Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
Wilson's most eclectic album to date is 'cinema for the ears' ***** Steven Wilson has often said he would like to write a film score. He even wrote a screenplay with the film maker Mike Bennion, and they tried for a while to get the film made. When it became clear this probably wouldn't happen, …
Continue reading "The Harmony Codex by Steven Wilson – Album Review"
If Steven Wilson had written a song called December Skies in the early years of his band Porcupine Tree it would have been a dreamy, spacey extended jam with poetic, earnestly abstract lyrics. For later Porcupine Tree it would have been an angst-ridden, prog-metal song, probably featuring lyrics about disaffected teenagers or a serial killer. …
Continue reading "Off the Beaten Track Christmas Special: December Skies by Steven Wilson"
Wednesday 27 September 2023 EartH Hackney, London ***** The Harmony Codex in immersive surround sound and live performance Steven Wilson has often said that one of his lifetime ambitions is to write a film soundtrack - he even co-wrote a film script with the film-maker Mike Bennion which eventually became the basis of the Porcupine …
Continue reading "The Harmony Codex by Steven Wilson – Album Playback and Live Review"
Art-rock band no-man were founded in 1987 when Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness started writing music together. They briefly flirted with mainstream success in 1990 when their single release colours was Single Of The Week in Melody Maker and Sounds, leading to record label and publishing deals. Wilson went on to have much more success …
Continue reading "Off the Beaten Track # 2: Pigeon Drummer by no-man"
An updated e-book version of my book On Track ... Porcupine Tree, a detailed analysis of every track by Porcupine Tree, is now available.
Thursday 29 June 2023 Castlefield Bowl, Manchester **** You wait 12 years for a Train... then two come at once For 12 years between their gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London in October 2010 and their next London gig at Wembley Arena in November 2022 it appeared that Porcupine Tree would never play …
Continue reading "Porcupine Tree – Live Review (Manchester)"
Saturday 17 June 2023 O2 Apollo, Manchester **** Joyful return of the band after a decade away In 2011, talking to Grant Moon of Prog about his second, jazz-infused, solo album Grace for Drowning, Steven Wilson said it’s easy to forget the role jazz played in the birth of prog rock, ‘it was when pop …
Ten classic tracks from the early albums from On The Sunday of Life (1992) to Stupid Dream (1999) In November 2022, Porcupine Tree made a triumphant return to London to play live at London Arena in front of over 12,000 fans after a hiatus of over twelve years. The event was described by The Times …
Continue reading "Porcupine Tree: the Best Tracks from The First Five Albums"
Friday 18 November 2022 Eventim Apollo, London **** Swedish prog metal band celebrate three decades of music with audience choices A work colleague was bemused when I told her I was going to London on Friday to see a prog metal band, 'didn't you do that last week?' she said. I explained that I had …
Friday 11 November 2022 Wembley Arena, London Triumphant return of the band to London after 12 year hiatus ***** Image credit: Mike Holmes Last time Porcupine Tree played in London was just over 12 years ago, in October 2010. As band leader and main songwriter Steven Wilson recounts in detail in his new book Limited …