Steven Wilson. Voyage of discovery

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by David B, Sep 12, 2021.

  1. David B

    David B Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    One of the best things about being a music fan is discovering something new and going on that voyage of discovery. I recognize I am very late to the party snd approaching this backwards but I am really enjoying delving into the Steven Wilson catalogue, starting as I am with his most recent solo album and working back. Is this the most talented current artist? As a bandleader, solo artist and producer who else is or has been delivering such generally high quality these past several years
     
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  2. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite

    Location:
    Central PA
    He's really giving prog a shot in the arm, isn't he? Not to mention, the whole damned surround-sound business. A multi-faceted artist, supporting his art with work we can root for on another level.
     
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  3. Power Windows

    Power Windows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mississauga
    Anyone know where to start with Steven Wilson ? I own 3 Porcupine Tree albums but I lost track of him since that time.

    I have In Absentia, Deadwing, and Fear Of A Blank Planet.
     
  4. Instant Dharma

    Instant Dharma Dude/man

    Location:
    CoCoCo, Ca
    First time I heard Sound of Muzak I was like…who the F is this??
     
  5. Instant Dharma

    Instant Dharma Dude/man

    Location:
    CoCoCo, Ca
    Hand. Cannot. Erase is breathtaking. Raven is his masterpiece imo.
     
  6. Power Windows

    Power Windows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mississauga
    I discovered Porcupine Tree because of Alex Lifesons appearance on The Blank Planet album. I became a fan after listening to that song. So I then went on a mission to try and find that album in store. It is one of my favourite albums made in the 2000s.
     
  7. Power Windows

    Power Windows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mississauga
    Thanks I will try to listen to those albums. I hope that it is similar to Porcupine Tree.
     
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  8. A definite vote for Hand.Cannot.Erase.
    If you like The Future Bites then To The Bone might be more enjoyable than some of the “prog” stuff.
    For Porcupine Tree can’t go past In Absentia
    Home Invasion Live At The Royal Albert Hall is my favourite contemporary live album of the last 20 years.
    All this is IMHO as his music has covered some territory stylistically.He has been my favourite musical discovery of the 21st century and he really isn’t part of my usual listening genres.
     
  9. RonChrysler

    RonChrysler Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    I got into Porcupine Tree while Maitland was still the drummer, before the Gavin era. I worked my way backward, then followed them forward through the end of the '90's and into the '00's. I finally got to see them on the In Absentia tour. I love the songs, and I love the playing. I liked the way PTree went from jokey bedroom project to real accomplished band, with monster players. I didn't check out No-Man, Bass Communion, or IEM. I dipped my toe into the Blackfield pool, but thought it lacked necessary adventure, so I didn't follow them, and I don't regret it; found it a little boring. I regard SW as a significant talent, and since I was a King Crimson fan long before I ever heard of Porcupine Tree, I love his contribution to their catalog with his mixing work. So I have just about every bit of PTree I can get my hands on (I LOVE On the Sunday of Life and Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape), but even though it has been on my shelf for over 10 years, I've never brought myself to listen to The Incident. And I never bought any of SW's solo work. I will keep an eye on this thread, so commenters can talk me into investigating areas of his career I've missed out on.
     
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  10. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Please don't hope it is similar to Porcupine Tree. Just hear The Raven and Hand. Cannot. Erase. for what they are: it's hoping that the new thing SW records similar to something else he recorded that starts the arguments.
     
  11. Miles1968

    Miles1968 The years just pass like trains

    Location:
    Cardiff
    As with some of the previous posters, I suggest you give Hand Cannot Erase a try.
     
  12. Harry Hood

    Harry Hood Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2021
  13. Harry Hood

    Harry Hood Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    Forgot to make the obvious gag that the OP's voyage of discovery should definitely include Voyage 34.

     
  14. bob_32_116

    bob_32_116 Forum Flaneur

    Location:
    Perth Australia
    The thing to know about Steven Wilson is that he makes every effort to not get stuck in a groove. While he has gone through periods when one could say his music was characterised by a certain sound, it would be a big mistake to expect, say, an early Porcupine Tree album to sound similar to Fear of a Blank Planet or to a solo SW album. This does mean there is a rich trove to explore, but it also makes it difficult to get a quick impression. It's not enough to dip your toe in the water; you need to dip your toe repeatedly at various different places in the water, as it were.

    Broadly speaking, Porcupine Tree's output can be grouped into three periods: psychedelic, melodic progressive pop, and metal-tinged progressive. My favourites from each period are, respectively: Up the Downstair, Lightbulb Sun, and FOABP. If you already have three of the metal-period albums, you could do worse than picking up the Stars Die double album compilation, which gives a pretty good representation of their work from the earlier periods. If you're like me you will probably end up getting all the earlier albums anyway, but the compilation is still worthwhile as it contains several non-album tracks along with the definitive long intro version of "Synesthesia".

    Then you have his other projects concurrent with Porcupine Tree: No-man, Blackfield, Incredible Expanding Mindf*** (aka IEM), and Bass Communion. The latter is unashamedly ambient music, nothing like most of PT. On top of that you have his solo output, and there is a very big difference between album 1 and album 6. And don't overlook Storm Corrosion, his collaboration with Mikail Akerfeldt of Opeth.

    Of course if you want to try before you buy, most of his stuff is available on the streaming-service-that-dares-not-speak-its-name, though for some unknown reason the FOABP album is not available on that service.
     
  15. krimson

    krimson Forum Resident

    If you have those 3 albums then the Nil Recurring EP is a must as it is 4 tracks from the FOABP sessions. Four really good songs imo.
     
  16. DaverJ

    DaverJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    East Tennessee
    Best wishes to the OP! If you are the music-obsessive type, Steven Wilson is a goldmine. I hope you continue to post updates here as your journey continues.
     
  17. cdollaz

    cdollaz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond, TX, USA
    That is a fun journey. I do not like everything he has done both solo and Porcupine Tree, but I like a good chunk of it. And it least he does what he wants. I would rather he does what he wants to do, even if I do not care for it (like his latest solo album), than just make the same album over and over because it is expected. Check out the video for Routine. If a mark of great art is that it provokes an emotional response, then that video/song is great art.
     
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  18. bob_32_116

    bob_32_116 Forum Flaneur

    Location:
    Perth Australia
    The "The Raven That Refused to Sing" video is none too shabby either.
     
  19. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    It is very refreshing to see someone else with this attitude regarding SW's solo journey.
     
  20. sleepjar

    sleepjar Underachiever

    Location:
    NJ
    On the way to see Genesis in Philly in 2007, my buddy popped a cd into the player and said, “check this band out”. It was Fear of a Blank Planet. I liked it enough to go with him to see PT 2 months later at the Beacon in NYC. I became a PT/SW fan for life that night. I too would recommend Hand and Raven. I also like To the Bone a lot. Enjoy your journey.
    EDIT: SW is great in concert as well, and I’m also hoping for a PT reunion some day.
     
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  21. cdollaz

    cdollaz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond, TX, USA
    The Raven... is also my favorite release of his, solo or otherwise.
     
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  22. Miles1968

    Miles1968 The years just pass like trains

    Location:
    Cardiff
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  23. David B

    David B Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    the Rockonteurs podcast is excellent generally. Steven Wilson also has a podcast with his No-Man partner Tim Bowness. Called The Album Years it is built around a discussion of albums from a chosen year. They avoid obvious big name releases and do verge towards the obscure but it is still fun as the pair of them revel in their geekiness. They don’t take themselves too seriously but I have never heard of anyone with such an broad and deep music knowledge.
     
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  24. George Co-Stanza

    George Co-Stanza Forum Resident

    Location:
    America
    Well said. SW does have a particular sound that is pretty much there in every album he does, even when jumping all over the place stylistically, yet his music almost always manages to sound fresh. Probably my favorite artist of the last 20-25 years.
     
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  25. Chrome_Head

    Chrome_Head Planetary Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA.
    I would probably point you to Grace For Drowning, his second solo record and probably the most Porcupine Tree-like IMO, though not as crushingly heavy guitar-wise as the ones you mentioned.
     
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