Tag: Steven Wilson

To the Bone by Steven Wilson

On By kruekuttIn Progressive rock9 Comments

by Rick Krueger

“Rain all the truth down, down on me/Rain down so much you make a sea/A sea we can sail then sink like a stone/Down to the truth, down to the bone.”

To the Bone isn’t any sort of “prog turned pop” betrayal.  I don’t think it’s Steven Wilson’s masterwork either; Porcupine Tree’s In Absentia and Deadwing and the stunning Hand. Cannot. Erase. remain my favorites, along with the compelling concert video Get All You Deserve.  I do think that To the Bone is pretty special, though.  An accessible yet ambitious set of songs that compels repeated plays, it ably showcases Wilson’s immersive grounding in rock and pop of all stripes, his ongoing quest to extend that tradition, and his continued lyrical growth.

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Steven Wilson – Refuge (Lyric Video)

On By Time LordIn Progressive rockLeave a comment

Steven Wilson’s new album is an amazing masterpiece. I give it my highest rating and I can’t stop listening to it! Now there is a new video out for one of the most moving songs on the disc.

Inspired by the plight of Syrian refugees, “Refuge” builds from the hushed beauty and pathos of the song section to an instrumental apex in which Paul Stacey’s guitar, Mark Feltham’s harmonica and Steven Wilson’s synth solo unite in epic glory, before dropping back down to a haunting aftermath. “Refuge” is a powerfully intense and cinematic highlight from the forthcoming album To the Bone.
https://stevenwilson.lnk.to/RefugeSo
Lyric video created by Lasse Hoile

Kscope Podcast 86: Steven Wilson Featured

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rockLeave a comment

Slider-POD86

The mighty Billy Reeves talks with the equally mighty Steven Wilson on the new Kscope podcast.  Enjoy.  Lots of great music as well.

       Kscope Podcast Eighty Six – Top 10 Steven Wilson Songs   

Two tracks from Steven Wilson’s forthcoming “To the Bone”

On By Time LordIn Progressive rockLeave a comment

The tracks from the new Steven Wilson album are sounding good: “The Same Asylum As Before” and “Pariah.” Can’t wait until August 18th to hear the new album. And I’d love to see him in concert again too. He’s one of today’s best artists. We’re so lucky to have him. The new tracks are such brilliant and moving music.

Rick’s Retroarchy: Songs from the Wood by Jethro Tull

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rock7 Comments

By Richard Krueger

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The Hand.

Retrenching after the thwarted theatrical ambitions of A Passion Play, War Child and Too Old to Rock and Roll, Too Young to Die, Ian Anderson moved from London to Buckinghamshire in 1976.  The Jethro Tull album that followed Anderson’s country retreat, Songs from the Wood, showcased a fruitful new path for both the writer and the band.

With Anderson’s withering cynicism relaxing (ever so slightly) into amused, skeptical acceptance of human folly, David Palmer’s energetic keyboard counterpoint refreshing the group’s core sound, and a focus on traditional British folklore and festivity (courtesy of PR guy/manager Jo Lustig and Anderson’s production work with Steeleye Span), the surprising results included increased record sales, higher chart positions, and expanded tour dates, especially in America.  Parlophone’s latest reissue box, released for the 40th anniversary of Songs from the Wood, ably showcases this incarnation of Tull’s appeal.

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Pre-Order New Steven Wilson

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rock1 Comment

Just about two hours ago, the pre-orders for the new Steven Wilson album, TO THE BONE, began.  The release comes in four versions, with the deluxe box set being limited in number.

To pre-order from Steven Wilson’s official store, go here: https://store.universalmusic.com/stevenwilson/*/*/To-The-Bone-Box-Set/5IVP0000000

Below is the first video from the album.  According to the official write up, Talk Talk’s THE COLOUR OF SPRING and Tears for Fears’ SEEDS OF LOVE serve as two of the three inspirations for the album, labeled as “progressive pop.”  The third is Peter Gabriel’s SO.

10 Years Old: FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET, Porcupine Tree

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rock1 Comment

Ten years ago this month, Porcupine Tree released its magnum opus, FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET.  I’m sure that many of you in the progarchy community would respectfully (or otherwise) disagree with my belief that this was PT’s finest moment.  Is it really the magnum opus of the band?

foabp
PT, FOABP, 2007

Or, maybe to put it differently, is it the finest moment of Steven Wilson, version 1.0?

Well, this might be the subject of a much longer post. . . .  But, for now, let’s stick with FEAR.

Though much heavier than the albums prior to IN ABSENTIA, FEAR has everything that a prog fan would want.  The lyrics are top notch, the album is a concept, and the playing is flawless and immaculate.

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The 10 most influential bassists, by Nick Beggs

On By Time LordIn Progressive rock1 Comment

Nick Beggs recently named his 10 most influential bassists and here are his top three:

3. GEDDY LEE

“Fronting up a band as a bass player and vocalist is a tough gig –  one with which I’ve had some experience. Geddy shows how it should be done. In a power trio, every little helps and additional duties on bass pedals, double-neck guitar and synths made for a fulsome sound in his stadium filling band Rush.”

2. JACO PASTORIUS

“Also often cited as the most influential player ever, his approach to Jazz and the fretless instrument was ground breaking. It’s hard to find someone Jaco didn’t influence. The 80s music charts were populated with hits featuring many Jaco clones – and for good reason.”

1. CHRIS SQUIRE

“My biggest musical influence ever. His sound and tone inspired a legion of players. Chris’ own inspirations were Paul McCartney and John Entwistle, two players who probably influenced more than most. But for me, Chris will always be top of the list. Sorely missed.”

Tim Bowness Lost in the Ghost Light

On By James R TurnerIn art rock, post-rock, Prog, Progarchy, Progressive rock, progressive rock music, psychedelic rock5 Comments

Years ago, when I was 16 I found an organization that helped with my curiosity about progressive rock, it was called the Classic Rock Society, they were based in Rotherham (a short bus ride away from the small village I lived in at the time) and they met on a Wednesday night in a pub. Beer and prog, all within a short distance from my front door, what was not to like?

One night at the pub talking about prog music in 1995 a friend lent me an album by a band I’d never heard of called No-Man, the album was Flowermouth, and it’s mix of shifting sounds and emotive vocals was my first introduction to the works of Mr Steven Wilson and Mr Tim Bowness, and I was hooked.

Luckily I got to see Porcupine Tree not so longer afterwards, but despite following No-Man and Tim Bowness solo work, it took me slightly longer (nearly 20 years in fact) to see Tim live, with Henry Fool at Eppyfest in 2014, followed quickly by seeing him at the Louisiana in Bristol in 2015.

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Bryan’s Best of 2016

On By Bryan MoreyIn Progressive rock4 Comments

2016 has been a pretty horrible year: terrorism, deaths of way too many musical heroes, the recent loss of Prog magazine and the total screwing of all Team Rock employees, personal inability to find a job… Yeah, this year has sucked.

Thankfully, despite these trials, progressive rock has continued to be the most creative and innovative genre in the music business. I always enjoy writing a “best of” list, mainly because it gives me a chance to look over the best music of the year. We prog fans really are spoiled.

Like last year, my 2016 list will be pretty big, and the order is completely arbitrary. I have a numbered top 4, but my top 3 picks for this year are essentially tied for first place. Without further ado, my favorite albums of 2016:

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