Steven Wilson- The Future Bites

[Sean]

Since it is now officially out, here's a thread just about it in particular.....

Sort of amazed to see some of you falling for the "he went pop and left us prog folks" argument. I don't think he ever was really prog PROG, he just got lumped in there and ran with it. Pop has been an underlying thread through most of his work with PT and solo. He was bound to strip away the layers eventually and that is pretty much what this album seems to be. Now, if you miss the more muso bits of his recordings this one isn't going to work for you. Most likely. I just hear more "Steven music" though. I've been hearing Steven music for 20+ years now. He changes the backdrop from time to time, but certain elements remain- his voice and arranging choices. I can't get too worked up over what "box" this new one should be put in. He was never my prog savior, if you will. So I have no feelings of abandonment or whatever you might want to call it. What I find more telling at times are my friends who have heard his work and didn't connect with it, or in some cases even heard it, and are sort of grossed out and/or perplexed about the SW hype/fanboy machine from a distance.

Anyway, the future does bite, but that's not to say it can't still taste sweet at times. Keep your head up and keep reaching for the stars. There's a billion. See them all.


Is this considered the single?

[Steve F.]

Death to false prog!

[Sean]

What yardstick are ya using?

Prog by association.

[JKL2000]

Who's the guy who isn't Steven Wislon or Iron Man?

BTW, every so often I have to remind people that back in the 90s, Steven Wilson said he was going to drag prog "kicking. and screaming" into the 21st century, so I guess this is what he meant.

[Sean]

"Who's the guy who isn't Steven Wilson or Iron Man?"

The guy that founded Facebook. Or Data from Star Trek. Hard to tell them apart.

[SunRunner2]

[QUOTE=Sean;1023416]Since it is now officially out, here's a thread just about it in particular.....

Sort of amazed to see some of you falling for the "he went pop and left us prog folks" argument. I don't think he ever was really prog PROG, he just got lumped in there and ran with it. Pop has been an underlying thread through all is work with PT and solo. [QUOTE]


I have 3 of the first 4 PT albums before I left them (and him) behind. I don't discern an "underlying thread of Pop" in "On The Sunday", "The Sky Moves Sideways" or "Signify". Perhaps it surfaced later when he became bigger than life in his image and reputation. He is way overhyped in my view.

[Dave (in MA)]

Who's the guy who isn't Steven Wislon or Iron Man?

Mr. Data Accumulator?

[JKL2000]

"Who's the guy who isn't Steven Wilson or Iron Man?"

The guy that founded Facebook. Or Data from Star Trek. Hard to tell them apart.

Damn! I didn't recognize him without the Curious George haircut!

[Sean]

I wasn't going back that far. More like Stupid Dream onward....

Thanks for pointing that out. I forgot the really early stuff because I don't have it and haven't heard it in years.

[mozo-pg]

I really like TTB and I'm perfectly happy with the direction of his current music. I'm sure I'll enjoy TFB too. To be honest, I'd prefer to prog statement but that's not where Stephen's at. So, I'll simply enjoy what he is now producing, I honestly like it.

[Frumious B]

Saw the suit and tie and was hoping for Robert Palmer girls.

[moecurlythanu]

Prog by association.

The Association was Pop.

[mozo-pg]

I wasn't going back that far. More like Stupid Dream onward....

Thanks for pointing that out. I forgot the really early stuff because I don't have it and haven't heard it in years.

Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun are my favourite PT's albums. This might explain why I'm so comfortable with his current direction. The first era, Delirium Years, is my second favourite and satisfies my Pink Floyd itch.

[JKL2000]

Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun are my favourite PT's albums. This might explain why I'm so comfortable with his current direction. The first era, Delirium Years, is my second favourite and satisfies my Pink Floyd itch.

It seems right to put Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun into a category of their own. I might put Signify in there too. That was a pretty good middle-ground of pop and prog.

[chalkpie]

I dig the last tune on here. Some of it just doesn't engage me although its a great sounding modern recording. Sean you should check out the early, early stuff.

[Sean]

I've heard it. Just been years.

[Paulrus]

Sean, I'm pretty sure those of us who are disappointed with this release aren't disappointed because it's not the Second Coming of Crunchy Prog. To beat a dead horse, we all like good pop music. This just ain't it (IMO).

[Sean]

Fair enough!

[Paulrus]

I think maybe where folks are going in different directions is that -- to be fair, what SW has set out to do here wasn't just to make a standard pop record. That's unfair. He's definitely trying for something with a lot more art to it, even if he's pulling from a electronica-dance-pop musical vernacular. There's a strong conceptual through-line to the whole thing, which is definitely part of his brand promise, to use marketing jargon. And I don't fault him for putting his guitar away and embracing keyboards and drum machines this time around. I'm a big fan of Yellow Magic Orchestra, for example. For me it has to do with the quality of the writing and the execution. I know lots of people like what they're hearing from this one, but not me. To each their own.

[aith01]

Sean, I'm pretty sure those of us who are disappointed with this release aren't disappointed because it's not the Second Coming of Crunchy Prog.

Even though that may be how you feel, I'm not sure you speak for everyone who doesn't like TFB...

we all like good pop music.

We all? Well, that is debatable.

This just ain't it (IMO).

I'm glad you put "IMO". Because in my opinion, some of this is good pop music. YMMV, obviously.

[aith01]

I don't think he ever was really prog PROG, he just got lumped in there and ran with it. Pop has been an underlying thread through most of his work with PT and solo.

This has been my opinion, and I even said something to that effect in another thread. He's been doing pop music for years, so this is not some sudden radical shift for him. It's just a lot more "electronic" than before.

Anyway, I liked the new album well enough. Not sure how much I like it yet, but there's a lot to enjoy here IMO.

[fiberman]

To me music is music, if I like it that's good and if not that's Ok too I don't have to indulge. Somehow this archaic system has worked for me for the last 50 years or so. YMMV. ( and that's a good thing!)

[zeprogmeister]

I don't really care if he's "gone pop" or not I listen to quite a bit of synth pop so that aspect doesn't bother me. I've listened to all the songs he's put out on video and I really just don't care for them. Don't really care for the concept/artwork on this one either, not in the mood for debby dower stuff right now I guess. But not a huge deal, with most artists I like who have large catalogs I don't like everything they do either so I'll just skip this one and see what he does next.

[Kcrimso]

Sean, I'm pretty sure those of us who are disappointed with this release aren't disappointed because it's not the Second Coming of Crunchy Prog. To beat a dead horse, we all like good pop music. This just ain't it (IMO).

I am on this boat.

[Valen]

It's fascinating reading so many diverse views on this album - art should inspire discussion and debate - and it's refreshing to see folks here playing nice with one another. (Facebook is becoming a bit of a war zone, especially on Prog pages.)

I posted my thoughts on the other thread yesterday, but given this new thread specifically focussing on the album, I'll beg your indulgence and re-post the link to my blog review here:

Steven Wilson - The Future Bites (2021)

I've been back to the album again a couple more times since posting, and it's still doing it for me, even on low-fi earbuds. But I'll pass on the Self video - I'm not sure what freaked me out more: the morphing faces or Steven in a white buttoned up shirt...