The No-Man Thread

[The Letter M]

So I noticed there hasn't been a thread on this duo-project of Steven Wilson's and Tim Bowness. There are some absolute gems among the band's 6 main albums, as well as 8 compilations, and at least a dozen singles/EPs. There's a sad beauty to their music that is hard to describe but easy to feel, especially if you're pretty receptive to their type of ambient rock. It's quite different than the other well-known SW projects/bands (Blackfield, Porcupine Tree, and his solo stuff), but it's no less amazing. Spanning 20 years of history from 1992-2012, this band has sporadically released material, rarely played live, but that doesn't stop them from being something more than "just a side-project".

Fans of SW really do need to check this group out, especially if they enjoy the softer, melodic side of Steven. Anyways, I'll have more to talk about later after I spin a few of their albums some more (because it seems to be the season for them).

-Marc.

[ColdFireYYZ]

I can't vote since I only have Wild Opera, Together We're Stranger, and Schoolyard Ghosts (which I was just listening to yesterday) but I love all 3. From those 3, my favorite is Together We're Stranger. It took some time to get used to Tim Browness' vocals but I like his singing now and it fits the music perfectly.

[ReaperKK]

I've only ever heard on No-Man song and I recall really disliking it.

What would be a good starting point?

[KevShmev]

Interesting timing, as I just listened to Returning Jesus and Together We're Stranger the other day; I like both quite a bit, although I admittedly do not listen to this band a lot.  I also have Dry Cleaning Ray, but haven't listened to it in forever and do not remember much about it.

[Zantera]

I've only ever heard on No-Man song and I recall really disliking it.

What would be a good starting point?

I think the latest one, Schoolyard Ghosts would work excellent as a startingpoint.

No-Man has some really good stuff. I'm not that familiar with Returning Jesus or Wild Opera, but Schoolyard Ghosts, Together We're Stranger and Flowermouth are all very good albums.   

[The Letter M]

I've only ever heard on No-Man song and I recall really disliking it.

What would be a good starting point?

I think the latest one, Schoolyard Ghosts would work excellent as a startingpoint.

No-Man has some really good stuff. I'm not that familiar with Returning Jesus or Wild Opera, but Schoolyard Ghosts, Together We're Stranger and Flowermouth are all very good albums.  

Those are my 3 favorites, but Returning Jesus isn't too bad either, as is Wild Opera. If you don't have it yet, buy the re-issue of WO that comes with the Dry Cleaning Ray EP!

-Marc.

[ReaperKK]

Thanks guys, I'm going to put on Schoolyard ghosts in just a bit, I'll report back when I'm done listening.

[ReaperKK]

Just got through the first two songs on Schoolyard ghosts. Not bad but I'm not a fan of Tim Bowness' voice, it's only slightly better than Aviv's voice.

[Zantera]

I really like both Aviv and Tim as singers, so I can't relate. 

[ReaperKK]

Just finished listening to Schoolyard Ghosts, I really like "Truenorth" and "Mixtaped" the rest is kinda forgettable. I did enjoy the music greatly however Tim's voice still rubs me the wrong way, I don't know why or how to describe it. It almost has this cheesy lounge singer vibe to it.

[The Letter M]

https://burningshed.com/tag/No-Man

https://www.loudersound.com/news/no-mans-oli-label-years-explored-in-new-five-disc-set?fbclid=IwAR3LroBuAMz0dZ3j4hfR-yVdaO_bdkkr_ciZH60gstb2UU9aOYUE2YEHfbM

No-Man's early years on independent label One Little Indian (since rebranded as One Little Independent) are to be celebrated in a new five disc box set Housekeeping: The OLI Years, 1990-1994 which will be released on the label oin January 24.

At the same time a standalone companion disc, Swagger, chronicles the period that came after the Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson's studio experiments of 1987 and 1988, and prior to No-Man signing its first record deal in 1991, will also be released.

No-Man released two albums and series of singles on the influential OLI label (home to Björk, The Shamen etc), and Housekeeping... features the band's first two albums, 1993's Loveblows & Lovecries and 1994's Flowermouth, along with the singles compilation Lovesighs (1992). The deluxe 5CD bookset also contains outtakes, alternate versions and the band’s sessions for BBC Radio from the period as well as a hardback book includes essays by Matt Hammers (author of No-Man blog, All The Blue Changes), Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson, alongside rare photos and memorabilia.

As well as Wilson and Bowness, No-Man also featured virtuoso violinist Ben Coleman, and the albums featured notable appearances by Mick Karn and Steve Jansen (Japan), Robert Fripp, Ian Carr, Lisa Gerard (Dead Can Dance), and soon to be Porcupine Tree members Richard Barbieri, Chris Maitland and Colin Edwin.

Housekeeping: The OLI Years, 1990-1994 will be available on CD, limited edition cassette and 180g sky blue vinyl (a Burning Shed exclusive).

I'm just really excited to finally have all the early No-Man stuff on disc! Ordered the CD bundle from Burning Shed!

Also, apologies for the necro-bump but the current SW thread is just for his solo work and I didn't want to muck up that thread with non-solo stuff.

-Marc.