During the Insurgentes film, Steve Wilson reminisces about having to carefully select the "right" album that his allowance would buy. It was certainly about the music but the packaging like the album cover and overall vibe mattered considerably. With Grace For Drowning, I believe Steven Wilson has recorded the album that he would want to pop down to the record shop, purchase, bring home and savor the details. By now readers know I probably buy most of what SW has to offer and some (Bass Communion - Loss) really don't get played. Thankfully I find Grace For Drowning is the polar opposite and I will attempt to explain why.
Given his workaholic schedule and multiple band commitments, it is extraordinary that he had the time and energy to make such a record. I can say that I'm played the CDs in the car non-stop since the special edition book package arrived. To be sure this music has the menace and swagger you'd expect but it also has an inviting quality for repeat play that Insurgentes lacked overall. IMHO - Insurgentes has a "hang on while I figure this out" tentative experimental vibe whereas Grace For Drowning is more of an "I've got this figured out now" proposition which produces a more satisfying listener experience. Once I heard the album a couple times I committed to drive to Chicago for one of only 8 US dates so far. [I do not expect another tour leg but would be pleasantly surprised if he did so]
Since most of us know of the tight axis (and shared mgmt team representing both bands) between PT, SW, & King Crimson personnel, it is now commonplace to expect hybrid offerings such as Gavin Harrison popping up on KC dates in 2008 (saw in 300 seater here in Nashville), JFC- A Scarcity Of Miracles, and of course the SW/RF mixing collaboration on the KC catalog albums, I had to wonder how this would influence Stevens recorded work. To date, PT was increasingly influenced by metal bands SW may have worked with and a few hints of prog elements showing up here and there. Insurgentes did include KC alum Tony Levin but never crossed into overt KC territory IMHO as tracks were more of an experimental nature or noise band influenced direction. One of the first times I really noticed it occured on The Incident where the high electric guitar notes carve a great riff in Great Expections (after "...So strange I forget her name, I wonder if she got out" etc.) which in mind recalls the first notes of Red from the KC album of the same name. Not a direct lift mind you, just enough of the essence and energy to make you notice. I believe that Porcupine Tree has a signature range that SW wants to maintain and he doesn't tamper with that very much at all.
This brings us to the consideration of the music that populates Grace For Drowning. What we have here is two discs that are related and of equal value this time. In the past we have had the "2nd disc" of music from the same writing and recording session that was seen as lesser of the two. Please note that some of these tunes (notably Drown With Me from In Absentia sessions) are my very favorites while others are properly labelled leftovers, mind you very good ones that other bands should be so lucky to have. This time out, we have two true album discs with a third disc (42 min) in the special edition for non-album tracks.
Allow me to address those first; 1) Home In Negative was released as a Sound Cloud right after I met SW at the NYC Insurgentes screening. It showcased a gorgeous alternate pop direction should he decide to pursue it and gave us something new to ponder for a while. Are those horns I'm hearing? Hints abound. [just discovered the CD tags for CD3 are wrongly displaying CD2 track names in Windows Media Player but iTunes had me select SW GFD bonus disc to be correct. Genre is Indy Rock!] 2) Fluid Tap is okay but doesn't really advance the narrative or hold up against the final tracks selected. 3) The Map would be right at home on Insurgentes with its experimental textures and drum programming. 4) Raider Acceleration instrumental must've been a fun jam riff to play; the wild sax work recalls KC or some German prog perhaps. It is heard to perhaps better effect in the track 6 demo. 5) Black Dog Throwbacks is a largely atonal texture he must've had a hard time setting aside. Other vocal arrangements that were used on the true albums are stronger than this one. 6) Raider II - demo version (21:08) is cool as it allows you to see the seeds (vocals before processing, etc) and what survived into the final 23 minute version or not. Sections change a bit; some disappear; a rapid bass riff was dropped; cool but conflicted with other instruments too much. Of everything on disc 3 I would listen to 1 & 5 the most.
This leads us to the main materal which I'll address as a whole via the Blu Ray tracklist. 1) Grace For Drowning is a gentle piano & wordless vocal collage that signals something different is about to begin with its 40 vocal tracks. 2) Sectarian builds into a crunchiness with soaring horn lines and the early-mid period KC influence is felt. Other aspects feel like Kraut rock and together it is very cool. It's ominous, it's beautiful and it blossoms. 3) Deform To Form A Star - what can I say? If I have played this 50 times (at least), it has elicited a strong emotional response in 48 of those plays. I decided I would WALK to Chicago just to hear this one. It hits me like a latter day Mad Man Moon (Genesis) and IMHO also has some roots back to Baby Dream In Cellaphane (Stupid Dream). Some Joni Mitchell piano chords in there perhaps. Glorious, terrific, heartfelt. 4) No Part Of Me has a chill beat and some of his best breakup lyrics to date and the whole tune morphs nicely. 5) Postcard is a pleasant although downcast pop tune that could easily been done by Blackfield; has it's moments. Love the first line: "Guess it's time I got up off the kitchen floor..."
6) Raider Prelude provides a keen teaser look ahead to the long centerpiece on disc two. 7) Remainder The Black Dog (seeing video now for 1st time!) is also a favorite. The off kilter piano riff and processed vocals are dreamy and the pace of progression in this tune is terific. SW has really figured out how to feature soaring horns, odd time signatures and melodic vocals here! Sound like anybody you know? The huge rhythmic shifts are handled with ease. The bass tone shifts to sound like Chris Squire - Fish Out Of Water for a bit, then the melodic swirl of perhaps Gentle Giant, now put a horn line on top of that. Now lay back before shifting to a 70's Euro prog groove. It's too dizzying to accurately describe! And now we're back to the piano figure that started it all. This is one of my favorites; end of disc 1.
Disc 2: 1) Belle Du Jour provides a gentle opener as was done with the first disc. It builds beautifully and cinematically as SW allows it to be beautiful. The video depicts a seaside outing that may have never happened at all. Perhaps it is another dream as he runs away. 2) Index is about sorting, collecting or perhaps hoarding in a regular and vocoder voice; includes a video with the standard disturbing images we all know by now. [comments about this being cliche are noted] 3) Track One is very much enjoyed as it starts off enchanting then becomes etherial before mutating into a terrific menacing rhythmic roar (one of his best IMHO) that totally works to great effect. Then drifts away.
4) Raider II is the big track, running some 23 minutes all told. It gracefully evolves thru sections only hinted at in the demo and the crucial pacing perfected here really sets it alll up nicely. Sidebar: I read all of the lyrics as soon as the box arrived to better absorb the music later. What struck me was that the lyrics (home invasion, fear, control, paranoia, implied violence, etc) didn't initially match up to the *massive* music in my mind. Then I came to realize a person's fear at being tied up and wondering what would happen to them is as tall as mountains on the moon if it's happening to you. Relax there are no details just subtle comments to let you understand the people involved and the increasing stakes of the event. Now I see it for what he intended me to see and hear. Some Keith Tippett style piano and some melodic turns reference KC's progressive nature; more a nod than a lift once again. Then we're onto the next section; say is that a two chord vamp from Deadwing, hold on here comes the Magma vocals and mellotron swooping down on us. That has to be Gavin providing the perfect underpinning to all of this madness. 5) Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye is a mostly mellow introspective album closer in the SW tradition. Catherine Wheel organ and some terrific vocal arrangements (as witnessed throughout this record). Now cue up that goofy sweet guitar solo in the center speaker. If the album must truly end now, this is how it should be.
The stereo mixes are great but the 5.1 surround mixes are superlative in that they are clever, discrete and in full support of the material. Where there is a processed vocal in the stereo version that sounds like one track actually appears as dry vocal in the center with the processed version in the rears sounding very cool. The disc navigation is a little odd but not a deal breaker so far; I'm sitting far away from monitor so need to monkey around with the Blu Ray more. My mission today was simply to confirm the music is great and that for a solo album, Steven Wilson has treated this one as a primary event rather than an outlet for ideas that don't fit with the Porcupine Tree template.
Grace For Drowning is Highly Recommended in any format, most especially 5.1 surround on Blu Ray disc!