Steven Wilson – Insurgentes (2009)

The only addition to the CD racks from Santa this year, was the debut album from Steven Wilson, my most recent obsession.

I also received Wilson's book, which is a reasonable read, but he's a far better musician and composer than writer!

This album was meant to be a diversion from his band, Porcupine Tree, where he didn't have to consider other band members' input, a decade earlier Porcupine Tree itself being a diversion from No-Man, his band with The Album Years podcast colleague, Tim Bowness.

Opener, Harmony Korine, has me reaching for comparisons. I've just come off a Jeff Buckley album, and some parallels are clear there. More worryingly, there's a sense of Radiohead, whom I've never got, which sets me questioning how much of my own tastes are driven by blind prejudice? But this is a strong song, darker vocals delivered convincingly, rather than as a whine, and the louder parts rock. Abandoner continues the theme of understated vocal passages (there's a hint of Massive Attack here), followed by huge explosions of sound. The air of mystery, quiet vocals and bold instrumentals continues through Salvaging, although an extended orchestral conclusion doesn't quite do it for me, with Veneno Para Las Hadas being much more of a gentle piano and clarinet assisted piece.

But it's the central section of the album which excels for me. No Twilight Within The Courts Of The Sun has a superb opening of guitar over a powerful Tony Levin bassline, while Gavin Harrison plays a drum track of his own across things, building to a climax at about three minutes. There's a subdued vocal piece, concluding in a rising celeste / piano section before the full band riff returns. Then the lovely Significant Other, a dreamy melody, where Wilson's vocals are enhanced by the vocal backing of Clodagh Simmonds, interspersed with a strong guitar chorus.

Only Child continues the dark, mysterious theme, while Twilight Coda is a short, sinister instrumental of guitar and piano. It's followed by get All You Deserve, the gloomy theme providing, what for me is the album's weakest point, until the wall of noise which brings it to conclusion, before final track Insurgentes, a lovely lullaby feeling song, bringing proceedings to an end.

This is a fantastic album, displaying Wilson's playing, writing and arranging to the world, perhaps with a little more subtlety and restraint that was happening in Porcupine Tree at the time. Highly recommended.

Link to full album

4* - A fine album, well worth an hour of your time.