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Key · 11-04-2016, 11:11 AM

Steven Wilson - Hand Cannot Erase

When it comes to solo albums, Steven Wilson is no stranger to creating albums that put you into a state of mind that you've probably never been in before. Part of what I enjoy about his solo work is the fact that you're basically getting what you loved from Porcupine Tree, without Porcupine Tree which unfortunately has become a thing of the past. If you've been a fan of Porcupine Tree as long as I have, you'd be of the same opinion that Steven Wilson solo work is the next best thing.

Hand Cannot Erase was one of the first three solo albums I heard from him, and instantly I was blown away by it. It's got so much going for it that brings together a lot of what makes Steven Wilson great, without being too overwhelming. The title track "First Regret" is easily one of the most creative and wonderfully crafted openers on any of his albums because it puts together some of the prog you came to love from PT while still adding his own niche. As the album progresses, you still get struck with the "holy ****" feeling like you almost can't believe that this man has the power to continuously make great music after all this time, but it's true. Nothing has ever stopped him from making music of beautiful caliber even if at first I wasn't a fan of his No-Man work.

I'd say the obvious standout track is the opener of "First Regret" but that's not giving the album enough credit, so I'll just say the entire album is a standout as each track offers something that fans of progressive rock / Riverside-esque prog can come to enjoy.

And before you ask, yes it pretty much sounds like a lot of what you'd expect from Steven Wilson, so those thinking they'll get something different out of this, it won't happen. For those that are already fans of his work, this is up your alley. He doesn't do a lot that differentiates his work from one another, but he's consistent with his work much like Devin Townsend with the fact that he always makes good music. It's very rare that you'll get a bad Steven Wilson solo album, and this is a very good example.

11-04-2016, 11:11 AM	#104 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	Steven Wilson - Hand Cannot Erase When it comes to solo albums, Steven Wilson is no stranger to creating albums that put you into a state of mind that you've probably never been in before. Part of what I enjoy about his solo work is the fact that you're basically getting what you loved from Porcupine Tree, without Porcupine Tree which unfortunately has become a thing of the past. If you've been a fan of Porcupine Tree as long as I have, you'd be of the same opinion that Steven Wilson solo work is the next best thing. Hand Cannot Erase was one of the first three solo albums I heard from him, and instantly I was blown away by it. It's got so much going for it that brings together a lot of what makes Steven Wilson great, without being too overwhelming. The title track "First Regret" is easily one of the most creative and wonderfully crafted openers on any of his albums because it puts together some of the prog you came to love from PT while still adding his own niche. As the album progresses, you still get struck with the "holy ****" feeling like you almost can't believe that this man has the power to continuously make great music after all this time, but it's true. Nothing has ever stopped him from making music of beautiful caliber even if at first I wasn't a fan of his No-Man work. I'd say the obvious standout track is the opener of "First Regret" but that's not giving the album enough credit, so I'll just say the entire album is a standout as each track offers something that fans of progressive rock / Riverside-esque prog can come to enjoy. And before you ask, yes it pretty much sounds like a lot of what you'd expect from Steven Wilson, so those thinking they'll get something different out of this, it won't happen. For those that are already fans of his work, this is up your alley. He doesn't do a lot that differentiates his work from one another, but he's consistent with his work much like Devin Townsend with the fact that he always makes good music. It's very rare that you'll get a bad Steven Wilson solo album, and this is a very good example.