Steven Wilson v. To. The. Bone.

[RoeDent]

I noticed the squeaks on Don't Hate Me immediately. Definitely a down-point on that song. But then, I consider the EP proper to end at Vermillioncore, and Don't Hate Me acting as a "bonus track".

[bout to crash]

I agree, which is why I often skip it and start from the beginning.

[bout to crash]

So they put on 4 1/2 in the record store today! I made my friend stay there with me for the first two tracks and ended up buying a Bruce Willis vinyl while we listened ... I found the guy who had put it on and apparently it was his first time hearing it but he liked HCE. He had never heard of SW or PT prior to that. I geeked out on him a bit before finally leaving. Good times. Nothing like hearing your favorite not-that-famous artist suddenly come on in a store!

[?]

I finally caved in and bought the book edition of HCE... Pricey but worth it! I love the album so much that I would've regretted not getting one. The extra stuff like the birth certificate, the drawings and the letters are really cool!

I know, pretty much all of you are in love with her. I think she has a good voice, but it sometimes irritates me with all the little squeaks and whatnot. It doesn't really work for me in that song. In the original, Steven's wail is really kind of heartbreaking, but hers lacks the same soul.

Agreed. I love Ninet's voice on the HCE originals, but the squeaks are distracting and I prefer SW on Don't Hate Me.

[Zantera]

It's a nice book edition (like all his book editions). Even though I thought HCE was his weakest solo album, and overall underwhelming, IMO it's never a bad purchase to buy a Steven Wilson book-edition. I really regret not getting Insurgentes back in the day though. After GFD that one is my favorite, but it must cost a fortune on ebay now.

[kirksnosehair]

I noticed the squeaks on Don't Hate Me immediately. Definitely a down-point on that song. But then, I consider the EP proper to end at Vermillioncore, and Don't Hate Me acting as a "bonus track".

That's interesting because I find those squeaks to be one of the coolest things about her vocal delivery. 

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

People seem to overlook something. If those 'squeaks' are part of the final version, it's because both Ninet and Steven were OK with them. That's how Steven wanted this new version of Don't Hate Me to sound, so that's entirely ok by me. Steven, as a producer, has all the authority in the world to guide Ninet's performance and tell her 'hey Ninet, maybe you could try this a little bit different'.

Now, if you don't like it, that's also fine. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but the 4 1/2 version of the song is how Steven wants it to sound with all its tiny details included.

[Zantera]

People seem to overlook something. If those 'squeaks' are part of the final version, it's because both Ninet and Steven were OK with them. That's how Steven wanted this new version of Don't Hate Me to sound, so that's entirely ok by me. Steven, as a producer, has all the authority in the world to guide Ninet's performance and tell her 'hey Ninet, maybe you could try this a little bit different'.

Now, if you don't like it, that's also fine. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but the 4 1/2 version of the song is how Steven wants it to sound with all its tiny details included.

Sure, but that doesn't really matter to us listeners. If it's good - it's good, if it's bad - it's bad. Whether the artist intended for the song to be that way, or it was accidental, it doesn't really matter. Any artist would say that their song sounds like they wanted it to sound.

[bout to crash]

Yeah, nobody is overlooking anything. It's the same as saying you don't like absolutely any other song or element of a song in the world- an opinion. I never said the squeaks indicated bad decision-making or production, I said I don't like them. I know what SW intended with the song and that's fine (as I said in my post above from two days ago), I just think it's weaker than the original.

[devieira73]

IMO the instrumental section from 3:10 to 5:19 is even more amazing in this new version, with a fantastic bass/drum work here!

[bout to crash]

The bass/drum work are great, but I kinda miss the flute.

[seasonsinthesky]

If it's at the same tempo and in the same key, you can just grab those solos from the Stupid Dream surround mix (center channel) and drop them right in the new recording!

... May try that when I get home.

[TioJorge]

The flute-ness is greatly missed. I think this is one of the handful of PT or SW songs that I actually just don't like. Definitely the first song that I dislike Ninet. I think she's the worst part of it to be blunt, but overall the whole atmosphere of the song feels off to me. The isolation, desperation and all around melancholy that make the original so beautiful to me seem lost. Other than that I love the half album and really look forward to what comes next but at this point I'd rather bands in general leave originals the way they are. I rarely like remakes.

[bout to crash]

Amen.

[KevShmev]

I also agree with that.

I don't dislike the remake, but I have no use for it.  The original is about 100 times better, in every way.

[rumborak]

SW's remakes in general don't work for me. His remake of Shesmovedon was also inferior to the original, IMHO.

[KevShmev]

Very true. And let's not forget how badly he botched Burning Sky on the Up the Downstair remaster.  SW can do no wrong...except when it comes to remaking his own songs apparently.

[Sacul]

Dunno, the live version of Index is fantastic and miles better than the album one

[King Postwhore]

Dunno, the live version of Index is fantastic and miles better than the album one

I completely agree with this.   And each tour he changes it a little and I still like it.

[Zantera]

Dunno, the live version of Index is fantastic and miles better than the album one

The live version he played on the GfD/Raven tour was great but then he did a weird a capella version with snapping his fingers on the HCE tour which was not good IMO.

[home]

Dunno, the live version of Index is fantastic and miles better than the album one

The live version he played on the GfD/Raven tour was great but then he did a weird a capella version with snapping his fingers on the HCE tour which was not good IMO.

What, the version were he snaps his fingers at the intro was amazing live! It really added to the creepy atmosphere of the song.

[Zantera]

Fingersnapping should only be reserved for barbershop quartets.

[King Postwhore]

Disagree my friend. I found it very cool but to each his own.

[Evermind]

Count me among people who liked the finger-snapping version. I thought it worked very well live.

[King Postwhore]

It's was very 80's like. Bowie, Gary Newman like.

[Mladen]

I wasn't sure what to make of that version, to be honest. I appreciated the effort to do something different, though, but it still wasn't one of the highlights.

[bout to crash]

I love that version of Index. I also still like the Deadwing version of Shesmovedon a lot even though it is indeed inferior.

[ReaperKK]

Ninet's voice kind of gets on my nerves in this one.

*Gasp*

I feel like I'm the only on this forum who doesn't care/like any of Ninet's vocals.

[Zantera]

Ninet's voice kind of gets on my nerves in this one.

*Gasp*

I feel like I'm the only on this forum who doesn't care/like any of Ninet's vocals.

I'm with you. Her voice is not bad or anything, but Steven could have taken just about any female singer out there and it would have sounded equally good or better.

[seasonsinthesky]

Dunno, the live version of Index is fantastic and miles better than the album one

The live version he played on the GfD/Raven tour was great but then he did a weird a capella version with snapping his fingers on the HCE tour which was not good IMO.

What, the version were he snaps his fingers at the intro was amazing live! It really added to the creepy atmosphere of the song.

I'm with Zantera. The finger snaps version is by far the most pretentious he's ever been and it reeks of trying-too-hard-ism (whatever that means, I guess ). It would sound very cool if the snaps were replaced with the solo'd industrial percussion thing instead.

[Sacul]

I don't care, it was awesome when I went to the gig, despite having little coordination

[King Postwhore]

Steven said live he is pretentious. 

[Tyrias]

Just came back from the gig. It was my third time seeing him (the most I've seen any artist), but there was enough new stuff to still keep it fresh.

At first when they came on stage they all seemed a bit down (especially Steven), which Steven explained after 3 Years Older. They had just gotten the news that Prince had died, one of his musical idols apparently. They cheered up after a time though, and by the time the second set started, everyone was smiling (at least when it was appropriate to smile, during the more fun songs and breaks). When they came back on for the encore, Steven said he wanted to try and play a song by Prince, but he hadn't had time to look up the chords or rehearse with the band so he just started playing the song he covered on Cover Version. It took him a few tries before he got the key to sing along with, and none of the other musicians on stage were familiar with the song so he just showed Dave Kilminister the chords quickly and he played some kind of a rhythm line, with the audience clapping along and Steven joining in with his acoustic guitar during the chorus (and singing all the time obviously). They stopped after about two minutes, probably because Steven was realizing there was another chord in there somewhere but couldn't quite figure out which chord it was on the spot. Still, it was a nice tribute and a very special, spontaneous moment in the show that I'll remember for a long time. I love it when artists to something that obviously wasn't planned, even if it's not perfect. Moments like these make such good memories.

Other than that cover, Sleep Together was my highlight of the show. I'd forgotten how epic the end of that song is, especially in a live setting. Great concert, I'm glad that I went and cancelled some other stuff the day before.

Oh, and I liked the fingersnapping in Index, especially in combination with the pictures in the background changing with every snap.

[?]

Dunno, the live version of Index is fantastic and miles better than the album one

[Onno]

I agree as well. It's way better, even though the album version is still really good.