Wilson, Steven: Hand. Cannot. Erase. (CD/bluray deluxe)

Back in 2010 I think most us wondered if Steven Wilson wasn’t a little mad to split up Porcupine Tree, the band who looked poised to be leaders of the current progressive pack for a long, long time seemingly being ended far too soon. His first solo album Insurgentes, which had arrived some two years prior, had been received in something of a lukewarm fashion, with some speculating that untethered from his band mates Wilson wasn’t focused enough on creating songs that people could engage with in the same way the Tree did. Grace For Drowning quickly scotched that theory in 2011 when it simply blew the prog world apart with its scope, majesty and yes, songs, plenty of songs, some of which even had hooks! And yet, even then we weren’t quite prepared for The Raven That Refused To Sing, an album released in 2013 that began Wilson’s slow journey beyond progdom and into a wider musical conscience but still somehow without compromising on what had always made his muse so compelling in the first place: intricate, involved songwriting, challenging subjects, sublime musicianship and melody lines that you would be humming for weeks on end, if not longer. Spectacular live shows followed with his band of Guthrie Govan (guitar), Nick Beggs (bass), Marco Minnemann (drums), Adam Holzman (keys) and Theo Travis (flute/sax) sweeping all aside as they became the tour that simply had to be seen… All of which left Mr. Wilson under a little pressure to deliver with his 2015 outing, Hand. Cannot. Erase.

By now we all know that it delivered and then some, that same line-up expanding on what had come before as Wilson dug deep into the human experience of modern life. Isolation within the masses, life withering and dying as others watch on oblivious to what they are seeing and the trivialities of the everyday gnawing away at your psyche and of those round about you. Cheerful stuff I think you’ll agree, and yet even the short joining pieces on the album such as “Transience� utterly capture the imagination. Emotion absolutely envelopes the listener as they travel from the unsettling old school Wilson of “Ancestral� to uplifting melodies and sing-along capabilities of the album’s title track. And the journey continues apace via the heart tugging beauty and sublime guitar work of “Routine� and startling “Home Invasion� as it segues into the churn and release of “Regret #9�. I could go on, but doubtless you’ve heard it and read it all before.

So why this reissue? Well, as ever when Steven Wilson releases an album the top-line version reveals the whole journey of the process - demos, documentaries, instrumental versions, extra tracks, sublime art work and usually all arriving in a coffee table book edition that looks and feels simply sumptuous. And while - some would say rightly so given their hefty price tags - this CD/bluray deluxe reissue doesn’t quite bring all of that into one fold out digi package, it does give those who missed out on the (should we now call it super?) deluxe version the chance to relive the album itself alongside a raft of extras. These come in the shape of Wilson’s own and quite spectacular 5.1 surround mix alongside the full album as a hugely rewarding instrumental only experience and six alternative mixes/versions. Add in a “Piano Themes� track, a stills gallery of the album art photo shoot and a 30 minute studio documentary that stands up to repeat viewings and I can only suggest that if you own the standard version of this album (or are crazy enough not to own it at all!?) then this is an upgrade that’s not to be missed out on.

Stunning. Just stunning.

Track Listing
CD
1. First Regret
2. 3 Years Older
3. Hand Cannot Erase
4. Perfect Life
5. Routine
6. Home Invasion
7. Regret #9
8. Transience
9. Ancestral
10. Happy Returns
11. Ascendant Here On...

BLU-RAY
1. First Regret (5.1 mix)
2. 3 Years Older (5.1 mix)
3. Hand Cannot Erase (5.1 mix)
4. Perfect Life (5.1 mix)
5. Routine (5.1 mix)
6. Home Invasion (5.1 mix)
7. Regret #9 (5.1 mix)
8. Transience (5.1 mix)
9. Ancestral (5.1 mix)
10. Happy Returns (5.1 mix)
11. Ascendant Here On... (5.1 mix)
12. First Regret (Instrumental)
13. 3 Years Older (Instrumental)
14. Hand Cannot Erase (Instrumental)
15. Perfect Life (Instrumental)
16. Routine (Instrumental)
17. Home Invasion (Instrumental)
18. Regret #9 (Instrumental)
19. Transience (Instrumental)
20. Ancestral (Instrumental)
21. Happy Returns (Instrumental)
22. Ascendant Here On... (Instrumental)
Bonus Tracks
23. Studio Documentary filmed and edited by Lasse Hoile
24. Photo Gallery - 36 photos from the studio sessions
25. First Regret (alternate mix)
26. Hand Cannot Erase (radio edit)
27. Perfect Life (Grand Union mix)
28. Routine (Ninet solo vocal version)
29. Regret #9 (alternate take)
30. Happy Returns (radio edit)
31. Piano Themes from `Hand.Cannot.Erase`

Added: August 15th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Steven Wilson online
Hits: 1183
Language: english

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