THE RAVEN THAT REFUSED TO SING (AND OTHER STORIES)

Steven Wilson

Crossover Prog

4.31 | 2370 ratings

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FXM

This is vastly over-rated in my opinion. As of 15th August 2014 59% of reviewers have given this 5 stars. That has me dumbfounded!!

Luminol opens the album with some nice bass playing from Nick Beggs. But apart from that it is nothing exceptional.

Drive Home is very heavily influenced by early King Crimson but I find it rather boring.

The third track, The Holy Drinker, starts well but is ruined by Steve Wilson voice, he is a poor singer. The best thing about this is Theo Travis' flute and saxophone playing.

The Pin Drops has that annoying voice again from the start of the track. There is some tasty playing by Theo Travis.

The Watchmaker is much better. This is reminiscent of early Genesis and is my favourite track on the album. It opens with a long acoustic guitar passage with vocals although they are an improvement on what has come before. Unfortunately the track wanders off with some dreadful "doo doo" lyrics that ruins the whole piece although there is some good bass around the nine minute mark.

The album closes with the title track. This is initially keyboard dominant, although as it progresses it reminds me a bit of Anathema. If it had been instrumental it would have been a fine ending to the the album but it is again marred by Wilson's vocals.

Overall it think that the problem with this recording is that it has been produced by a bunch of session musicians and guests rather than a band, it lacks soul. To me it feels like prog-by-numbers rather than music that comes from the heart. Maybe if Steve Wilson had hired a good vocalist who could have put more emotion into the lyrics I would be more impressed but as it is I could not give this more than two stars.

FXM | 2/5 | 2014-8-15

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