knew. They become best friends, but their “perfect life” together lasts only for six months.

The narrative relates how their family life is again shattered. Once more, brokenness eclipses the moments of bliss: “For a few months everything about our lives was perfect. It was only us, we were inseparable. Later that year my parents separated and my sister was rehoused with a family in Dollis Hill. For a month I wanted to die and missed her every day.”

Wilson’s album also includes a lengthy track, Ancestral, that to my mind offers the most frightening sonic depiction ever rendered of the weight of original sin, of the weight of the guilty dragging down the innocent. Remarkably, Wilson’s song cycle ends by presenting the main character’s death in the luminous context of a celestial boys’ choir breaking though a rainstorm. There is a return to the happy sounds of innocent children playing in a playground, sounds first heard at the beginning of the album.

Grammys Shammies. A Meandering Editorial.

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music2 Comments
God bless that Stu guy!
God bless that Stu guy!

Having had a chance to listen to a stream (a review copy from the fine folks B/W/R PR) of the new Steven Wilson, I’m very glad to write that it’s profound and good and true and wonderful.  I wasn’t so taken with the last album (the RAVEN one), though I thought the first two solo albums quite astounding.  And, I pulled out my Chicago DVD show of Porcupine Tree.  Sheesh, when Wilson wants to be, he’s incredible.  The last solo album I thought a poor mimicry of the work of that ever-wonderful genius, Andy Tillison.

This new album pays homage to late 1970s Rush, but it does so in a way that honors Rush.  All to the good.

As the Grammy’s are happening as I write this, I remember how utterly disappointed I was with Wilson a few years ago when he tweeted how sad he was not to have won a Grammy.  I responded in my own tweet: “Dear Lord, you are so much better than that!”  Or something akin to this.

I meant it.

A Grammy is an albatrossian weight, not a mark or a sign of anything other than bland, tapioca conformity on a corporate scale.

Not watching the Grammy’s, I can happily report that I’m listening to the brand new, deluxe version of Galahad’s EMPIRES NEVER LAST.  Let me offer another “sheesh.”  What a great album, made even better through remixing and editing.  Glorious.

Yesterday, my family and I devoured the new Neal Morse, THE GRAND EXPERIMENT.  We are all rather smitten.

Today, I listened to all of Dave Kerzner’s NEW WORLD (deluxe edition) as I made Sunday evening pizza.  Again, I’m a rather happy fan.

I also read Bryan Morey’s insightful review of Mike Kershaw’s latest EP, DEPARTURE, featuring lots of FRACTAL MIRROR talent.  This got me to thinking about Greg Spawton and his ability to form communities–not only around himself immediately in BBT, but also through the internet.  Kershaw, Urbaniak, Kull. . . what a crazy bunch of proggers we all are.  And, that Morey.  He’s a natural.

And, now, I patiently await the arrival of the new Glass Hammer.

I’m sorry–what awards show is going on tonight?  Yeah, I’ve got much better things to listen to, thank you very much.

Superb interview with Steven Wilson

On By Time LordIn Progarchy1 Comment

Listen to this excellent interview with Steven Wilson.

Wow! Dave Gregory plays on the new album too!

Steven Wilson: “Perfect Life”

On By Time LordIn Progarchy1 Comment

12 August 2009:

When I was 13 I had a sister for 6 months. She arrived one February morning, pale and shellshocked, from past lives I could not imagine. She was 3 years older than me, but in no time we became friends.

We’d listen to her mix tapes; Dead Can Dance, Felt, This Mortal Coil…

She introduced me to her favourite books, gave me clothes, and my first cigarette.

Sometimes we would head down to Blackbirds moor to watch the barges on Grand Union in the twilight.

She said “The water has no memory”.

For a few months everything about our lives was perfect.

It was only us, we were inseparable.

Later that year my parents separated and my sister was rehoused with a family in Dollis Hill.

For a month I wanted to die and missed her every day.

But gradually she passed into another distant part of my memory.

Until I could no longer remember her face, her voice, even her name.

Press Release: new Steven Wilson. HAND. CANNOT. ERASE.

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music1 Comment

HCE-finalcover

STEVEN WILSON WEAVES CHILLING MUSICAL TALE WITH HAND. CANNOT. ERASE.

Album Available March 3, 2015 – North American Tour Begins May 21

(January 7, 2015) – Groundbreaking songwriter, four-time Grammy-nominated artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Steven Wilson, is set to release his fourth solo album,

Hand. Cannot. Erase. (Kscope) on March 3, 2015.  Hand. Cannot. Erase. will be available at retailers nationwide and digitallywith a limited deluxe edition for pre-order via Kscope (http://bit.ly/1DhHN6c). Wilson and his band will embark on a tour through the UK and Europe in March and April 2015, then head to North America dedicating much of the summer beginning on May 21 in Albany – itinerary below.  

This latest collection from the prolific song-writer is a dynamic 11-song conceptual set, bringing together diverse aspects of his expansive sonic history. Recorded in September 2014 at AIR Studios London, Hand. Cannot. Erase. features the guitar-driven power, infectious melodies, and progressive sensibility of Wilson’s sprawling body of work.

Wilson describes the collection as inspired by a news story, of a woman who died in her apartment and went undiscovered for three years. “The basic concept of the record – it’s about a woman growing up, who goes to live in the city, very isolated, and she disappears one day and no one notices. Now, your initial reaction when you hear a story like that is, ‘Ah, little old bag lady that no one notices; no one cares about.’  But she was young; she was popular; she was attractive; she had many friends; she had family, but for whatever reason, nobody missed her for three years.”  The dramatic theme of Hand. Cannot. Erase. is punctuated with moments of rhythmic urgency, somber introspection, and soaring beauty.  Fans are invited to follow the blog entries at  http://Handcannoterase.com.

 

Tracklisting:

  • “First Regret”
  • “3 Years Older“
  • “Hand Cannot Erase”
  • “Perfect Life”
  • “Routine”
  • “Home Invasion”
  • “Regret #9”
  • “Transience”
  • “Ancestral”
  • “Happy Returns”
  • “Ascendant Here On…”

Best known as founder and front man of British rock act Porcupine Tree, Wilson has produced and collaborated with diverse acts as Opeth, Blackfield, Yes, Roxy Music, and XTC. His prolific engineering work can be heard on his mixes of classic releases from King Crimson, Jethro Tull, and most recently the 5.1 surround sound version of Tears For Fears’ classic Songs From The Big Chair reissue, released in November 2014. Porcupine Tree’s last album went top 30 in both the UK and USA, and the tour climaxed with sold out shows at Royal Albert Hall in London and Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Following the release of his critically acclaimed 2012 release, The Raven That Refused to Sing, Wilson set out on a world tour, having assembled a virtuoso band – Marco Minnemann (drums), Nick Beggs (bass), Theo Travis (flute and sax), Adam Holzman (keys) and Guthrie Govan (guitar).  His latest studio creation completed, the cinematic Hand. Cannot. Erase.features dynamic performances by Wilson, his touring ensemble, and vocal accompaniment from Ninet Tayeb.

www.stevenwilsonhq.com

 

Tour dates:

 

  • Thursday, May 21     Albany, NY              The Egg
  • Friday, May 22          Boston, MA             Berklee Performance Center
  • Saturday, May 23     Harrisburg, PA         The Whitaker
  • Tuesday, May 26      Washington, DC      930 Club
  • Thursday, May 28     Philadelphia, PA      Keswick Theater
  • Friday, May 29          New York, NY          Best Buy Theater
  • Saturday, May 30     New York, NY          Best Buy Theater
  • Thursday, June 04    Chicago, IL              Park West
  • Friday, June 05         Chicago, IL              Park West
  • Saturday, June 06     Madison, WI            Barrymore Theater
  • Tuesday, June 09     Denver, CO             Boulder Theater
  • Friday, June 12         Anaheim, CA            The Grove
  • Saturday, June 13     Los Angeles, CA       The Wiltern
  • Sunday, June 14       San Francisco, CA     The Warfield
  • Tuesday, June 16     Portland, OR            Aladdin Theater
  • Wednesday, June 17 Seattle, WA             Neptune Theater
  • Friday, June 26         Toronto                  The Danforth Music Hall Canada
  • Saturday, June 27     Montréal                 Montréal Jazz Festival Canada

Hand. Cannot. Erase.

On By Time LordIn ProgarchyLeave a comment

HandCannotErase.com:

1ST JANUARY 2015

Streets pretty deserted this morning, just me and the dog walkers. The detritus of the night before, and something else, I pick it up. A handwritten letter fluttering amongst the cans, bottles and fast food packaging. The ink has been washed away by the rain in places, and elsewhere parts have been crossed out. A love letter, possibly unrequited.  Either it was never sent or the recipient simply threw it away.

“I love you but I’m lost…”

Hand cannot erase this love.