INSURGENTES

Wilson managed to reunite a bunch of great musicians to help him recording this album. The legendary Tony Levin on bass, the habitual Theo Travis, the gifted Porcupine Tree's drummer Gavin Harrison, Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess... Impressive, just like the great sound of the album achieved by Steve Wilson himself.

But the problem is that despite the undeniable quality of the album and production, the music does not reaches the great level what Porcupine Tree was achieving at this moment. After things like Deadwing and Fear of A Blank Planet, Insurgentes just can't compete. But let's talk about the songs!

Harmony Korine must be a Porcupine Tree leftover because it has the band's trademark, despite being a little too repetitive. A good song anyway. But Abandoner is some kind of downfall... An electronic base, a good work of Theo Travis, but nothing more. Just dull and not surprising at all.

Salvaging is darker and ominuos, and also better. The second half of the song is psychedelic and ambiental, till the drums appear again to end the song properly. Veneno para las Hadas is another ambiental tune, with good melodies but utterly intrascendent. But No twilight between the courts of the Sun is another highlight. Long, dense, great drums and maybe another Porcupine Tree's leftover.

Significant Other brings excellent vocal melodies and another wall of sound towards the end of the song. Only child is my personal favourite here with its strong bass line. Unfortunately Twilight Coda is another pointless song, just a transition to Get All you deserve, a very melancholic song with a strong No-Man feeling wich also gains intesity towards the end. I think Wilson uses this formula too much in this album... A song that starts in a mellow and interesant way wich gains in decibels in the last minutes. A lot of songs have this structure on this album and the result is a bit foreseeable in my opinion.

Insurgentes closes this album beautifully, in a very intime way.

Conclusion: Insurgentes has its flaws. In my opinion too many to consider it an essential addition to any prog collection. But the followers of Steve Wilson will surely be very pleased with an album that collect a lof of ideas and direction that this great musician had till the publication of this album 2008.

It lacks a clearer direction, proggression in its songs and a bit of hook, but Insurgentes it's nevertheless a good album.

Best Tracks: Harmony Korine, Salvaging, No Twilight Between the Courts of the Sun, Only Child, Insurgentes.

My rating: ***

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