Steven Wilson v. To. The. Bone.

[King Postwhore]

stop getting me so hyped for this I'm not getting this until like a month from now because I tend to buy albums in bulk omg

Online discount?

I'm going tomorrow.  I know I'll love the hell out of it then see it live in May.

[PixelDream]

Forgot to check out the alternate mixes, nice! Something to look forward to again.

P.S. Has somebody gave the 5.1 mix a listen yet?

[RoeDent]

Haven't gotten my copy yet, excited to hear all the positive reviews. My only concern is how unprogressive it is and how pop it is. I'm definitely not a pop fan and can't even see how a SW album could be solely of the pop genre. Surely even if it is pop it has that trademark SW sense of melancholy, right?

The title track is the only one I'd call "pop". If SW does pop, you can guarantee it's a hundred times better than most pop. But it's also not as out-and-out proggy as Raven. It calls for Steven Wilson to have his own genre named after him.

[Zantera]

Haven't gotten my copy yet, excited to hear all the positive reviews. My only concern is how unprogressive it is and how pop it is. I'm definitely not a pop fan and can't even see how a SW album could be solely of the pop genre. Surely even if it is pop it has that trademark SW sense of melancholy, right?

I'd say SW does simple songs with catchy melodies and great choruses even better than he does Prog tbh. Albums like Stupid Dream (by PT) or Blackfield (by Blackfield) are incredibly accessible, catchy and not very progressive compared to portions of his discography, yet they are two of his best albums. Even on the more recent albums, the biggest highlights have been songs like The Raven That Refused to Sing and Deform to Form a Star.

[Crow]

stop getting me so hyped for this I'm not getting this until like a month from now because I tend to buy albums in bulk omg

Online discount?

I'm going tomorrow.  I know I'll love the hell out of it then see it live in May.

free shipping on amazon
because screw shipping costs lol

[RoeDent]

Haven't gotten my copy yet, excited to hear all the positive reviews. My only concern is how unprogressive it is and how pop it is. I'm definitely not a pop fan and can't even see how a SW album could be solely of the pop genre. Surely even if it is pop it has that trademark SW sense of melancholy, right?

I'd say SW does simple songs with catchy melodies and great choruses even better than he does Prog tbh. Albums like Stupid Dream (by PT) or Blackfield (by Blackfield) are incredibly accessible, catchy and not very progressive compared to portions of his discography, yet they are two of his best albums. Even on the more recent albums, the biggest highlights have been songs like The Raven That Refused to Sing and Deform to Form a Star.

Yes, I agree. It's also funny that some of his most accessible songs are those having a go at the mainstream industry, such as Piano Lessons and The Sound of Muzak.

-------------------

Anyway, I've not long finished HCE. My favourite tracks on first impression are Home Invasion and Regret #9, which segue so seamlessly together that they feel like one song. Other highlights include the haunting choir sounds on Routine & Ascendant Here On..., and the recurring musical ideas.

Needless to say, SW has pulled it off again. Incredible album!

[Nearmyth]

May as well be Steven Wilson's best solo album. It's really different and hard to compare, surprisingly. I kind of expected The Raven pt. 2 with some pop, but it's something completely different. Routine-Home Invasion-Regret#9-Transience is definitely the best song run in the album, those have got to be my favorites.

Ancestral is really cool and Happy Returns/Ascendant, well... It's a good ending for the album, but it's a grower. The music of the song itself wasn't as melancholic as I expected, I think The Raven spoiled me a bit with that 

[Nick]

Nothing in the mail today.

RAAAAAAAAGE.

[bout to crash]

Nothing in the mail today.

RAAAAAAAAGE.

Did you also order yours from Newbury? If so, that makes me feel a lot better about not getting mine yet, since you're way closer to MA. I'm nervous about it being left in my building when I'm not home. I checked the mail like four times today 

[Nick]

Nothing in the mail today.

RAAAAAAAAGE.

Did you also order yours from Newbury? If so, that makes me feel a lot better about not getting mine yet, since you're way closer to MA. I'm nervous about it being left in my building when I'm not home. I checked the mail like four times today 

No, I ordered from Burning Shed. I suppose I can't really be upset if it comes on release tomorrow, it's just making me salivating seeing all those who did get theirs already!

[XB0BX]

Can't say I'm not a little hesitant with the new direction the album takes. He's such a great songwriter, he could do nothing but bubblegum pop and make it enjoyable, but I'll definitely miss the prog and the melancholy that this album is supposedly missing. It's the melancholy thing that's especially surprising. I don't know how an upbeat SW album will make me feel.

[Skeever]

Can't say I'm not a little hesitant with the new direction the album takes. He's such a great songwriter, he could do nothing but bubblegum pop and make it enjoyable, but I'll definitely miss the prog and the melancholy that this album is supposedly missing. It's the melancholy thing that's especially surprising. I don't know how an upbeat SW album will make me feel.

I'm not sure how anyone could listen to the record and say it's missing prog and/or melancholy. This is just as proggy and sad as anything he's done.

[King Postwhore]

Can't say I'm not a little hesitant with the new direction the album takes. He's such a great songwriter, he could do nothing but bubblegum pop and make it enjoyable, but I'll definitely miss the prog and the melancholy that this album is supposedly missing. It's the melancholy thing that's especially surprising. I don't know how an upbeat SW album will make me feel.

It's like He's gone full Britney Spears in your eyes.

[KevShmev]

So far to me, this is like Wilson taking a little bit of everything he has done in his career and blending into one album. 

The hard rock riffs from the Harrison-era of Porcupine Tree are back.

The prog is still there.

The melancholy is still there.

The gloriously catchy melodies are there.

Something that sounds like Storm Corrosion (Transience) is even there. 

Overall, this is yet another magnificent achievement of epic proportions by Steven Wilson.  Honestly, it just blows my mind how this guy continues to release one freaking great album after another.

[Nearmyth]

Can't say I'm not a little hesitant with the new direction the album takes. He's such a great songwriter, he could do nothing but bubblegum pop and make it enjoyable, but I'll definitely miss the prog and the melancholy that this album is supposedly missing. It's the melancholy thing that's especially surprising. I don't know how an upbeat SW album will make me feel.

I don't think you'll be disappointed at all. This album has a lot of prog and melancholy, there's really only one upbeat song.

[JayOctavarium]

Trying to figure out IF I am going to see him in LA. My buddy is NOT giving me any definite answer. $35 at The Wiltern is NOT bad.  Hell if they want to make it a full night we could do Anaheim. He's playing The City National Grove. LOVE LOVE LOVE the venue... but it's pricier and twice as far.


ugh

[HolidaysAnoraks]

Anybody else getting a Signify / Up the Downstair vibe from Regret #9?

[The Letter M]

Just got my Deluxe Edition in the mail, and HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS - this is one intense and well-made package, and I don't mean just the cover or the binding. This thing in TOTALLY immersive. I won't spoil anything for you guys that also ordered it and want to feel the surprise that I did just now as I thumbed through the thing, but the level of attention and detail made towards this is astonishing and I'm really kicking myself that out of SW's four albums, this is the only Deluxe Edition I have. I wish I could have afforded the other three as they came out.

If anyone here has the first three and has ordered the new one, let me know how it compares to the first three, just because I'm very curious as to how much better, the same, or worse HCE's Deluxe Edition compared to the other three.

-Marc.

[bout to crash]

Ahhhh, I can't wait! This is the only deluxe I've ordered- same boat as you. I just got this one because it was a Christmas gift 

[The Letter M]

Ahhhh, I can't wait! This is the only deluxe I've ordered- same boat as you. I just got this one because it was a Christmas gift 

Nice! I splurged on this one as well, and figured that, due to the conceptual nature of the album, that the Deluxe Edition would deliver some great goodies within and be a sweet package, and I was totally right, AND THEN SOME...x 100. The text, the visuals, the inserts, everything is just top-notch and A LOT of careful thought went in to the making of this package. I'm so glad I ordered this version because I really feel like I'm going to get the most out of this album and its concept because of the Deluxe Edition.

-Marc.

[Nihil-Morari]

I've only got The Raven's deluxe edition. And that's less good than this one. I think I enjoyed that box at first too, but I've never really went back and listened to the album with the book and all. With this album, I can really imagine I'll be listening to it in the car from time to time, but when I really want to dive in, I'll use the book.

Apart from that, I now wish I had the other two too.

[Elite]

Just got the CD in the mail. I'm going to listen to it in a while

[Rob801]

Shiiit!!! Mine didn't come today (sent from Burning Shed UK thursday... thought it would be here today for sure). The waiting is killing me  .

[Metro]

I preordered the album on iTunes(Sorry Mr. Wilson, I don't have money for your extravagant box sets...) I'm on my third listen today and goddamn, this really is an amazing album yet.
Some of the standout tracks are: 3 Years Older(I think this may be Steven's best song ever), Home Invasion/Regret #9, and Ancestral.
I don't know yet if it's his best, it'll take a few more listens for that. I still wish he had a tour date here in Atlanta.
A friend of mine who lives in Canada also bought it. He texted me this morning and said:

"Poutine keeps me alive."

I hope that means he's enjoying it.

[PixelDream]

I'm always a big Insurgentes lover because of how dark it is, Grace for Drowning has some monumental stuff but also some so-so songs, The Raven is an excellent old fashioned progressive rock record but this... Hand. Cannot. Erase. is an album that looks at the NOW, it's contemporary. It's relevant. I have to say, Steven Wilson has hit the nail on the head in terms of the concept.

[ich bin besser]

If anyone here has the first three and has ordered the new one, let me know how it compares to the first three, just because I'm very curious as to how much better, the same, or worse HCE's Deluxe Edition compared to the other three.

-Marc.

I do have all of them. They are all beautiful, but the new one really sets a new standard. All those items put in (postcard, birth certificate, newspaper cuttings, letter etc) and the diary of the character make you feel like you're following a real person's life. You can clearly see why it was so expensive.
Some lyrics are included, but not all of them.
A minor complaint: it's a bit hard to follow the story while listening to the music and watching the visuals on the BluRay (which I guess will be the visuals of the live show as well). I tried to turn the pages in the book just as shown on the BR, but sometimes you have to go back a few pages to read the lyrics to the recent song.
Oh, and the BR is edited for content (nudity) - but that's understandable. 

I love those limited editions and would buy them any time again.

[mike099]

Anybody else getting a Signify / Up the Downstair vibe from Regret #9?

Listened to regret #9 last night and man, that song is intense.  For those of you lucky enough to be seeing the show, hoping the guitar and drums are great without the guys that played on the cd.  That bass player is great also.

[Nihil-Morari]

If anyone here has the first three and has ordered the new one, let me know how it compares to the first three, just because I'm very curious as to how much better, the same, or worse HCE's Deluxe Edition compared to the other three.

-Marc.

I do have all of them. They are all beautiful, but the new one really sets a new standard. All those items put in (postcard, birth certificate, newspaper cuttings, letter etc) and the diary of the character make you feel like you're following a real person's life. You can clearly see why it was so expensive.
Some lyrics are included, but not all of them.
A minor complaint: it's a bit hard to follow the story while listening to the music and watching the visuals on the BluRay (which I guess will be the visuals of the live show as well). I tried to turn the pages in the book just as shown on the BR, but sometimes you have to go back a few pages to read the lyrics to the recent song.
Oh, and the BR is edited for content (nudity) - but that's understandable. 

I love those limited editions and would buy them any time again.

Actually, I believe all the lyrics are in the book, I think I've read them all along with the songs.
I must say that with the first listen, I never once looked at the screen of my television. I just had the book on my lap and read through it.

[ich bin besser]

Yeah, might be - not sure. I tried to synchronize reading and watching. 

[Zantera]

I don't have any sleepless nights over missing out on The Incident, but I do feel bad about not picking up Insurgentes when it came out. I could probably still get a hold of it, but rather expensive I would assume.

[ich bin besser]

Just looked up what Hand... costs on ebay now: ridiculous already...  I paid 74 Euro, now it goes for almost the double price...

 

[Nick]

Okay, now it's officially time...

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE.

Even got to be home 2 hours early today, was looking forward to using all that extra time on HCE.

[Sacul]

Today I was relistening the On Studio videos for this album. It was amazing to see how much passion these guys put on each song - and it was also fun trying to guess which excerpt belonged to which tune.

[King Postwhore]

Listening in the car and 5.1 when I get home.

[Sacul]

5.1? Me. Super. Jelly.