Tag: Steven Wilson

Bryan’s Best of 2015

On By Bryan MoreyIn Progressive rock9 Comments

2015 turned out to be another fantastic year for prog, as well as metal. Last year, I made a top 10 list, but this year, there has been far too much great music in prog, metal, and rock to narrow it down to 10 albums. Apart from my top 4, there will be no particular order for the rest of my picks. Most of this will be prog, but there is some straight up metal here as well.

The Neal Morse Band – The Grand Experiment

grandexperimentNeal Morse and company have made another outstanding album. “Alive Again” might be one of the top 10 best long progressive songs ever made. It is remarkably beautiful. Mike Portnoy’s drumming is exceptional, as always, and, like last year, this isn’t the last we shall hear of him on this list.

 

 

Spock’s Beard – The Oblivion Particle

cd_top1The Oblivion Particle is my first introduction to Spock’s Beard, and I am heartily impressed. Ted Leonard’s vocals really round out the band. “Bennett Built a Time Machine” is my personal favorite from the record.

 

 

Stryper – Fallen

stryperfallenart1-602x536I’m brand new to Stryper, and after listening to their last two albums, I’m flabbergasted. Their new music is better than their original stuff from the 80s. The drummer has grown incredibly, and Michael Sweet’s vocals soar to the heavens. The best thing – Stryper hasn’t given up on their values. They blast metal to honor God.

 

Lonely Robot – Please Come Home

71R0HHLaiqL._SY355_I was pleasantly surprised by this album. The music has just the right amount of complexity, with a few pop hooks here and there for good measure. The song “Lonely Robot” should be a radio staple, but rock radio sucks.

 

 

LEAH – Kings and Queens

a1021213633_16The reigning queen of prog metal released a masterpiece this year. A long masterpiece. Her combination of metal with celtic influences works amazingly well. She creates a wonderful sound that no one else really tries to duplicate. Originality abounds.

 

 

Dave Kerzner – New World (Deluxe Edition)

david-kerzner-new-world-deluxeThe deluxe edition came out this year, so it counts as 2015. Plus, I overlooked the album last year since it came out in December, and for that I sincerely apologize to Dave. This album brilliantly revives classic elements of Pink Floyd, and Kerzner’s voice is eerily reminiscent of David Gilmour’s. This is an album meant to last.

 

 

The Winery Dogs – Hot Streak

81SPiEsz2HL._SX425_Wow! AC/DC meets Mike Portnoy! Richie Kotzen’s voice has grown on me, as has the “Dog’s” music. From the virtuosity of the first track, “Oblivion,” to the hard rock bombast of “Captain Love,” Hot Streak is a fantastic album. Billy Sheehan’s bass balances Portnoy’s drums and Kotzen’s guitars beautifully. The quiet piece, “Fire,” is a nice change up, as well.

 

Next to None – A Light in the Dark

3655066_origI saw these guys live in concert with Haken this spring, and I was impressed. For teenagers, these guys have serious chops. Max Portnoy stands out though, as he has clearly inherited his father’s raw talent. Check out my review of the album and interview with Max – https://progarchy.com/2015/07/20/metal-mondays-interview-with-max-portnoy-of-next-to-none/

 

Metal Allegiance – Metal Allegiance

safe_image.phpYou could call this a supergroup for thrash, although it seems anything with Mike Portnoy in it could be called a supergroup. His double bass thrash drumming is a nice change for him. The abundant guest performances from bands such as Testament, Anthrax, and many other groups really round out their sound. Normally I don’t like thrash because of the lyrics, but the lyrics here are great. The combination of guests makes this album one of the greatest thrash albums ever made.

Disturbed – Immortalized

81FC381L9HL._SY355_This isn’t prog in any sense of the word, but Disturbed’s first album since 2010 is a return to form for the band. They didn’t want to make an album again unless it was really good, and they delivered on that desire. Immortalized is one of the best album’s they have made, with only one song that I don’t like. Their cover of “The Sound of Silence” is better than the original, in my opinion.

 

Flying Colors: Live at the Z7

CD_FC-2ndNatureLIVE_digi-03-625x567The live Blu-ray is one of the best live shows I have seen. The music is played flawlessly, and the production for sound is excellent. It was filmed in 4K and you can choose from two sound choices – front row or sound board. Well played, FC, well played. Oh ya, more Mike Portnoy, too.

 

Rush – R40 Live 

1035x1511-R40.Tour.Cover7.FNL-copyThis needs no explanation. Long live Rush.

 

 

 

 

Steve Hackett – Wolflight

wolflightFrontCoverAnother great solo effort from one of the greatest guitarists ever. I have such a great respect for Steve Hackett and his dedication to his craft and the genre. Of all the 70s prog giants, Hackett is probably the best ally to the newer prog artists and musicians.

 

 

4. Muse – Drones

MUSE-DRONESAnother fantastic album from Muse, and a dystopic concept album at that. I’m convinced that Matt Bellamy has the best voice in the business, plus he’s a god on the guitar. Chris Wolstenholme’s bass is underrated, as well. Check out my review: https://progarchy.com/2015/08/11/back-to-basics-muses-drones/

 

3. Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.

A year ago, I couldn’t stand Steven Wilson. Now I’m a fan. Go figure. Hand. Cannot. Erase. is simply brilliant. The story telling is at an extremely high level, and this album, while rather depressing, is so addicting to listen to. Wilson is an incredibly important figure in progressive rock.

 

 

2. Vanden Plas – Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld Path 2

81ADonu6jjL._SX355_Combined with part 1, these two albums are a masterpiece. I’m still deciphering what the story is about, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. These guys have been going strong for a long time, and they have only gotten better with age. Check out my review: https://progarchy.com/2015/11/18/vanden-plas-another-stroke-of-genius/

 

1. The Tangent – A Spark in the Aether

tangent1Yeehaw, this is a great album! Holy crap, I don’t know how Andy Tillison does it! He is a master of cultural criticism, and while I don’t agree with him politically, I do respect him immensely. This album is well worth your time.

 

 

 

Like I said, a great year for rock of all kinds. As I promised, Mike Portnoy features prominently in my list, just like last year. He certainly deserves it since he is one of the hardest working men in the business. His “Hello Kitty” drum video for Loudwire was an instant classic.

Cultural RePercussions 2 (1)Best prog book of the year goes to Progarchy’s very own Brad Birzer for his excellent book on Neil Peart, a man of letters. Well worth your time.

Get it at Amazon here.

 

 

kansas_miraclesThe new Kansas documentary, Miracles out of Nowhere, is excellent. While it only goes through Point of Know Return, it is an excellent look at the band, from the band members themselves, as well as Brian May and Garth Brooks. It was great to see that the band members don’t hate each other. In fact, they genuinely seem to like each other. If at all possible, order it from the band because it comes with a bonus disc featuring the band reminiscing and a few other features – http://www.kansasmerch.toursync.com

Check out Carl Olson’s fantastic review of the documentary: https://progarchy.com/2015/08/19/miracles-and-music-out-of-kansas/

915g7JKrT-L._SX385_One final documentary/live concert that is worthy of any “best of” list is Roger Waters’ movie, The Wall. It combines a live concert from his recent tour with short scenes that examine the meaning of the album for him. The concert itself is outstanding – better than his 1990 The Wall concert in Berlin, performed after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The music is basically indistinguishable from the album. A worthy look at one of the best and most important albums ever made.

 

Sorry if I have bored you with my list, but I am nothing if not thorough. I’m just amazed by the quality of music that has been released the last few years, and I eagerly look forward to what the coming year has in store. New Dream Theater coming in January. And who knows what Mike Portnoy will release. Such excitement. Merry Christmas everybody, and prog on into 2016.

Audiophilia Heaven: HAND.CANNOT.ERASE Blu-Ray

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music2 Comments
The blu-ray version of HAND.CANNOT.ERASE. Perfect sound, disappointing but sturdy packaging.
The blu-ray version of HAND.CANNOT.ERASE. Perfect sound, disappointing but sturdy packaging.

I’ve always been an audiophile (rather snobbishly), but I’ve also never quite understood the technology behind good audio.  Thank the good Lord for friends such as Craig Breaden, Kevin McCormick, and Carl Olson who have so patiently explained the details to me.  If I understood what they so kindly told me, I only did so for a moment or two.  My fault, not theirs!

I do, however, very well know what I like and what I don’t like.

A few albums have rather happily blown my ears away over the years.  I can think of many, but a few stand out rather dramatically.  The production on 90125, Songs from the Big Chair, Skylarking, Afraid of Sunlight, Space Revolver, Night, The Underfall Yard, Fog Electric, and Le Sacre du Travail never in anyway become boring or tiresome.  There’s always something new to discover in the production of each.  And, each listen reveals a new aspect of beauty in the art.

And, the same is true of every single thing Steven Wilson has released, whether with Porcupine Tree or solo.  For what it’s worth, I think Rob Aubrey and Steven Wilson are the two most important engineers and mixers of our day.

The only thing better than Wilson on CD?  Wilson on blu-ray.  Having fallen rather in love with Wilson’s fourth studio album, HAND.CANNOT.ERASE., I decided to order the blu-ray.  Holy schnikees, am I glad I did.  I’d write something cliché such as “music to my ears,” but that would be cheesy.  Still. . . .

The good.  The sound is nothing short of amazing with the blu-ray.  Even though I can’t quite understand the technology as to why this is so much better (though, of course, there’s gobs more data on the blu-ray), it is.  The sound is perfectly crisp.  This is especially important given how precise every note is—written as well as played—on Hand.Cannot.Erase.  The opening track echoes the sound of three well-known Canadian proggers.  This is Rush done with no English reserve!  Just pure imitation in the most flattering sense.

The album, of course, has been reviewed and reviewed—including by two progarchists.  So, I won’t rehash what’s been said and written.  I’ll only note, that I love this album almost as much as GRACE FOR DROWNING—my favorite album from Wilson and one of my top 25 albums of all time.

The good, part two.  Extra tracks and bonus features.  The blu-ray includes a number of additional tracks, though these are generally variations on the original album.  Still, quite enticing.  It’s interesting to listen to the instrumental version of the album as I have a hard time not hearing Wilson’s distinctive vocals and profoundly moving lyrics.

The good, part three.  As always, the documentary that accompanies the album is equal parts enlightening and weird.

The thing just ripped/popped upon pulling out the CD booklet. Come on, KScope, you're so much better than this.
The thing just ripped/popped upon pulling out the CD booklet. Come on, KScope, you’re so much better than this.

The bad.  The only bad thing is the HAND.CANNOT.ERASE. booklet.  The booklet that comes with the CD is far superior to the one that comes with the blu-ray.  The blu-ray booklet only has about half of the photos the CD booklet has.  Considering that the blu-ray booklet is quite a bit larger per page, this is just bizarre.  Indeed, while the CD booklet feels lovingly crafted, the blu-ray booklet feels a bit like something Costco might produce.  Good, but middling.  I really love what Kscope produces in terms of musical quality, but the company never seems to have gotten its packaging down to an art or a science.  I’m quite gentle and protective of everything I purchase for my music collection, but my Kscope CD packaging ripped open when I lovingly removed the booklet to read.  It wasn’t as much a rip as it was a pop that turned into a huge and ugly rip.  As OCD as I am, this is quite unsettling.  And, unfortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve had this happen with Kscope releases.  As often as not, the digibooks booklets—held by only staples—fall out all too frequently with Kscope products.  I hope they work on this.  Those of us who are willing to pay large sums of money for physical products want the physical products we deserve.

If you’ve not purchased the album yet, I highly recommend getting the blu-ray.  Though the printed material that comes with it isn’t up to the perfection of the music, it is sturdier than what you’ll get with the CD packaging.  And, the sound of the blu-ray outweighs any objection or deficiency.

Thank you, Mr. Wilson.  I continue to learn from you, your art, and your excellence.

Steven Wilson Remixes Yes FRAGILE

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music1 Comment

Taken straight from yesworld.com

****

YES’s ‘Fragile’ Remixed and Remastered in 5.1 Surround & Stereo Mixes – out 30th Oct

Fragile is the fourth in a series of remixed & expanded Yes Classics. The album has been mixed for 5.1 Surround Sound from the original studio masters by Steven Wilson & is fully approved by Yes.

Release date: Oct 30th 2015

image: http://yesworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fragile-460.jpg

Fragile

BLURAY/CD

The Definitive Edition Blu-Ray Disc features:

– Album mixed in 24-96 5.1 PCM Surround Sound & in DTS-HD MA 5.1 from original multi-track sources.
– New Album mix in High Resolution Stereo
– Original Album mix (flat transfer) in High Resolution Stereo
– Six additional tracks

– Original Roger Dean artwork expanded & restored with material from the Roger Dean archive & with full approval of the artist.
– Presented as a 2 x digi-pack format in a slipcase with new sleeve notes by writer Sid Smith along with rare photos & archive material.

Blu-Ray exclusives

– Full album instrumental mixes by Steven Wilson
– Two additional alternate takes
– A full album needle-drop of an original UK vinyl pressing
– US promo singles edits as needle-drops.

image: http://yesworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fragile-460.jpg

Fragile

DVD-A/CD

The Definitive Edition DVD-A Disc features:

– Album mixed in 24-96 5.1 DTS vLossless Surround from original multi-track sources.
– New Album mix in High Resolution Stereo
– Original Album mix (flat transfer) in High Resolution Stereo
– Six additional tracks

– Original Roger Dean artwork expanded & restored with material from the Roger Dean archive & with full approval of the artist.
– Presented as a 2 x digi-pack format in a slipcase with new sleeve notes by writer Sid Smith along with rare photos & archive material.

TRACK LISTING

Original Track Listing

01 Roundabout
02 Cans & Brahms
03 We Have Heaven
04 South Side of the Sky
05 Five Percent for Nothing
06 Long Distance Runaround
07 The Fish
08 Mood for a Day
09 Heart of The Sunrise

Additional Tracks

10 We Have Heaven (full mix)
11 South Side of the Sky (early version)
12 All Fighters Past (previously unheard)
13 We Have Heaven (acapella) mixed by Steven Wilson
14 Roundabout (rehearsal take/early mix)
15 Mood for Another Day (alternate take of Mood for a Day)

In addition to the main album, Steven unearthed a virtual treasure trove on the multi-track tapes, allowing him to mix full length & acapella versions of “We Have Heaven”, an earlier take of “South Side of the Sky” & – in perhaps the most exciting discovery of this series to date – a previously unheard segment of a piece now called “All Fighters Past” which incorporates ideas that would later form parts of “The Revealing Science of God” (Tales from Topographic Oceans) & “Siberian Khatru” (Close to The Edge) performed in the style of Roundabout! With a further two additional tracks – alternate takes of “Roundabout” & “Mood for a Day” & numerous exclusive to Blu-Ray edition features, including the complete album in instrumental form mixed by Steven Wilson, this is the definitive edition of Fragile.

PERSONNEL

Jon Anderson: Vocals
Bill Bruford: Percussion
Steve Howe: Guitars, Vocals
Chris Squire: Bass, Vocals
Rick Wakeman: Keyboards

ABOUT FRAGILE

“I wanted to hear something inspiring…”
– Jon Anderson
(from the sleeve-notes)With Fragile – the fourth album by Yes, Jon Anderson’s wish was fulfilled. Recorded in September 1971 following rehearsals a month earlier Yes was, by this point, on something of a roll. The Yes Album had been a chart success in the UK & had started to make inroads in the US album charts following a highly successful tour there. The challenge – to take the band to the next level of success – had to be met quickly to build on that momentum. The Yes Album was both the peak & natural end point of the first period of Yes album recordings.

It had marked the arrival of Steve Howe, the expansion into long-form material & with a final date at London’s Crystal Palace Bowl, the departure of keyboardist Tony Kaye. His replacement, ace session player & Strawbs member, Rick Wakeman, completed what came to be regarded as the first classic Yes line-up. Wakeman brought with him an expanded array of keyboards, including a Moog synth & Mellotron & proved every bit as strong a soloist & arranger as Steve Howe. With this line-up, Yes was ready for the big league.

Released in Late 1971 in the UK & at the beginning of 1972 in the USA, the album reached the Top 10 in both countries (7 UK, 4 USA). With additional impetus from the hit single “Roundabout” in the USA – a track which became a radio staple – the album quickly reached platinum status & went on to sell millions over the past 44 years. The album’s long form pieces were presented in a running order which allowed for the placement of solo led tracks by each of the five members, a novel way of presenting an album that merely enhanced the reputation of the band as a group where each member could be viewed as band member & star soloist in their own right.

Tracks such as “Roundabout” & “Heart of the Sunrise” have rarely been out of the live set-list & the album was performed in full by Yes in venues worldwide in recent years to unanimous standing ovations. Another key factor in Yes’ history was the fact that the album occasioned the arrival of sleeve artist extraordinaire, Roger Dean, a man who would go on to design logos for the band – including the famous ‘bubble logo’ – stage sets & numerous album sleeves & and artist who, despite having provided equally dramatic sleeves for numerous other bands, is always most readily associated with his work for Yes.

A NOTE ABOUT AUDIO SOURCES

In keeping with earlier releases in this series, Steven Wilson’s approach to this album for new stereo & 5.1 mixes is to faithfully retain the spirit & sounds of the original album mix, while applying modern mix techniques to bring further clarity to the individual instrument, vocal & overdubs for each track. The songs, instantly familiar to a multitude of Yes fans, remain so, with the new mixes – especially in 5.1 form – providing a greater sense of space for each voice to be heard, Anderson’s voice seems to join the listener in the room, Howe & Wakeman’s solos glisten with clarity & Bruford/Squire remind all that they were unmatched as a rhythm section during that period.

Read more at http://yesworld.com/2015/08/yess-fragile-remixed-and-remastered-in-5-1-surround-stereo-mixes-out-30th-oct/#gJOxEgZBIwRd8UJl.99

Marco Minnemann – Celebration

On By Connor MullinIn progressive rock music1 Comment

Marco Minnemann, one of the most in demand drummers in the world – and a talented multi-instrumentalist – is releasing what will surely be another excellent album. Entitled Celebration, the album will be released on June 1, and the first 1,000 CDs sold will be autographed. I have been a fan of Minnemann – who plays all the instruments on this release – since I first heard his work on Steven Wilson’s The Raven that Refused to Sing (And Other Stories). His solo work has been widely praised (deservedly so), and I expect great things from this new release. If you would like to pre-order Celebration, you can visit http://www.lazybones.com.

Here is a promo for the new album: 

Hand.Cannot.Erase. – Live

On By Dr NickIn progressive rock music4 Comments

This is not a proper gig review.

I’ve not got the time right now to do it justice, and besides, I’m still trying to process what I witnessed last night in Manchester.

So this is just me trying to get a few random thoughts and impressions committed to whatever the wordpress.com equivalent of paper is (data centre hard disk, I guess), before the buzz I’m still feeling subsides and the memory fades.

First things first: Wilson is a showman. Or rather, he’s grown into one. I’ve seen Porcupine Tree three times live and don’t remember him being as confident and self-assured with PT as he now is in front of an audience. He knows he’s produced a superb album (just the latest in a string of superb albums, let’s face it) and he knows he has musicians on stage with him who can deliver every nuance, night after night.

Of course, it’s not just about the music. Sure, he could walk on stage with his band, they could play and we could all go home happy that we’d been at a good gig. But a Steven Wilson show is more than that. It’s an experience, a veritable feast for the senses. The videos and lighting effects complement the music brilliantly. However, you don’t need to take my word for that: just check out Lasse Hoile’s photographs from the Manchester show. I’m getting shivers right now simply looking at them, as the memories come back to flood the synapses.

Attention to detail is the phrase that springs to mind – both in the way a Steven Wilson gig is presented to the audience visually and in the way that it actually sounds. A crap PA or poor venue acoustics can turn brilliant music from the greatest of bands into an evening’s entertainment that is mediocre at best. But that most emphatically is not the case here. I’ve seen him live on each of his solo tours and each time, the sound is up there with the best I’ve ever heard at a gig: not just good, but quadraphonic, to boot!

I won’t say too much about the set here, in case any of you reading this have tickets for upcoming gigs and want to avoid spoilers. However, I don’t think it’s giving too much away to say that he concentrates on the new album. The new material translates effortlessly to the live setting, particular highlights being the thrilling crescendo of Ancestral and the subsequent heart-wrenching rendition of Happy Returns. The emotional punch of the latter brings a lump to the throat, demolishing the common misconception that prog is cold or overly cerebral.

If the opportunity arises to catch this show then grab it with both hands. Seriously. If you have any liking for his music, this is something that you do not want to miss.

7 Shows from ’72 (“something of a holy grail”): The “source code” for Yessongs on Yes’ 14xCD Progeny

On By Time LordIn Progarchy1 Comment

Ever wonder what happened to the missing Yessongs source reels?

Well, now you can have ’em, thanks to Yes’ Progeny!

Cool details over at YesWorld.com:

These fall ’72 recordings—the “source code” for Yessongs—miraculously survived, but went missing for decades. Then via a series of happy accidents, relentlessly obsessional fans, clever restoration techniques, and the dedication of the team at Warner Music, the journey from rediscovery to release began… …

Much of The Word Is Live was sourced from Steve Howe’s private collection (the best and most likely source of any further archive projects, so be nice to Steve), radio shows, and what precious little was usable from the Atlantic Records vaults.

This was a frustrating mystery — what about the tapes used for Yessongs? Where were the “hundreds of hours” (according to Yes biographer Dan Hedges) of tapes that Chris Squire reviewed and used to compile Yesshows? The short answer: gone. Lost, misplaced, mislabeled, accidentally erased, destroyed, thrown away, immolated in the 1978 Atlantic Records vault fire… no one really knows. Keep in mind that in the 1970s all of this chronology and documentation was done by hand—there wasn’t an app for that! Regardless of how this came to be or why, the end result was the same… The Word Is Live was limited by usable source material.

Still, as I reviewed the spreadsheets, my eye was drawn to a handful of reel-to-reel tapes from 1972… could these be the missing Yessongs source reels? When I inquired about these tapes in the context of The Word Is Live, I was informed that these reels were off limits for the purposes of the project. It was unclear what was on them, whether they were complete, and of what quality, and whether the tapes themselves were even playable. The cost of repairing/restoring them and then transferring them to a workable digital medium was huge and time consuming. Plus, for all anyone knew, the boxes were labeled “Yes” but the tapes were Donna Summer. Or time and money would be spent only to find out that the recordings sounded horrible, or that the middle eight minutes of Close To The Edge were missing. Any number of hurdles prevented forward motion, and so the tapes were left on the shelf.

Fast forward eight years, and a rejuvenated Yes—touring three of their classic albums, including Close To The Edge—is out there wowing audiences old and new. At the same time, the Yes catalog is receiving its first true remix program, helmed by esteemed prog rock visionary Steven Wilson. This remix effort sent our Rhino heroes back into the vaults spelunking for original multitracks and bonus content. Lurking in the shadows was this collection of open reel tapes, and closer examination revealed eight complete multitrack shows from the fall 1972 Close To The Edge tour—the “source code” of Yessongs. The collection you hold in your hand is something of a holy grail.

Each night is its own journey. You can hear the band progressing, taking different chances, and experimenting with different sounds. There are moments unique to each show—solos, banter, and improv change each night. Even cooler is something that happens at every show—you hear it clearly before each performance of “Close To The Edge”—an audible gasp from the audience as the spotlight hits a large mirrored disc just as the song begins. That moment where sound and vision mesh and the musical journey begins is a hallmark of the live Yes experience, and these recordings put you right in the front row. Despite identical setlists, every song from every show is worthy of repeat listens and scrutiny. There’s something notable in each and every one. …

Swinging On the Porcupine Tree

On By Thaddeus WertIn progressive rock music4 Comments

Harrison -Polygraph

Well, this is certainly a surprise! Gavin Harrison, drummer par excellence of Porcupine Tree, has recorded an album of reworked PT songs, and it is not what you would expect. Rather than stick to a rock format, Harrison has entirely re-imagined these songs as big band jazz performances. And you know what? It works!

The key to Cheating the Polygraph’s success is that these are not note-for-note reproductions of the originals, but rather soaring flights of swing that use the original melodies as jumping off points. Freeing Steven Wilson’s melodies (and very few can write a melody as seductive as he can) from the strictures of rock, Harrison and his band really stretch out and explore the implications of Wilson’s chords through the harmonies and rhythms of jazz. And this is jazz that goes way, way out there. If Duke Ellington were alive today, he would probably be making music like this.

According to Harrison, the songs he selected are his personal PT favorites, which is fascinating. They aren’t the obvious choices, and most come from relatively obscure sources: “What Happens Now?” and “Cheating the Polygraph” are from the Nil Recurring EP, “So Called Friend” and “Futile” are from Recordings II, “Mother and Child Divided” is off the Arriving Somewhere soundtrack, and “The Pills I’m Taking” is a section from “Anesthetize” that I have from a BBC Radio One Rock Show Session (it may be available elsewhere; I’m not an obsessive PT collector!). So for many casual PT fans, Cheating the Polygraph may be the first time to hear these tunes.

A standout performance is “Heart Attack In A Layby”, where the somber mood of Wilson’s original performance is preserved, but marimbas and bass clarinet add an exotic element that is simply beautiful. Another highlight is “The Pills I”m Taking” which Harrison transforms into a suspenseful brass blast that would be right at home as the theme song for a 1950s TV crime drama. “Hatesong/Halo” begins with a marimba workout that soon morphs into an edgy flute-led arrangement; it sounds like a long-lost Stravinksy composition. The transition from “Hatesong” to “Halo” is masterful; pairing those two songs into a suite brings out the best in both.

What about Harrison’s own performance? Well, when I first saw the DVD of Porcupine Tree’s Anesthetize concert, I posted a review on Amazon, stating, “For me, this production highlights how indispensable Gavin Harrison is to Porcupine Tree. His drumming is simply phenomenal. Despite PT being Steven Wilson’s baby, Gavin is the true star of this DVD.” On Cheating the Polygraph, he has not lost one bit of his drive and grace. Every song is built on the foundation of his propulsive percussion. Harrison remains a master of energetic cross-rhythmic drumming while never sounding “busy”. He is to rock what Tony Williams was to jazz – always pushing the boundaries of what percussionists can do.

Cheating the Polygraph may not be “rock”, but it is challenging and very satisfying music. In my book, that makes it prog, and excellent prog at that!

Here is a preview of the album; Kscope Music plans to release it on April 13th:

Update: I should have mentioned Gavin’s collaborator, Laurence Cottle, is responsible for the marvelous arrangements of these songs. Let’s hope their partnership is not a one-shot deal!

 

Robin Armstrong Tells It Like It Is

On By Thaddeus WertIn Cosmograf, Progressive rock3 Comments

Robin Armstrong’s (Cosmograf) latest post on his website is a must-read defense of Steven Wilson’s hard-won popularity. Here’s an excerpt:

Well here’s the rub, you, like me and thousands upon thousands of people making music in the world today are entitled to precisely nothing.  We have no right to be heard, no right to earn a living from our art and certainly no right to success.  For the mere mortals, these things have to be earned, slogged at, and when some little successes arrive, appreciate them.

The truth is, that making a record now has never been easier.  Making a record that people will listen to got harder, much harder.   When someone makes a record that people are falling over themselves to listen to, in a genre of music that’s similar to yours, be bloody inspired, I know I am…

Read the whole thing here.

Hand. Cannot. Erase. Perfect.

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music6 Comments

Ok, I was a bit hasty a few weeks ago in an initial review of the new Steven Wilson album.  My actual, physical, honest-to-goodness copy of the CD arrived yesterday.  And, what a thing of excellence it is.  With apologies to Brian Watson, I must gush a bit.  The “flow” is especially strong.  Listening to the album is akin to watching the intricate and unpredictable patterns in nature–perhaps the cracks that develop on a frozen body of water.  There is a hidden symmetry in its revelations.  Indeed, this album shows a real maturity, a sort of combining of the best of the first and second solo albums.  And, as always, Wilson is an audiophilic genius.  This I’ve never questioned, and his talent manifests itself galore on this album.  Ok, enough gushing.  If you’ve not bought this album yet, do so!  It’s probably even worth paying the $3.99 for expedited delivery.