GRACE FOR DROWNING

The consensus among prog-lovers who love this honorable site is that Steven Wilson has accomplished something very rare with his second solo release, Grace For Drowning: He has exceeded the expectations of a particularly demanding audience to a degree that matches astonishment. Sometimes I'm amazed at just how picky we (a highly heterogeneous group of persons who are sooooo strongly attracted to a most heterogeneous music genre that we enjoy looking at each other's elaborations on our utterly subjective experiences with works of music that may or may not belong to that genre) are. I find that I'm not quite that picky about what I enjoy. I don't care much about the genre. But I do like to think that I'm quite picky about what I am willing to call a masterpiece of contemporary progressive rock music. For me, Grace For Drowning sets a new standard in this regard. I feel like I've received a huge gift.

What is the measure by which I make this assessment? Within the desire grid of a (I like to think) non-dogmatic prog-lover, I measure in enjoyment, surprise, recognition of the familiar in new arrangement and intensity, and the always re-occurring sense of a presentness that is sure to be there for me tomorrow as well as in 100 years. And then the near-certain feeling that it will be that way for countless others as well. And then the certainty that it doesn't make one bit of difference whether that proves true or not, since the masterpiece transcends the wavering sentiments of zombie fandom and consumerism. This album rocks! It re-awakens. By God, Steven, you've done it!

And then I get to see the guy live in Hamburg. What an amazing experience! I'm still reeling. At this moment, I'm listening to RAIDER PRELUDE ' now already into REMAINDER THE BLACK DOG. This just keeps getting better. To work with repetition like a color on a canvas, atmospheres that only occur when fabulous musicians lose and find themselves in a flow of communication that only excellent composition can enable ' what a treat! Heavy, dark, light, released ' the album is an expression of radical subjectivity ' and I'm there with it. Thank you Steven!