Steven Wilson: "To The Bone" (new album)

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Musical shifts are well and good, my brother. I think some work better than others, though. And we'll see how this album plays out. Maybe it will be the most awesome thing EVER. Who knows?

Rush shifted direction, significantly, from 2112 to Moving Pictures and Moving Pictures is largely seen as the superior album. Then, they shifted directions massively through Hold Your Fire and Roll the Bones, just a few years later. Again, most see Moving Pictures as the superior album. So, according to the masses, in hindsight, there is usually a pinnacle or "golden years" for these artists who massively shift.

Btw, I favor the artists who shift somewhat over those who never do. SW, Rush, Van Morrison, et al, thank you for the wide variety in your catalogs! AC/CD and other bands that stick with a formula... Pretty much one or two albums will do ya!

You make very valid points. I guess each person tends to tolerate which band can shift, and which cannot. I never liked Rush when they cut their hair and went with keyboards. I've never heard Hold Your Fire......does that make me not a fan? Oh boy...I'm the biggest Rush fan as any. OK, so it really is a band by band and fan by fan basis.

:)
 
OK, I cannot seem to shut my mouth. What excites me is the idea of taking all of Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson material and making a "shuffle" and seeing how the new stuff sounds refreshing against the harder, darker stuff from days past.

I, for one, can't wait. :)
 
You make very valid points. I guess each person tends to tolerate which band can shift, and which cannot. I never liked Rush when they cut their hair and went with keyboards. I've never heard Hold Your Fire......does that make me not a fan? Oh boy...I'm the biggest Rush fan as any. OK, so it really is a band by band and fan by fan basis.

:)

It's funny as to where we jump in with bands! The Hold Your Fire tour video was one of the first Rush releases that sucked me in. "A Show of Hands". I must have watched it 100 times. They are so light at that point, they sound more like Roxette than Led Zeppelin. It was only later that I learned it was a thinned-out, watered-down version of a band that ROCKS so much more! But would 2112 have sucked me in or pushed me away? Hard to say, what with the screeching vocals and all.

I went through a phase where Rush was IT for me. Every album memorized. Hell, I have a mastering of one album that most fans don't know exists because I was dug in that deep. Now, in hindsight, I'd say their "golden years" run from Fly By Night through to Power Windows. And Power Windows is pushing it, with the electronic drums... That's still 10 albums, plus a few live ones. A pretty good run! But, in the moment, I was a die-hard for every release. :confused:
 
Gee! You couldn't tell people really hate the direction he's going in. The deluxe version of "To The Bone" sold out rather fast. That tells me people already like what they've heard. Otherwise, all those returned copies of that Deluxe edition would be back for sale. For me, I feel each one of his solo efforts has gotten better. I really don't think he needs the Porcupine Tree vehicle anymore. Unless, he really wants to play with those same exact musicians again and collaborate? Since, he writes all the material, what's the point? I could care less if I see another Porcupine Tree record. They've already peaked and ran the course. My two least favorite albums since around the turn of the century are "The Incident" and his first solo album. For the people that are not liking what they've heard so far, give the album a chance. Maybe, when you finally get to hear the 5.1, it'll start to grow on you and you never know. It may turn out to be his best of the bunch with so much creativity oozing from it. :)

Btw, I wonder if he'll be signing those 'sold out' deluxe editions?
 
Well, I tried to resist but succumbed to listening to the leaked version of the album, on my second run through now. While I still have some reservations about a few songs they do work better in the flow of the album rather than on their own. I suspect that in the end, after hearing the 5.1 mix and other bonus stuff, I will quite like this record - it seems a natural progression from HCE which I thought better than the previous couple solo albums.
 
.....

Btw, I wonder if he'll be signing those 'sold out' deluxe editions?

Regarding his musical direction...I like it....

A REALLY GOOD friend got the deluxe edition for me (Now..THAT'S a friend!)...
I got a signed postcard from Steven when I ordered 4 1/2 cause I was one of the first ones to do so....kewl!
 
Hi guys - Is it the case that only the deluxe editions are being personally signed by SW? I noticed that a supplier here in Aus is not only stocking To The Bone in 3 formats (CD, Bluray & Vinyl), but all pre-orders come autographed by SW. The exact description on the JB HiFi page reads "SIGNED COPY: CD slick card signed by Steven Wilson (online pre-order only). Disclaimer: Please note that this is a printed card of the CD artwork signed by the artist/band (signature NOT printed)"

Anyway their pricing is similar (AU$22.99) compared to the other international suppliers. Including shipping it works out to:

USA - $25.12
UK - £18.73
Europe - €20.94

I have no affiliation at all. Just wanted to share the love. Here's the link if you're interested.

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/Whats-Hot/caroline-australia/to-the-bone-blu-ray-edition/459070/
 
Well, I tried to resist but succumbed to listening to the leaked version of the album, on my second run through now. While I still have some reservations about a few songs they do work better in the flow of the album rather than on their own. I suspect that in the end, after hearing the 5.1 mix and other bonus stuff, I will quite like this record - it seems a natural progression from HCE which I thought better than the previous couple solo albums.

I really want to enjoy this album........:(
 
Hi guys - Is it the case that only the deluxe editions are being personally signed by SW? I noticed that a supplier here in Aus is not only stocking To The Bone in 3 formats (CD, Bluray & Vinyl), but all pre-orders come autographed by SW. The exact description on the JB HiFi page reads "SIGNED COPY: CD slick card signed by Steven Wilson (online pre-order only). Disclaimer: Please note that this is a printed card of the CD artwork signed by the artist/band (signature NOT printed)"

Anyway their pricing is similar (AU$22.99) compared to the other international suppliers. Including shipping it works out to:

USA - $25.12
UK - £18.73
Europe - €20.94

I have no affiliation at all. Just wanted to share the love. Here's the link if you're interested.

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/Whats-Hot/caroline-australia/to-the-bone-blu-ray-edition/459070/

Yes I saw that last night. Even though I've pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition, I might get the blu-ray with the signed card from JB so I leave the boxed one unplayed in the box and also get the card. I've done this doubling up for the last few SW boxes. Might as well just give the man my pay every week. ;)
 
I've listened like 5 or 6 times to the album that's out there in the wild. On my first listen I thought it was a kind of Blackfield continuation and shelved it for a while. I can tell you it grew on me since then and it's a solid album. It's quite eclectic and it's on the opposite side of the spectrum if you compare it to Insurgentes. It will deceive a lot of the prog fanatics, that's for sure.
Even Permanating is there for good. I haven't been able to get this song out of my mind! I find myself humming to it unconsciously.
Anyway, looking forward to my deluxe edition and the first proper hearing on surround
 
The latest song video is up from the forthcoming album, and I'm loving it. The song is Refuge, and it has some really nice harmonica playing on it, from Mark Feltham:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0dLypToLzE

Love, love that. No pop there....just good solid rock. I am so gonna love this album. Wish I'd ordered deluxe now.....time to change??
 
Love, love that. No pop there....just good solid rock. I am so gonna love this album. Wish I'd ordered deluxe now.....time to change??

Another thought that just occurred to me. That song (minus the harmonica) could easily have been another single on Keane - Hopes and Fears album. Awesome....what you think Kap?? Agree or no?
 
My 6 years old son is humming Permanating all the time. I guess this means he is getting over his Beatles addiction :)
 
just listened to the album i found on the web (of course already bought the blu-ray audio): to me it's the best album of 2017 so far, maybe because i'm more fan of his solo works rather than the porcupine tree ones. too early to tell if it's better of worste than his other works, i love all tracks cannot skip anything of this hour of great music. looking forward to hear it in 96/24 5.1 and to see him and his band performing it live in milan from the first row.
 
Amazing... I got the shipping notice for the deluxe edition and after the robbery with the shipping cost they are using standard mail with no tracking information. Shame on them!
 
Excellent interview with Steven this morning over on Super Deluxe Edition. I especially enjoyed reading this bit:

SDE: “Permanating”, in particular, is quite different to what people might expect from you and from the other tracks on the album. Did you have sleepless nights, worrying about whether to include it, or not?

SW: No, in fact it was the opposite. I couldn’t wait to put the cat amongst the pigeons. I knew it was going to upset a lot of my fans and I relish that in a way, because to me that’s all positive. The worst thing I do can, I think – this comes back to what I was saying earlier – is to feel like I’m just catering for the fans. Fans generally – not all of them – but a lot of them, just want more of the same. And to me, if you’re creating controversy, it means you’re doing something right. I couldn’t wait. And it wasn’t something that was contrived to create controversy. It was something that came very naturally from my love of great pop which has always been there. Anyone who knows me and has read my interviews, will know I’ve always talked about ABBA as being one of my formative influences and my love of great pop music, but for whatever reason it’s never really manifested in my own work, until now. I can’t really explain why it’s taken so long to manifest, but I’m extremely proud of that song [Permanating].. it is something that a lot of people are going to be quite surprised and even upset about, but I think that’s part of the contract of being an artist and having a fanbase.
 
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