Steven Wilson starts recording a new album: "The Future Bites" (29th January 2021)

To me, his finest ever band for his solo albums were the Raven line up, With

- Guthrie Govan
- Nick Beggs
- Adam Holzman
- Marco Minnemann
- Theo Travis

If he could reunite that line up, it would be heaven on earth



Too bad that there's no official album from that band! Only bits and pieces on 'Drive Home'
Pretty sure the full Frankfurt concert does exist. Both on audio and video

 

I prefer the musicians he used on Hand Cannot Erase .

 

I liked Insurgentes quite a bit, but I didn't love it, and I rarely re-visit it anymore. Meanwhile, the last four SW solo albums still get regular rotation in my CD player.

For sure. Whatever he does, you just know it will be good!

 

I loved Insurgentes greatly. I took a chance on it as I may have only heard a few snippets. But once I listened to it, then it became non stop hooked on it that I was amazed that I didn’t wear out the CD.

To this day I still pull out the CD and play it.

The other albums are amazing as well in their own way as they are all different.

That is what I like about SW, he is always changing that we have no clue what he will do next.

My guess it that this album will be psychedelic space rock. Just a guess

 

Are you talking about the early psych porcupine tree albums or insurgents ?

Just for clarity.

For me his whole catalogue has some gems in it, more hits than misses

 

His only really good solo records are Hand.Cannot.Erase. (brilliant) and Insurgentes (very good). The others have moments (title song to Raven for example), but pale in comparison with Stupid Dream - Fear PT.

 

I’ve been a fan for about 12 years, seen PT & SW multiple times. For me, The Raven tour was a total snooze - overplaying at every turn. Uptight. Actually left before it ended, something I never did before or since. I get how some want him to return to the PT thing, either the proggy or the metal era. But for me the appeal of SW (or PT) is great songwriting. To The Bone has incredible songs on it, and the gigs were fun. I personally don’t care who’s playing on the record, or the style, so long as he puts the songs first. That’s what makes him great, not the shredding.

 

Because of his recent work on the Tangerine Dream 5.1, I could see it. It often seems like SW is influenced by whatever past works he is working on remixing and whatnot, like how To the Bone had the 80's influence of artists like XTC and Tears for Fears after having worked on 5.1's for them.

Very true. I know some were bummed that MM and GG departed from his band after the HCE album/tour, but Steven Wilson's music has always been about songwriting and mood, not technical playing.

 

I loved To The Bone, I hope there is more where that came from! My favorite solo album of his tied with Raven

 

It would be really cool if it ends up being very kraut-vintage-electro inspired, especially considering his latest work with Tangerine Dream.

 

He's done kraut rock as IEM.
Much space rock in the early PT albums which were basically SW solo albums anyway.

A new No Man album would be good. Tim Bowness' last few albums have been terrific (SW did contribute to the latest one).

 

From Wilson New Year Update from 5 months ago:

"In the meantime the first new no-man music in more than 10 years is likely to be released in 2019. Myself and Tim Bowness have been working sporadically on a particular musical idea we came up with many years ago, something we knew would require a dedicated full length album to explore properly. We finally made a concerted effort to get it into shape earlier this year, and with one more push I hope it will soon be ready to release. It’s music that in many ways sees a return to our roots as a synth-pop band, albeit with the conceptual sweep of our more recent albums."

 

I have everything SW recorded until the last album which I hated and didn't buy.
It will be interesting to hear the next direction he is taking, maybe I will like, maybe not

 

Expect less guitars, and a more electronic sound.

 

REALLY hope he won't do a Thom Yorke

I'd rather see him doing a Steve Hillage or Ashra/Manuel Gottsching.

 

I hope SW will not replace the drummer with electronic drums or whatever.

 

I hope SW does whatever the heck he wants to do.

I especially hope he doesn’t pander to whatever some Prog fans think he *should* be doing.

 

Maybe I wouldn't rule out a vintage drum machine on a track or two.

 

If it were a choice between Marco Minnemann or a drum machine, I think I’d pick the robot. I’m not a fan of Mean Mr Cinnamon’s in-your-face “look what I can do with this song” style of drumming.

 

What are you talking about, Erick? Is there really a new mix? I've searched, and the only thing I can find on this forum is this "hopes and dreams" list from last year.

 

No new mix, but a corrected 5.1 and a new stereo mastering.

 

I'm genuinely surprised at the comments regarding 'To the Bone' - I absolutely love it.

I've been following Steven since I sent off for a cassette from him back in the late 80s: it's been a very expensive 30-year journey, but usually rewarding. The solo albums are all quite different, but I particularly love the songwriting on TTB, along with the more 'commercial' sound (quite 'In Absentia' in places). Whichever direction he choses to go down for the new one, I'll be listening...

 

I think if you read through the thread their are more lovers than haters of TTB , me included. Excellent album, maybe not to the level of HCE but it's close.

 

I really enjoyed To The Bone. HCE is his masterpiece but I found it to be a very attractive record.