Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
The Cover of The Overview by Steven Wilson, designed by Hajo Müller His Eighth Solo Album The Overview is Steven Wilson’s eighth solo album, released on 14 March 2025. It charted at number three in the UK, the fourth of Wilson’s albums (as a solo artist or with his band Porcupine Tree) in a row to …
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The Cover of The Overview by Steven Wilson, designed by Hajo Müller This is an analysis of the first half of Steven Wilson's eighth solo album, The Overview. For an introduction to the album, click here. Analysis of the second half of the album to follow. OBJECTS OUTLIVE US No Monkey’s Paw The opening describes …
Continue reading "Steven Wilson – The Overview – Album Review Part Two: ‘Objects Outlive us’"
Steven Wilson. Image credit: Kevin Westerberg His Eighth Solo Album The Overview is Steven Wilson’s eighth solo album, released on 14 March 2025. It charted at number three in the UK, the fourth of Wilson’s albums (as a solo artist or with his band Porcupine Tree) in a row to reach the UK top five. On …
Continue reading "Steven Wilson – The Overview – Album Review – Part One – Introduction"
Tuesday 1 October 2025 RNCM, Manchester Nearly 60 years since first playing in Manchester, Hammill is still a supreme communicator and a powerful performer **** 'The hits just keep on coming', quipped Peter Hammill early in his set at the RNCM in Manchester this evening. In 2013, when Guy Garvey interviewed Hammill for a documentary, …
Friday 22 August 2025 Mahler and the Folksong - songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, and traditional folksongs arr. Gemma Bass The Quire, Southwell Minster This took place in the beautiful and intimate surroundings of the Quire in Southwell Minster. The audience sat in the choir stalls while the musicians performed on the steps to the Chancel. …
Friday 18 July 2025 Future Yard Birkenhead ***** Guthrie Govan Joins Shez Raja for Triumphant Birkenhead Show Shez Raja (and Chris Jerome, back left) This was a triumphant homecoming gig for bass player Shez Raja, returning to his native Birkenhead. Raja announced that he was born on the Wirral; it felt like a home audience …
The Cover of the Uncertainty Principle by Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate Malcolm Galloway is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard-player of London-based prog rock band Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate, with bass player Mark Gatland. Nick Holmes Music met with Galloway in London to discuss the band's latest album The Uncertainty Principle and …
Saturday 14 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** John Storgårds conducts the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a breathtaking performance of Mahler's Third Symphony John Storgårds, Jess Dandy and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Photo: Chris Payne Having just come back from the Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig, with performances by two of the world’s most renowned orchestras …
Steven Wilson. Image copyright Kevin Westenberg Steven Wilson’s latest album, The Overview, is inspired by the emotional and sometimes spiritual experience that astronauts have described when they look back at the Earth from space, known as ‘The Overview Effect’. This article reflects on Wilson's space songs from his previous solo work. For an analysis of the space songs …
Continue reading "Steven Wilson’s Space Songs Part II: The Solo Years"
My own response to King Crimson is one of quiet terror Robert Fripp (Die Zeit May 1995) In 2019, I heard that King Crimson had released an album called THRAK in 1995. The title reminded me of another great progressive rock band, the mighty Thotch who recorded their classic song Land of the Crab in 1975. But Seriously © Phil …
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