INSURGENTES

Steven Wilson

Crossover Prog

3.82 | 1224 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Finally, with Insurgentes we have the long awaited first (proper) solo album by Porcupine Tree mastermind and modern progressive music legend, Steven Wilson.

One thing soon apparent upon listening to this album is that it's much less inmediate music. Songs seem to come from afar. And while the album acts as a wrap-up of all the styles Steven has explored so far with his myriad projects, it is however less melodic than Blackfield, less epic than PT, less intimate than his Cover Version singles and so on, giving the music its own character. There's also a much more pronounced noise element, as if to give an extra edge to the music.

Ultimately though, the album feels too diverse, and unlike his best works - which feel like a complete cohesive statement from beginning to end - Insurgentes seems somewhat fragmented and there are no real standout tracks.

Still, No Twilight Within the Courts of the Sun (an evil jam featuring amazing UK guitarist Mike Outram along an unusually restrained backing dream team consisting of Tony Levin, Gavin Harrison and Jordan Rudess) is a possible sinister highlight while Veneno Para las Hadas (Poison for Fairies) is an enchanting flashback to PT's classic The Sky Moves Sideways, from which it borrows its main looped chord sequence.

Otherwise Harmony Korine is the closest to a mainstream rock song here and Insurgentes itself is a celestial (albeit too brief) ballad in the tradition of the best PT album closers.

In essence, Insurgentes is the sound of Steven Wilson breaking out of his mirror cell only to find his multiple musical personalities reflecting back at him on the shattered glass. And while it's not his best work, still it's very interesting progressive music, one to be decoded and absorbed by multiple listens.

3.5 stars.-

JulioSouth | 3/5 | 2008-12-11

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