Be warned, this album is not for the faint-hearted, it is a double cd (triple if you get the edition a bonus disc of rarities) of prog, as such it does adhere to many of the stereotypes of a) prog and b) double cd albums, long songs, complex structures and wankery, in different forms. So, with warning given, on with the review!
Steven Wilson is probably better known for Porcupine Tree, amongst his many other projects, such as Blackfield, Bass Communion and No-Man. He has released a solo album (Insurgentes) before, which I regard to be a good, but safe album, not really departing from music he’s done before, this is aided by the fact that while Wilson doesn’t have the strongest voice in the world, it is distinctive and the fact that he has covered a lot of ground musically with having so many projects. Does his new solo album offer anything different and new? In a recent interview, Wilson even goes as far as to refer to Insurgentes as a starting point for this album, the realisation dawned on me that Grace for Drowning may just be a repeat of what has gone before, albeit a much longer one.
Upon first listen. I realised that my realisation was wrong, in a big way. I believe that this album is the first time that Wilson has felt like he can truly be free in recording an album that while clearly influenced by the many prog bands of the 60s and 70s, it takes them to a new level and gives their music an original, new and brilliant lease on life, with choral, orchestral and jazz arrangements that just haven’t featured in much, if any of his vast back catalogue of work and he uses them to great effect.
Starting with a simple acoustic number, title track Grace for Drowning, proves to be a somewhat misleading intro, its, while good, a little trite, however, it does its job of easing the listener into what is going to one hell of ride. Next track, Sectarian, shows that this album is all about, with its stop-start nature, quiet-loud dynamics, keyboards, mellotrons and warbling saxophones, building up to a quite frankly incredible crescendo.
The album continues with much quality with the next couple of tracks, with No Part Of Me, standing out as something I’ve not really heard much from Wilson, electronica, however later in said track, it explodes into life with juddering guitars and strings, to this reviewers enjoyment.
Remainder the Black Dog, starts with piano, that at first reminds me the music when facing Spawn Spore (a boss from Super Metroid, yes I’m a geek) and builds up and then fades away with flute at hand, an excellent piece of music to end the first cd.
The second cd, starts in a similar way to the first, with a simple number, however that is where the similarities end. The second cd is far more experimental in nature, involving, with each track going its own way, yet still flowing superbly from one to the next.
The highlight of the second cd being, and I’m sure that I’m not alone in thinking this, are the last two tracks, Raider II and Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye. Raider II being the longest track over both cds, clocking in at a shade over 23 minutes, it’s a biggun, but well worth investing your time in, with everything that has gone before, thrown together to make one of hell of a late entry to the party.
In fact, I think well worth investing your time in, sums up this album extremely well, it is in no way an album that you can just listen to casually, that said, now I have given it a few (Concentrated) spins, I love it, yes, it sprawling, yes it’s challenging, but that’s what I like it music sometimes, something to truly sink my teeth into, you should all do the same. Steven Wilson, you may well have recorded your best record to date, I salute you sir!
