Steven Wilson – Grace for Drowning

Having some few other projects in his mind and a few extra releases to finish recording, producing, remixing, remastering etc. , the man of our days, Steven Wilson, manages to find some spare time to compose, record, conduct, mix, master and finally release his second personal record entitled “Grace For Drowning”. Where to start? Where to finish? What to mention? And what to leave unsaid? Let’s see if we can manage to answer all these questions…

Wilson’s involvement in the rather open field of progressive rock/metal this past decade, has been more than significant or in a better term substanial. He’s actually been working with so many cornerstones of these genres, from Opeth to King Crimson etc. With so much different styles of music, that can only broaden the musical horizons of someone. This is a good way to start discribing what anyone could expect from a person that has been so bussy and pasionate for what he does: MUSIC!!!

On the other hand, anyone could simply start thinking that after a two paragraph of progressive rock/ metal reference, this will be what he/she will be hearing on “Grace For Drowning”…Well, fortunately this is not the case…Or at least not the whole case! On “Grace For Drowning” Wilson decides to take a further trip into his influences looking face to face to the 70s open musical approach where music and feeling come hand in hand with soul and complex simplicity (if there’s such a term whatsoever).

I guess the obvious progressive sounds cannot be abscent in such a release, and hopefully they are quite obvious. The most intriguing part of this double CD though, is all the other fresh elements Mr. Wilson gently blends and brings to life as music. Jazz drumming, flowless trumpet solos, freedom of expression, combined with strict progressive rock/ metal metronome sharp heavy parts, in a rather confined and simultaneously open approach. As for the singing parts, he decides to leave many moments where music can add its on lyrics, even if this is done by a simple piano tune or an acoustic guitar or even if its done but an orgasmic experimental jazz jam. Strings can’t be missed as so do his beloved 60s & 70s goodies (moogs, mellotrons, hammonds etc.)

This release has been described as “ his biggest project to date” by Wilson himself. Well, if the man himself can feel and describe his own work that way, which is undeniably the simplest truth, then I’ll just have to add, that this record is also the biggest listening challenge everyone of you could imagine, after having heard his works so far. This is another way to express, this is another way to feel, this is another way to know, this will learn you how to hear. BRILLIANT piece of art!!!