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New Steven Wilson Album and Tour Announced |
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moshkito 
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Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 18264 |
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 Posted: December 20 2024 at 15:16 |
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Hi, It is not meant to sound negative, but I have a really hard time making "choices" and after 600 foreign film reviews, I can't even name 5 that I think are the best ... although I can easily tell you who the most impressive soundtrack folks are, or who the most far out cinematographers are, or who the craziest, or fun-est, directors are. But it stops there, and music falls into the same area for me.
As I said before I do not look at albums as songs, and I don't look at musicians as a commodity for my ears. I consider SW a part of PT and in 30 plus years they have become a very nice group of musicians with a lot of neat things ... again, selecting one piece or another is hard for me since I don't do songs per se ... I would prefer to consider SW a composer and will state that his work is very nice indeed, and deserves the acclaim that he has gotten over the years. specially his technical expertise being use for many other works, which is nice for this generation, although I'm not one of the folks that thinks that a modern version redone by SW of Bruhaha by the Grand Minstrels is better or more interesting than the original ... I hear a recording of Igor Stravinsky conducting his own work, and then Leonard Bernstein's version, and then someone else's version, and the music is "STILL THERE" and alive, and though there might be moments that are different here and there, in the end, the medium works right ... the music is still alive. I don't think anyone can make me do favorites, it just isn't what I am about! It's not a matter of being stubborn ... I simply have no interest or desire in that area whatsoever.
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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MikeEnRegalia
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Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 22 2005 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 21677 |
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Posted: December 20 2024 at 15:41 |
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^ Sure, whatever. Do as you like, but as long as you cannot give recommendations (as in: concrete examples of better versions of whatever you're currently bashing), you're not being particularly helpful. When it comes to SW in particular, having listened to hundreds of releases of the last couple of years, I think that he is pretty unique in what he does and how he goes about his solo releases. Even though they cover a broad range of styles, they are unmistakably SW. I couldn't think of any other releases that I could consider as candidates of better versions of his albums. That's not the same as saying that there are no better releases - there are of course, but none of them sound like SW.
Edited by MikeEnRegalia - December 20 2024 at 15:42 |
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moshkito
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Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 18264 |
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Posted: December 21 2024 at 06:55 |
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Hi, Agreed. Again, there are many other things that I want in my collection, and I do have an almost complete PT and I think 3 SW albums, in case you want to know ... I wouldn't have bought any of it if I did not think those folks were not good .... but as for a placement in terms of preference, or numbers? That's not me.
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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MikeEnRegalia
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Posted: December 21 2024 at 14:48 |
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^ Like it or not, you do have a preference. There is a ranked list of your favorite releases, if not in terms of numeric rankings, then in terms of how often you have listened to them. And of course you might not remember it because you do not really care (which is absolutely fine).
I keep asking you about your favorite releases because I think the list would be interesting to see. But I understand and respect your reasons for not posting it.
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moshkito
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Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 18264 |
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Posted: December 21 2024 at 18:27 |
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Hi, I probably could list a few albums, but they might be a bit old, and not some of the newer stuff ... but you already know that Amon Duul 2, Can, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream and Ange are my top choices ... and I am not sure that many new things have stood up to many of those albums ... but I'll agree that I need to check out a few more things, though these days, I'm checking out some jazz albums, and finding some neat things. PT and SW are a good thing in my collection, but it's like Marillion and a lot of other stuff ... nifty, an nice to my ears, and I am not sure I need more from them ... I appreciate their artistry a lot.
Edited by moshkito - December 21 2024 at 18:28 |
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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Gentle and Giant
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Joined: October 24 2019 Location: Blackpool Status: Offline Points: 4706 |
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Posted: January 10 2025 at 10:12 |
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Pre-orders open:
https://store.stevenwilsonhq.com/product/155996 Tracklist: 1. Objects Outlive Us - 23:17 a) No Monkey's Paw b) The Buddha Of The Modern Age c) Objects: Meanwhile d) The Cicerones e) Ark f) Cosmic Sons Of Toil g) No Ghost On The Moor h) Heat Death Of The Universe 2. The Overview - 18:27 a) Perspective b) A Beautiful Infinity I c) Borrowed Atoms d) A Beautiful Infinity II e) Infinity Measured In Moments f) Permanence A Prog album maybe? The consensus seems to think so.
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Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen
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King of Loss
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Joined: April 21 2005 Location: Boston, MA Status: Offline Points: 16954 |
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Posted: January 10 2025 at 10:34 |
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I preordered it. Let's hope for a great album!
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Catcher10
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Posted: January 10 2025 at 11:05 |
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Pre-ordered from LasersEdge as I'm done ordering from across the pond. It does seem from what I have read this is more of a return to earlier SW albums and less of the TFB stuff.
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moshkito
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Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 18264 |
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Posted: January 11 2025 at 06:59 |
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Hi, Actually I do not have a preference, as I like to be surprised by different things all the time, and much prefer the "no ideas", "no nothing" kind of thing, as it colors my imagination a lot more. I do not, listen to Amon Duul 2, Can, or any of the things you would think are my "favorites" though I am very partial to the "krautrock" thing that most members refuse to accept was an artistic thing, not a rock music thing, but I guess PA folks don't want to know theater, film, literature and other arts ... well, I know a couple do ... but most don't and shy away from comments. I have a very good, I suppose meditative way to listen to things and I get it the first time, and do not need to have repeated listens so I can verify my ideas about lousy drumming and formatted guitar placement, and yet another meaningless growl. I do not, actually listen to AD2 3 times per week ... I don't need to. It is all in my heart safely ... and I can still fly with it. There might be a thing or two I enjoy listening now and then, but all in all, after a really good listen, doing it again, is kinda ... boring ... when the same thing happens again ... so I tend to stay away. A great example is that I enjoy all kinds of music, and lately have been taking on jazz, because it is far more segmented and varied, than the rock music we show around here, where most of the bands listed will never be appreciated or even commented on, beyond your little blurb. I've seen PT twice and SW twice ... I don't feel the need to see him again, unless he brings that wonderful woman with him, but she was probably way too emotional in one second for him to consider it good, and he won't do that again ... sort of like saying quietly, he won't put up with that kind of emotional thing ... which in that one song, was phenomenal. I like musicians that are not afraid ... and while he has a wide ear to hear many things, and probably thinks he has to be careful that he is on point with himself, and not accidentally copy something else he knows and/or has worked with. While I find his work interesting, and I will listen, I do not think of him as more special than someone else ... and if I had that comment for anyone at all, it would be Kate Bush ... and maybe Peter Hammill, though he is not as good or strong as he used to be in my book. That kind of unique-ness is something I love a lot ... not something that breaks into a song, formatted like all others, which is the kind of stuff I stay away from ... I don't need to clutter my mind with 10 different versions of the same thing! And I don't care if they are on the top 5 or 10 by anyone!
Edited by moshkito - January 11 2025 at 07:02 |
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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Octopus II
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Joined: May 21 2023 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 13055 |
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Posted: January 11 2025 at 07:43 |
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Preordered from Amazon, along with the new Jethro Tull album.
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Gentle and Giant
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Joined: October 24 2019 Location: Blackpool Status: Offline Points: 4706 |
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Posted: March 17 2025 at 14:57 |
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My lad and I went in to Preston (UK) city centre earlier for the Steven Wilson signing tour at Action Records. Quite a big turn out and we arrived at the back of a queue which built while we waited. A really slick operation by the staff though who had all the pre-orders ready to go. So I got the mint green LP signed for me and the Blu ray for my son and his fiancée. Steven came across really well and was happy to have a brief chat, just long enough but not too much to make it drag for others waiting. I just missed The Harmony Codex signing so was pleased to make it this time.
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Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen
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Catcher10
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Posted: March 17 2025 at 17:53 |
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^ Sweet!! Steven looks stoned.......
 
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Catcher10
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Posted: March 17 2025 at 17:58 |
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Seems this new album is split down the middle on reactions......My record arrives tomorrow, but I have streamed it a few times. It's ok and maybe it will hit me deeper once I spin it, for the most part digital does nothing for me emotionally. I do feel like some of the music is a continuation of the Harmony Codex......
I really wanted to hear more dynamic music and less of Steven trying to be Prince and play many of the instruments. Only Prince was able to pull this off........SW needs to use all his previous musician connections and do more of a band album. I spun HCE last night and clearly there is a difference in that and what he is doing now with his music....
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King of Loss
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Joined: April 21 2005 Location: Boston, MA Status: Offline Points: 16954 |
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Posted: March 17 2025 at 18:28 |
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I think the record is quite good. Might already be one of my favorites from his extensive catalogue. We will see how it unfolds with time.
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richardh
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Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 29870 |
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Posted: March 18 2025 at 00:07 |
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True of The Overview (the track) but the opening track is more band orientated with Russell Holzman stepping in to the shoes of Marco Minnerman. He has a nice feel and a groove perhaps coming from a jazz background like Marco I guess. The title track is a bit more of a continuation from the Harmony Codex and really wonder what the point of Craig Blundell is when he could easily be replaced by a drum machine. I do like the nods to Vangelis though with the scientific information quoting (from his wife) and also the outro which could easily be a track from Opera Sauvage. It's a very bright and breezy album with a ton of ideas. BTW I've never been the biggest fan of HCE. I find that quite disjointed and messy, good bits and bad bits. It was also a return to 'Alternative music' which is fine (and he nailed that with In Absentia) but really I prefer the prog. This is a prog album at least. I've noticed the album rating on PA is slowly rising as time goes on. I take that as being encouraging.
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Gentle and Giant
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Posted: March 18 2025 at 06:22 |
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Both the vinyl and the Blu Ray (atmos mix) sound awesome. No complaints there, but Steven Wilson always manages to make any music sound good. The album itself: the first few listens the first track Objects Outlive Us) was my preference, but after a few more listens I much prefer the second track (The Overview) now. On the Blu Ray the vocals seem really loud in the centre channel though which needed a few clicks down on the level there. The amount of spoken word stuff doesn't bother me as much as some - I find it just fits in well with the music. I probably prefer it slightly over The Harmony Codex.
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Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen
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MikeEnRegalia
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Posted: March 18 2025 at 06:46 |
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I've just ranked all the PT and SW releases and came out with THC and TO at the bottom. Kind of sad, but I just think the other releases are even better!
Here's a rating based tiering:  |
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Catcher10
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Posted: March 18 2025 at 10:37 |
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In agreement for the most part, and its not really that I disagree in the other parts......What I prefer, me that is, is when SW uses the same musicians throughout a recording and album. He always finds a way to slide in a "guest" musician but prefer like The Raven, GFD and HCE where its a main group usually. That's where I find his music is more dynamic, as a solo musician on the recent albums the music is less dynamic. I don't listen to Vangelis, so don't connect with that type of music but I hear what you mean. For sure he has a lot of that older progressive influence that he will give a nod to usually, I do appreciate that of him. But if you have seen SW live (we have at least 3x solo) he is a talker on stage and can complain when the audience is sitting down, I don't see that changing with music from his past couple albums, it's not standup music and pump your fist live material.....
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richardh
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Posted: March 18 2025 at 22:56 |
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^ yep I saw him pay live once (solo) and he made it clear to us that the audience was not making enough noise. I saw PT twice and that was much better and more exciting.
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richardh
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Posted: March 18 2025 at 22:59 |
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Nice idea. I've already rated 20 albums (not everything) so I can make a top twenty 1. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia [BC] [SPO]
2. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing [BC] [SPO]
3. Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning [BC] [SPO]
4. Porcupine Tree - Deadwing [BC] [SPO]
5. Porcupine Tree - Signify [BC] [SPO]
6. Porcupine Tree - Up The Downstair [BC] [SPO]
7. Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways [BC] [SPO]
8. Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream [BC] [SPO]
9. Steven Wilson - Insurgentes [BC] [SPO]
10. Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine [BC] [SPO]
11. Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet [BC] [SPO]
12. Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase. [BC] [SPO]
13. Steven Wilson - The Overview [SPO]
14. Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun [BC] [SPO]
15. Porcupine Tree - On the Sunday of Life [BC] [SPO]
16. Porcupine Tree - Recordings [BC] [SPO]
17. Porcupine Tree - The Incident [BC] [SPO]
18. Steven Wilson - To the Bone [SPO]
19. Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34 [BC] [SPO]
20. Porcupine Tree - Warszawa [BC]
Edited by richardh - March 18 2025 at 23:00 |
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MikeEnRegalia wrote:
