THE RAVEN THAT REFUSED TO SING (AND OTHER STORIES)

Like Grace for Drowning, The Raven that Refused to sing finds Steven Wilson exploring a range of old-school prog textures and sounds, but this time around I think I can detect a few more influences creeping in from Porcupine Tree's indie rock-influenced phase (the triptych of Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun, Recordings), particularly on the plaintive Drive Home.

The sessions were engineered by Alan Parsons, and on an initial listen I didn't feel this added much to the album - Wilson's projects are usually impeccably engineered whatever name they issue under, and it felt like Parsons' involvement was solely for the nostalgia-baiting name recognition factor - but after giving the album a bit more a chance it felt like Parsons' touch added an even more authentically throwback-prog sound to proceedings.

In general, the album itself nicely develops on Grace for Drowning, mellowing its King Crimson-esque fusion jam sessions with more tranquil and gentle phases. On initial listening, I wasn't too taken aback, but it's grown on me significantly on subsequent listens. Though it doesn't quite have any piece as monumental as Raider from Grace For Drowning, it's also a bit more compact - it's a single-disc affair rather than a 2-CD epic - and by now I am entirely sold on it.