New Steven Wilson Album Details

[TheH]

Just spinning this one for the first time at this very moment. I'm normaly not the biggest PT or SW fan, but this one is a winner.
Very impressive album!

[JIF]

I bought The Raven That Refused To Sing(And Other Stories) at Barnes & Noble today. I didn't want to get this CD, because I didn't want to any CDs by solo artists. I changed my mind when I found out that Nick Beggs was the bassist on this CD. I amazes me how someone can go from playing with a teen pop band to playing with two proggy Steves(Hackett and Wilson). I remember the name Marco Minnemann as one of the drummers that auditioned for Dream Theater after Mike Portnoy left. I think that it's an excellent piece of work. A modern prog classic. It's a like a jazz fusion version of Pink Floyd. Whoever said that The Watchmaker was a lost Genesis track wasn't kidding. It starts out like a combination of For Absent Friends and Entangled before finishing like something from '70s King Crimson. Speaking of King Crimson, it's was nice that Steven got to use one of their Mark II Mellotrons for this album. I wonder why he didn't go for a 400? Bravo, Steven!! You've got a winner on your hands. In fact, I loved it so much that I'm going to listen to it again later(but with headphones).

[rapidfirerob]

Part way through it and it sounds great. Better than any PT I've heard. Marco Minneman and Guthrie Govan are a big part of this, for sure.

[JIF]

Part way through it and it sounds great. Better than any PT I've heard. Marco Minneman and Guthrie Govan are a big part of this, for sure.

Halfway through my third spin, and I'm loving every minute of it. As mentioned before, the ending of The Holy Drinker does sound like White Hammer by VDGG. Btw, Nick Beggs is also killer on this. Why couldn't Kajagoogoo have been a prog band?

[scags]

I've been playing it in the car this week. Very enjoyable. The fuzz organ does have a VdG sound to it.

[JIF]

I've been playing it in the car this week. Very enjoyable. The fuzz organ does have a VdG sound to it.

Fuzz organ? I thought it was a Hammond used by Adam on The Raven That Refused To Sing? Hugh Banton from VDGG used a Farfisa.

[JIF]

Spinning this for the third(or fourth) time. This differs from Porcupine Tree due to the jazz influence. Also, the ending of The Watchmaker is like a combination of King Crimson, VDGG, and the ending of Return Of The Giant Hogweed by Genesis.

[Firth]

Bought the blueray 5.1 version. Touted as one of the top surround mixes of all time.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P_MWe1jJ45M

[VickiLynn]

Part way through it and it sounds great. Better than any PT I've heard. Marco Minneman and Guthrie Govan are a big part of this, for sure.

If you have a chance to hear this band live, do it! It's one of the best live shows I've ever been to, and the very best I've seen in recent years.

[scags]

Govan was really impressive last night, not that anyone else was slacking.

[Wisdomview]

Last night, I was most impressed by Adam Holzman. Stellar show.

[Magnashine]

I see that album like a tribute to some of the big five. Luminol is totally Yes and the Watchmaker is Genesis. He went away from Pink Floyd this time.

[scags]

I hear Traffic ( John Barley corn era), in some parts, with the flute

[Wisdomview]

The latter part of 'The Watchmaker' reminds me of Hatfield and the North.

[jkelman]

I see that album like a tribute to some of the big five. Luminol is totally Yes and the Watchmaker is Genesis. He went away from Pink Floyd this time.

Well, GfD was more CRimson than anything else, but my thoughts: beyond Nick's Squire-toned bass, I don't see Luminol as being Yes. Too fusiony. Watchmaker is only Genesis for the 12-string acoustic intro, imo.

I think, as I wrote in my review, that Steven is much more seamlessly amalgamating this time around, with plenty of small references but nothing major, like Raider II, which is so structurally tied to CRimson's Lizard without sounding imitative.

Just my two cents, but for what it's worth, Steven has no shame admitting the influences on his music - and why would he? He proves it's possible to be reverential and fresh and contemporary at the same time.....

Still on a high from the Montreal show, so time to write about it

[Magnashine]

I have to agree with you about the fusion sound of Luminol but not only the bass tone sounds like Yes, the lyrics are done in a Yes way. One element would have pass unnoticed but not two. There is nothing wrong with it as the whole album is versatile enough to my liking. Too bad I missed the show, must have been excellent as usual!

[noisynoise]

Still buzzing from the Boston show last night. There's little doubt in my mind that this is the finest touring group around.

-noisynoise