New Steven Wilson album in the making: "Hand. Cannot. Erase." 3/2/15

Wow, well that certainly sounds like something I'd be interested in. I just assumed that the demos would be what we normally think of when we hear demos. I am fairly new to SW (got into him on his last solo album and his work with Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt).

1) Are there any versions of the album that have those unreleased tracks that are NOT the super deluxe edition? I cannot seem to find any.

2) Does the 'media book' for the deluxe CD/DVD release have all the same illustrations and photos that the super deluxe book has?

I'm really liking SW more and more, and I hope one day I'm not in regret for not buying his super deluxe edition releases. I became a fan of his solo work after Raven was newly released. It certainly seems like these super deluxe editions are VERY pleasing to the fans. I always like when artists make special, rare packages for the 'super fans'.

 

When it was announced, I looked at the options and plumped for LP.

I don't have surround sound (probably never will, it's hard enough getting stereo to sound great, quite apart from the cost of matching my current amp/speakers etc.) and I don't stream much so LP plus FLAC files looked like the best option to me. The LP is, of course a work of art, as ever with Mr Wilson. I have his previous solo stuff on vinyl, including the very impractical 4 x 10" version of Insurgentes.

Warning to Dr Metal, liking Steven Wilson can seriously damage your wallet.

 

This happened to me. Raven was the first thing I heard from him. After that I just had to get everything that mister Wilson had done. Japanese Mini LP:s where possible that comes with DVD-A Porcupine Tree and solo works, Black Field and No-Man albums, IEM and Bass Communion boxes, vinyl editions of these and Blu-Rays and all the stuff I forgot to mention.

Liking Steven Wilson is a dangerous thing, be warned!

 

Very true !!

Dr. Metal, if you have not yet delved into his output with Porcupine Tree, do so immediately. I can't imagine you would not love it, particularly their later albums like In Absentia, Deadwing, and Fear of a Blank Planet.

 

Are the demos available in 24/96 anywhere?

 

I think they are on the Blu-Ray also the insturmentals too. I have not gotten my Blu-Ray yet.

 

They don't seem to be on the BluRay, at least I can't find them there... I'm afraid the demos only come with the book-version (super deluxe or whatever it is called)

 

I got an interesting (to me, anyway) promo e-mail from burning shed and promptly put in an order....

Adam Holzman
The Deform Variations (cd pre-order)

Recorded live on tour with Steven Wilson in 2013, The Deform Variations collects the best of Adam Holzman's remarkable piano improvisations around the theme of the track Deform To Form A Star.

All pre-orders come with an exclusive signed 'cartoon' postcard designed by AH. Shipping now for Monday 9th March release.​

 

The deluxe book really goes in a lot more depth with the story, it's not just the pictures. There are like diary entries and many other things that help you to understand the story better.

Like you I really didn't get into SW until after Raven but I like this album a lot more than Raven personally. This album made me go order the Blu-Rays/DVDA of Grace, Black Planet, Absentia and The Incident as well as the cd of Deadwing. I want the DVDA of Deadwing but it is a little pricey. Burning Shed had a great deal on the DVDAs of Black Planet and The Incident. I paid about $30 for both including shipping to the states.

 

1) AFAIK no
2) definetely not. The deluxe book has lots more and includes the full diary of the main character. However, you can read that on the dedicated Hand.Cannot.Erase website.

 

I've been a big fan of Wilson since 2002 when i got into In Absentia. Then started to follow his work. But after seeing him live last year really blew my mind and made me want to explore everything the man ever recorded. I had all the deluxe versions of his solo albums bar Insurgentes. Ended up paying 230€ for it a year ago. So i think it is very possible that you will regret later not buying these deluxe versions. Now i just have to find that 4x10 inch Insurgentes cheaply... (not goin to happen).

 

I just ordered the Btu-Ray from deep discount through amazon for $14.50 + ship, nice price

 

Pretty sure that diary and the one online are different.

 

I actually considered doing this with the Raven deluxe but once I looked at it again, I realized how big a part of the music it was. The imagery pairs really well with the music, and the stories that the songs were based on were well done. I did not find this to be the case with the other SW deluxe I bought, Insurgentes, and I sold that off relatively quickly after I bought it (and I skipped the Grace For Drowning deluxe. From what I have seen I didn't miss much there either.) From seeing previews of the deluxe HCE, I am certain the multimedia components are an even bigger part of this album.

On that note, did anyone order from DGM and get a shipping notice last week? I got an email saying it had shipped on Feb. 27 with First Class postage, and the USPS says that takes 1-3 business days. Here it is a week later and I so far haven't gotten it. Even if it mailed out on Monday it should have been here no later than yesterday.

 

Yeah I did do the same thing with Raven, and haven't touched it since reading once through the book. The discs are unplayed! I've been trying to sell it on here to no avail too. Oh well.

 

Might be there are chunks in there that are different (the diary part written supposedly when she was a teenage girl) but there are vast bits that are the same as I had read before on the blog site.

 

Non-controversial opinion: I think this is his best solo album.

Possibly controversial opinion: I think this is the best thing he's released under any name since "Fear of a Blank Planet"

Definitely controversial as it's still early days opinion but: I think this may actually be the best thing he's ever released under any name.

 

I could sell things like that or my original vinyl edition of "Spiral Circus," but . . . no, I love them too much.

 

Steven Wilson's "demos" and "cast offs" are often much better than other artists prime output. Collections of these such as "Recordings" and "Nil Recurring" are excellent albums in their own right. Also, I find I enjoy the bonus disc from "The Incident" more than the main album now.

 

I'll always love Deadwing. Otherwise, I would agree.

 

Although for me it is certainly too soon to tell, but I can agree with the first one and probably the second one. As for the third one, I can't say I have a favorite SW-related release, but I do have favorites. Up The Downstair/Staircase Infinities, Signify, Stupid Dream, In Absentia, Fear of a Blank Planet/Nil Recurring, and Grace For Drowning make up that category with Deadwing and Insurgentes as honorable mentions since I love about half of each. Notice I did not list HCE yet. It's too tempting to do so, but I can't tell if I really like it because it's new or because it's really good.

I'm smelling a PT album by album thread...

 

I'm in that camp as well. In fact, if you took that disc and added "I Drive the Hearse" and "Time Flies", I probably wouldn't need to listen to the rest of Disc 1 anymore.

 

Right on the nail! I agree 100% with that. That's actually what's in my current playlist.

 

I think everything I aid earlier is probably wrong.....this is starting to sound like a classic.......

 

The Incident is IMHO the weakest Porcupine Tree official album.
(The only other PT album not on my iPod is Metanioa. I think I just don't enjoy listening to stuff that is still 'work in progress'.)

Recordings is one of my favourites.

Hand. Cannot. Erase. is rapidly becoming my favourite Steven Wilson album released under his own name.