Steven Wilson

[ColdFireYYZ]

With PT, I got a feeling that he was trying to have a dark stage persona to fit the music. There's nothing wrong with that, but he's really loosened up with the solo band, as he's much more personable and natural with audience interaction.

Edit: 700th post!!

[bout to crash]

Yeah, exactly. And actually, the first time I noticed a real difference in his personality onstage was when I saw Blackfield in Portland a couple of years ago (with Alex and Nate  ). It was right after his dad died and he had to cancel one or two shows but we got lucky. He seemed to come back with this vigor that I hadn't seen before, and I think it's been pretty obvious that his dad's death has influenced his music and attitude a lot.

[rumborak]

Every time I listen to Watchmaker I hear "50 years of compromise, an Asian body shared". Can't unhear it. Brutal compromise too.

[Perpetual Change]

Every time I listen to Watchmaker I think I'm listening to an early Genesis record I just never heard before.

It's still great though 

[Zantera]

The Watchmaker is my favorite from Raven together with the title-track. Those acoustic guitars combined with the singing is just beautiful. If there's anything SW can do, it's amazing harmony-vocals.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Steven Wilson is just incredible. I love his solo work, his PT work, Storm Corrosion, Blackfield, etc. He's just damn good at everything he does. Even producing albums.

[Sketchy]

Every time I listen to Watchmaker I think I'm listening to an early Genesis record I just never heard before.

It's still great though 

I have to admit, I get exactly the same feel. Especially the post-guitar solo bit that sounds REALLY Tony Banks.

And it's absolutely bloody wonderful.

[robwebster]

Okay! I bought The Raven, today. Passed on GfD on the strength of the pre-release songs, wasn't impressed by the Watchmaker, but I'm still a bit enchanted by the title track, so my curiosity got the better of me.

Three and a half minutes into Luminol, I'm not regretting my choice. This is gonna be an interesting album. Good so far, though. Remember how he used to be a little phobic of the word prog? Man, those days are definitely behind us. It even sounds occasionally - just occasionally - like Dream Theater, in the instrumental blitz sections. Riffing on similar influences, coming up with similar results.

I'm onto the soft bit now, though, and any momentary similarity's gone. I'm really digging this song, though. It's very, very cool.

[wasteland]

I'm interested to hear you about a certain guitar solo that's coming up in a couple of minutes 

[robwebster]

Was it in Luminol? If so... missed it! Nothing stood out, regrettably, nothing I wanted to comment on, but I'm sure I'll have more thoughts later.

Many, many thoughts if this song's anything to go by. Track two. Drive Home. That chorus!!

ETA I'm at 4:45 now, and there is currently no level on which I don't love Drive Home to bits. Brilliant.

[KevShmev]

He was probably talking about the guitar solo near the end of Drive Home, which is .

[robwebster]

I've just reached it. Only in the first few bars yet, but yes, yes it is!

ETA - Vocals just came back in. Man!!

ETA 2 - Holy Drinker's funky as shit. Vocals and lyrics are a bit seventies prog, not in my favourite way, little bit swords-'n'-sorcery, but that's a groove and a half with the organ.

[KevShmev]

Hell yeah!

Also, get ready for The Holy Drinker. The first several minutes is probably the wankiest instrumental section Wilson has ever done in a song of his. 

[robwebster]

Not convinced by the end of the Holy Drinker, nor by the vocals at the start of the Pin Drop. Bit... strained. Music good, though. Bit of an Elbow vibe, and any problems dissolve as the layers and the intensity build up. Thick harmonies doing this song a lot of favours. This album is frequently so much better grounded than I was expecting.

[robwebster]

Right. Pin Drop was ace. Interesting, driven, and admirably curt. Everything else I've heard before, now. Didn't take to The Watchmaker, utterly love The Raven - but I've only seen The Watchmaker from live footage, so we'll see how it goes. At worst, we're looking at five out of six really cool songs. Couple of minutes in, The Watchmaker makes a lot more sense in the context of the album than it did in the live footage, and the warmer feel is doing it credit. It was more the meandering towards the end that turned me off it, though.

ETA This is lush. We might be six for six.

[KevShmev]

His vocals during The Pin Drop's first verse threw me at first, too, but I liked them pretty quickly soon thereafter.  And that chorus is just incredible.

[robwebster]

It's a very specific style - it's the kind of thing where I wince at first, but I'd imagine, on successive listens, I wouldn't be able to imagine it sung any other way.

Arrrg. Ten minutes in, and I've just remembered why I didn't like the Watchmaker. Five and a half out of six is still pretty good.

[robwebster]

Okay! That's the album. In a word - inspired. I'd rather suspected Steven Wilson was starting to disappear up his own jacksy with his solo work. That's based on all the GfD songs they've made available, The Watchmaker, and while I quite liked the album, Insurgentes hinted towards a direction that I find a little unpalatable. Glad to be proven very, very wrong. These are interesting, musically, and far more proggy than any of his Porcupine Tree stuff, but the song remains the star. SW's best when he's writing songs, and TRTRTS is full of utter belters. Love it.

[KevShmev]

I'm still surprised you don't like The Watchmaker, but I look forward to you coming around on it and admitting how wrong you were.

But glad you really liked everything else right away!

[TioJorge]

Gawd, I fucking love The Map. So ominous and eerie. Perfect for these dreary, overcast days.

[robwebster]

I'm still surprised you don't like The Watchmaker, but I look forward to you coming around on it and admitting how wrong you were.

But glad you really liked everything else right away!

I like most of it! It's just the end that's... it feels like it's contradicting the rest of the song. It doesn't work for me - doesn't gel.

That said, you're right, I can absolutely picture myself coming around on it and admitting how wrong I am. "Jesus, what was with that guy?!" For now, not fond. Whether that's because I didn't hear it in the context of the album first time round, or because it really doesn't match quite as well, I'm not sure yet. I'm sure there might've been some equally wacky passages in Luminol. But I've only heard it twice. Once on disc. Let's see how it goes!

[millahh]

It took me hearing Luminol a couple of times in context before I got into it, so could be the same for you & Watchmaker.

[Rob801]

I just discovered SW a few weeks ago when a former coworker/fellow drummer asked me if I wanted to go see Marco Minneman in November with SW. The venue had a link to Raven so I watched that video along with The Watchmaker on the commute to work... I bought the album on iTunes as soon as I got to work (I never buy music on iTunes) and have been hooked ever since (I bought his other two albums also on iTunes in short order and the Blue ray of The Raven... Live in Mexico special set should be here any day) . Haven't had time to check out PT (One of those names I've heard a thousand times but never got around to checking out) but I think SW solo is a little more my taste...

Anyway, now it looks like it's going to be Chad Wackerman and not MM playing in Denmark in December so I was wondering if there are any YouTube videos out there since Wackerman took the chair (I found one not so clear video where I couldn't make out the drummer even though I should be able to hear the difference I just wasn't sure...

[KevShmev]

I just discovered SW a few weeks ago when a former coworker/fellow drummer asked me if I wanted to go see Marco Minneman in November with SW. The venue had a link to Raven so I watched that video along with The Watchmaker on the commute to work... I bought the album on iTunes as soon as I got to work (I never buy music on iTunes) and have been hooked ever since (I bought his other two albums also on iTunes in short order and the Blue ray of The Raven... Live in Mexico special set should be here any day) . Haven't had time to check out PT (One of those names I've heard a thousand times but never got around to checking out) but I think SW solo is a little more my taste...
 

 

But definitely check out Porcupine Tree.  ASAP!!

I'm still surprised you don't like The Watchmaker, but I look forward to you coming around on it and admitting how wrong you were.

But glad you really liked everything else right away!

I like most of it! It's just the end that's... it feels like it's contradicting the rest of the song. It doesn't work for me - doesn't gel.

That said, you're right, I can absolutely picture myself coming around on it and admitting how wrong I am. "Jesus, what was with that guy?!" For now, not fond. Whether that's because I didn't hear it in the context of the album first time round, or because it really doesn't match quite as well, I'm not sure yet. I'm sure there might've been some equally wacky passages in Luminol. But I've only heard it twice. Once on disc. Let's see how it goes!

 

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Anyway, now it looks like it's going to be Chad Wackerman and not MM playing in Denmark in December so I was wondering if there are any YouTube videos out there since Wackerman took the chair (I found one not so clear video where I couldn't make out the drummer even though I should be able to hear the difference I just wasn't sure...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hp6lYx4Fvw
here you go!

[Rob801]

Anyway, now it looks like it's going to be Chad Wackerman and not MM playing in Denmark in December so I was wondering if there are any YouTube videos out there since Wackerman took the chair (I found one not so clear video where I couldn't make out the drummer even though I should be able to hear the difference I just wasn't sure...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hp6lYx4Fvw
here you go!

Thanks but that is with Marco (seen it and I think it's awesome)... I'm curious to see How Wackermans playing (the same material) compares (I wrote my last post in a hurry and on my phone so it might not have been clear). I was hoping something might pop up from one of the South America shows or the Nokia(?) in LA with Wackerman playing.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

ah, sorry, I misunderstood.

[Rob801]

No problem .

I got my "Get all you Deserve" set yesterday... Didn't have time to put the BD on but I ripped the DVD to my iPad and watched the first three songs on my way to work this morning. What a geat opening song (can't name them all yet)! Can't wait to get home and watch some more (the sound from my "Handbrake" rip was ok but not quite as it should be).

[Rob801]

I just found a YouTube channel with good quality video from Chile (looks like most of the concert is there).

I've only seen a little bit of it so far but (although Wackerman is a great drummer) I think I prefer Marco's style with Wilson... But to be fair Wackerman should probably have a little time to settle in (and I need to see the rest of it).

I finally got to see all of GAYD on BD and I'm pretty much at a loss for words as to how much I like it...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z2yNoszM_Bg&feature=g-high-u

[rumborak]

Just dropping in to say once more how incredible this album is. It's been in constant rotation for me, gets played at least once per day.

[PixelDream]

I've just been getting back to it after giving it a rest for a few weeks, and it's still as amazing as the first time I heard it.

My favorite moment is when the guitar solo enters in 'Drive Home'. My brain is always fooled for a split second, thinking that it's actually a saxophone. Brilliant tone by Govan. And I love the dynamic range this album has. Sound quality is maybe the best ever for SW.

[King Postwhore]

Just dropping in to say once more how incredible this album is. It's been in constant rotation for me, gets played at least once per day.

You know a great album when you overplay it and you don't get sick of it.

[KevShmev]

I overplayed it and I am sick of it....kidding!!  I still love it to death.

[Zantera]

It's probably the solo album I prefer the least out of the three, but with that said, I still really really like it. Can't wait to see him live in November, and play the songs from it. Watchmaker and title-track especially. 

[Limelight]

The only album that I see potentially knocking Raven out of my top 3 of this year is the new DT.