New Steven Wilson album "Hand. Cannot. Erase" artwork and tracklist revealed

[wankerness]

Perfect Life? More like Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen.

 

[putnut77]

A video for The Perfect Life is up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOU_zWdhAoE


I want 4 and a half minutes of my life back.

Not into this

I enjoy the other released track however.

 

[Alberto7]

I don't know, I have REALLY liked both tunes so far.

I've always known Steven's a pop guy, so Hand Cannot Erase does not surprise me. I always knew that could come, and I really like it.

The Perfect Life had me from the beginning. Not sure what it is about it, but I really liked it. It feels a lot less Wilson-y than most of his material, but I liked it anyway. The narration and the voice were really cool (the narration did catch me by surprise though... that I was not expecting), and so was the subtle layering underneath the dialogue. The repetitive lyrics at the end were a bit too much, but it didn't make me hate it. For some reason, I also liked the video, and I thought it and the music went perfectly together, both mood and pace wise.. I don't know, maybe I have shit taste but, if that's the case, I love having shit taste.

I am extremely curious to hear what will come of this album. Looking forward to it.

 

[ghost2II2]

From what I have heard of this so far, I could not possibly give it a bigger MEH. As for any comparisons between SW solo and PT, give it up. Not one of his solo albums would even touch The Incident, so I won't even waist my time covering the titans like In Absentia, Deadwing, Lightbulb Sun and Signify. And as for his stuff all sounding similar in nature, if you think the the Faux, try-hard fusion style of something like Luminol would ever fit on any Porcupine Tree record, then you need to have your ....ing ears checked or pay closer attention to Porcupine Tree.

 

[wankerness]

From what I have heard of this so far, I could not possibly give it a bigger MEH. As for any comparisons between SW solo and PT, give it up. Not one of his solo albums would even touch The Incident, so I won't even waist my time covering the titans like In Absentia, Deadwing, Lightbulb Sun and Signify. And as for his stuff all sounding similar in nature, if you think the the Faux, try-hard fusion style of something like Luminol would ever fit on any Porcupine Tree record, then you need to have your ....ing ears checked or pay closer attention to Porcupine Tree.

Well, this is an extreme example of an internet tough guy post. I think Raven fits in fine with the PT discography. Its "try hard fusion" sounds far less silly than earlier attempts at fusion and soundscapes like "up the downstair" or "moonloop." Bleh. Drive Home, Holy Drinker, and The Pin Drop all sound much more like porcupine tree, besides, and I think can easily stand above a lot of the junk on some of the previous albums. In Absentia and Lightbulb Sun are definitely stronger albums, but I would put Raven right up there. His other two solo albums make my ears bleed, as does this last track that just got posted.

 

[chopeth]

I find the Raven as good as the best PT albums. Though I consider Insurgentes and Grace for Downing much weaker, there are a few very good songs there too. I haven't listened to the new songs, and don't plan to before the full album is out, I like to listen this kind of progressive works as a whole. I'm also curious about a future second part of Storm Corrosion too, though the first one didn't grow on me very much yet

 

[ghost2II2]

Well, this is an extreme example of an internet tough guy post. I think Raven fits in fine with the PT discography. Its "try hard fusion" sounds far less silly than earlier attempts at fusion and soundscapes like "up the downstair" or "moonloop." Bleh. Drive Home, Holy Drinker, and The Pin Drop all sound much more like porcupine tree, besides, and I think can easily stand above a lot of the junk on some of the previous albums. In Absentia and Lightbulb Sun are definitely stronger albums, but I would put Raven right up there. His other two solo albums make my ears bleed, as does this last track that just got posted.

I think we'll agree to disagree here. However, it's not a tough guy post. People are entitled to their opinion and I can respect that. I'm just passionate about my Porcupine Tree. I own all his stuff...even the solo albums. Some of the solo stuff I like. Some of it comes off as weak, prog-by-numbers, increasingly stronger exercises in tedium. Then when you add to that his new video looks and sounds like a maxi-pad commercial...I'm just over the whole solo thing. At any rate, regardless of the hiatus, I'm sure SW will get back to making another PT album before we see the new Tool album so it's all good.

 

[wankerness]

I do like The Incident a lot more than most people seem to, and think it's infinitely preferable to drivel like this "beautiful life" track. I guess I just don't understand the Steven Wilson mindset since didn't he write 100% of the material on the PT records anyway? It seems like declaring them to be indefinite hiatus while he writes 100% of the material on stuff he puts out under his own name is odd, when the difference between the two names isn't anywhere close to as glaring as the difference between say, Strapping Young Lad and Devin Townsend's solo stuff was (back before he officially retired them, I mean...I know Deconstruction would have sorta muddied the distinction). Unless he's just going to go in the direction of spacy music for new age moms, I guess, in which case yeah there'd be a huge distinction

 

[ghost2II2]

I do like The Incident a lot more than most people seem to, and think it's infinitely preferable to drivel like this "beautiful life" track. I guess I just don't understand the Steven Wilson mindset since didn't he write 100% of the material on the PT records anyway? It seems like declaring them to be indefinite hiatus while he writes 100% of the material on stuff he puts out under his own name is odd, when the difference between the two names isn't anywhere close to as glaring as the difference between say, Strapping Young Lad and Devin Townsend's solo stuff was (back before he officially retired them, I mean...I know Deconstruction would have sorta muddied the distinction). Unless he's just going to go in the direction of spacy music for new age moms, I guess, in which case yeah there'd be a huge distinction

I agree with you on The Incident. I've never understood all the hate that album get's. I really liked it and thought it was another in a long string of solid albums. In fact, it really seemed like PT was just about to really gain some success when SW pulled this "I want to pursue a solo career for God knows how many albums" nonsense. I think the Devin comparison hit's the nail on the head in that Devin had the two things because each was a vastly different side of his personality. With Wilson, it just seems like he wanted to work with a different set of people.

I will say, if this new turd of a song is where he wants to go, then I'm glad he is doing it under his own name and not tarnishing the Porcupine Tree name with it. And yeah, he steered the PT ship, but the others did have their input. Barbieri and Harrison did a lot to drive that machine.

 

[Richie666]

I'd love to hear the new tunes in the context of the album. The studio videos hinted at some incredible music and I would extrapolate that this will be one his best albums.

I adore his solo work. I think the 3 albums he has released so far have all been better or as good as PT's best work. And I love all PT's material.

 

[Raindrop Collector]

I hate to revive a thread from the dead, but the album (I hope at least..) is worth the chatter! I think this album has potential to really be fantastic, but I'm cautious for a few reasons.
I've noticed that Hand.Cannot.Erase. hasn't been as heavily publicized or hyped as the raven. My guess as to why is mainly because the Raven had so many exciting new variables added to the mix, the new one didn't hold up to that pedigree. That, and SW is well known for keeping busy. But I guess to me, I viewed the Raven somewhat as a technical-music listeners' wet dream; in the respect that you had world-class musicians playing razor sharp over the incendiary musical composition SW possesses. Of course H.C.E. has the same cast of characters, but from the updates it seems like their overall efforts are much more restrained, and the composition will be more of the focus this time around.
With this, however, I hope this new album will harken back to SW's more depressing/gorgeously emotional tracks he's well known for- (a.la Sentimental/Stop Swimming/Blackfield catalogue/countless others I'm sure you all know ). I've personally missed been missing this, because that side of him just hasn't really surfaced on the latter solo efforts IMO: the Raven had some gorgeously emotional musical moments, but the overall feel of the album was too far rooted in the jazz-rock sound to really hit it the right way. But heck, who knows what this album holds, that's part of the excitement! I think this concept album will deeply disappoint those that loved the notey side of the Raven, but those that have been fans since the early days will enjoy it. Just my 2 cents!

TL;DR: Steven Wilson will write sad songs again and they'll be brilliant... we hope.

 

[Richie666]

Just heard the first two songs of the album. AMAZING! I can see this going down as his best work overall.

 

[wankerness]

Just heard the first two songs of the album. AMAZING! I can see this going down as his best work overall.

You really like Beautiful Life more than everything else he's ever written?

 

[Richie666]

Of course not! Though I do quite like it. I was referring to First Regret and 3 Years Older. They're floating around on a podcast and youtube at the moment. Looks like it has been taken down though.

 

[wankerness]

Of course not! Though I do quite like it. I was referring to First Regret and 3 Years Older. They're floating around on a podcast and youtube at the moment. Looks like it has been taken down though.

Oh, that's a relief! I'll have to check out those two songs the next time they illicitly surface.

 

[Xaios]

I'll need to hear the album in its entirety before I pass judgment on "The Perfect Life." I really like the music and Steven's singing is moving as always, but the monologue is distracting. Maybe it will make more sense in the context of the album, but it seems to be there for the sake of the video more than anything.

I did quite enjoy "Hand Cannot Erase" as well. It makes me think of something that PT would have written in between Lightbulb Sun and In Absentia.

I do miss the more metallic PT sound, I don't think that'll ever change. "Fear Of A Blank Planet" is my favorite PT album (I also include the "Nil Recurring" EP as part of that package as they're so thematically and musically connected). But I do also appreciate their more pop-ish sounds. I also enjoyed the overall musical motifs from "The Incident."

 

[SnowfaLL]

I still think it's an anagram, but the three periods make me think there's an acronym among them, and I don't know which three letters to pull out for the acronym.

'cause I'm American, and it's probably a British acronym

it is an anagram of "An Adscendant Hero".. interesting.

 

[Richie666]

So...

IT'S AWESOME! A very dense and somewhat challenging listening. I need to digest it more but my initial impression is extremely positive. The supporting cast is incredible as always. Adam and Guthrie both take some astonishing solos.

 

[Alimination]

New Wilson song

My favorite one so far.

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/steven-wilson/first-regret-3-years-older[/SC]

 

[Rock4ever]

2nd half of the album really seems to pick up. Wasn't really into the 1st 3-4 songs.