HAND. CANNOT. ERASE.

If The Raven that Refused to Sing was Steven Wilson embracing many tropes of classic progressive rock, then his fourth solo album, 2015's Hand. Cannot. Erase. is him wallowing in them. The nods to giants of the genre are blatant enough to be distracting. This album is Wilson's first release since the early-to-mid-90s that I would describe as derivative or uncreative. Hints at his future pop direction are evident on a few tracks as well. This release is also where I break most strongly from critical consensus, judging by the Metacritic score. (An aggregate of 89? Really?)

"Three Years Older", the second song on the album (following a brief instrumental intro), is my favorite here. It draws heavy-handed inspiration from Yes and is enjoyable overall. But where "Luminol", another very Yes-ish song, had significant dashes of Steven Wilson's unique style, this cut lacks it almost entirely.

Following this track are the two lead singles off the album. They're also the two worst songs on the album by a wide margin. The title track is bland power pop, and "Perfect Life" is dull-as-dirt trip hop topped with flat narration in its first half and underwhelming vocals from Wilson in its second half.

"Routine" is enjoyable as I listen to it, but I struggle to remember specifics about it once it's done. Except for guest vocalist Ninet Tayeb, though that's mostly because I don't like her voice. "Home Invasion" is one of the stronger songs on the album. It's one of few tracks that sounds uniquely Wilsonian, with its mad, jazzy electric piano and biting guitar lines.

"Ancestral" is another highlight. Wilson's use of electronics and violin in the opening lend it distinct character. Some instrumental moments come off as overwrought, rather than genuinely dramatic, but it's an overall effective suite that sees Steven Wilson veer into metal for the first time since The Incident.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/11/24/deep-dive-porcupine-tree-steven-wilson/