4 ½

4½ has been described as a stopgap release; as a means of Steven Wilson to release a handful of songs which didn't fit on his more conceptual albums of the time; and even as a proper, though short, Wilson album.

In the 1980s, record companies would sometimes release a song (often an extended version) on 12-inch, 33 RPM vinyl, accompanying it with a handful of odds and ends of interest primarily to fans of the artist. These were nominally 'twelve-inch singles' (or 'maxi singles') but were really pretty different from most twelve-inchers because they often included non-dance tracks (not to mention that they weren't singles). But they also weren't mini-albums, insofar as they were focused on a single song. Marillion and Frankie Goes to Hollywood both used this format to release remnants; as the CD became the primary format, the Smashing Pumpkins and Prince (a Wilson favorite) did the same.

Anyway, that's how 4½ strikes me. Specifically, the centerpiece is the opening track, 'My Book of Regrets.' It's a nice crossover rock tune with pop sensibility. Somehow it stays interesting over nine and a half minutes. At half that length, 'Happiness III' takes a while to get going, eventually approaching (though never quite achieving) catchy-rock territory à la 'My Book of Regrets.' 'Happiness III' sounds like a b-side or an outtake (the latter of which is, as I understand, exactly what it was). The other vocal piece is the closer, 'Don't Hate Me.' Here's the perfect song for this type of release: a remake of a Wilson song originally recorded by Porcupine Tree. The value added is that this rendition is based on a live recording, and is arranged as a duet.

The relatively uninteresting instrumentals 'Year of the Plague' and 'Sunday Rain Sets In' seem to have been ideas worth recording, perhaps, but I can see why they were left off of The Raven That Refused to Sing and Hand. Cannot. Erase., respectively. 'Sunday Rain' shifts gears abruptly at 2:55, which must be when the rain sets in for fifteen seconds or so. Nice symbolism. The other instrumental, 'Vermillioncore,' is much more interesting, moving through a handful of disparate sections, one bordering on fusion and another on metal.

In short, 4½ is effectively a 'My Book of Regrets' maxi-single: one strong track with a patchwork of curios. This one's really a fans-only product, although for those interested in modern crossover prog, the standalone download of 'My Book of Regrets' would be worth the US$0.99 for which it's currently retailing on amazon.com.