Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex

[Papa Emeritus]

September 29, 2023

 

1. Inclination
2. What Life Brings
3. Economies Of Scale
4. Impossible Tightrope
5. Rock Bottom
6. Beautiful Scarecrow
7. The Harmony Codex
8. Time Is Running Out
9. Actual Brutal Facts
10. Staircase

[Union 5-3992]

I'm surprised he's releasing it that late. I thought he wanted to do a surprise release. I guess they want to finish up the Porcupine Tree summer tour and possibly get the live release out first.

[zepphead]

Looking forward to this and the new Peter Gabriel album which is due sometime in 2023.

[stoopid]

"Where will it fall stylistically?" asks all of his fans.  He indicated in a recent interview with Alan Parsons that his electronic journey was over (and admittedly not well received), so I'm thinking a return to where he seemed headed on To The Bone with maybe a bit more prog infusion.  I'm sure getting back into the PT catalog and playing with them has rekindled some of his interest in prog.  I'm saying this as wishful thinking, his progressive leaning albums are clearly his best.

Edited April 30, 2023 by stoopid

[Todem]

I am surprised no one has even mentioned the first few tracks he has released. 

 

The album is amazing so far. Really......this is simply a beautiful Progressive rock album combining all his influences and sonic adventures over the years.

 

Blown away. 

 

Preordered on CD and Vinyl. A sonic delight.

 

And Imposible Tightrope......my god people. 

Edited September 19, 2023 by Todem

[Union 5-3992]

I gave one listen to the first two singles and have been holding off since. I want to experience the whole thing in one shot. 

[Todem]

On 4/30/2023 at 12:01 PM, stoopid said:

"Where will it fall stylistically?" asks all of his fans.  He indicated in a recent interview with Alan Parsons that his electronic journey was over (and admittedly not well received), so I'm thinking a return to where he seemed headed on To The Bone with maybe a bit more prog infusion.  I'm sure getting back into the PT catalog and playing with them has rekindled some of his interest in prog.  I'm saying this as wishful thinking, his progressive leaning albums are clearly his best.

You will be quite pleased. This is vintage SW. 

[bluefox4000]

Just did a whole run through of Porcupine Tree and will keep on going through Steven solo now.

 

but i too am waiting for the whole album.

 

Mick

[stoopid]

I'm intentionally ignoring the prereleases.  I don't find it helps with my listening experience once the album arrives, I'd rather hear them all 'fresh' and not already familiar with certain tracks.

Edited September 20, 2023 by stoopid
caved and got a copy on burning shed

[The Analog Cub]

Skipping the single releases. His discography is better off experiencing in the album format. Bands are releasing half their album early these days and it's just not the same listening experience 

[treeduck]

I was thinking of not getting this one when I first heard the new songs but I've come around to the idea now. When I pick this up I'll catch up with some of the live shit as well and the PT live albums too, I'm way behind on all that stuff.

[treeduck]

Oh and I need a new edition of Insurgentes, my old copy got splattered when I was mixing something in the kitchen. It's a wreck now! 

[treeduck]

On 9/19/2023 at 9:13 PM, bluefox4000 said:

Just did a whole run through of Porcupine Tree and will keep on going through Steven solo now.

 

but i too am waiting for the whole album.

 

Mick

Rank the SW albums and the PT albums in separate lists.

[bluefox4000]

13 minutes ago, treeduck said:

Rank the SW albums and the PT albums in separate lists.

 

 

 

 

Porcupine Tree

 

1. Fear of A Bank Planet

2. Deadwing

3. In Absentia

4. Stupid Dream

5. CLOSURE/CONTINUATION

6. Lightbulb Sun

7. The Incident

8. Signify

9. The Sky Moves Sideways

10. Up the Downstair

11. On the Sunday of Life

 

Steven Wilson.

 

1. Hand Cannot Erase

2. The Raven That Refused to Sing

3. Insurgentes

4.  Grace For Drowning

5. To The Bone

6. The Future Bites

 

I really did not and still don't really like The Future Bites.  I have a terrible feeling the new one will be more of it.......but we'll see.

 

Mick

[treeduck]

1 minute ago, bluefox4000 said:

 

 

 

 

Porcupine Tree

 

1. Fear of A Bank Planet

2. Deadwing

3. In Absentia

4. Stupid Dream

5. CLOSURE/CONTINUATION

6. Lightbulb Sun

7. The Incident

8. Signify

9. The Sky Moves Sideways

10. Up the Downstair

11. On the Sunday of Life

 

Steven Wilson.

 

1. Hand Cannot Erase

2. The Raven That Refused to Sing

3. Insurgentes

4.  Grace For Drowning

5. To The Bone

6. The Future Bites

 

I really did not and still don't really like The Future Bites.  I have a terrible feeling the new one will be more of it.......but we'll see.

 

Mick

I'm surprised you've not got Grace For Drowning higher that's got some really great stuff on it. With PT the earliest album I have is Signify, that's as far back as I've gone so far. Apart from that my list is kind of the same but I'd have Lightbulb Sun where you've got Stupid Dream and probably the latest one in 7th place above Signify. And maybe The Incident just ahead of Stupid Dream, so similar.

[bluefox4000]

9 minutes ago, treeduck said:

I'm surprised you've not got Grace For Drowning higher that's got some really great stuff on it. With PT the earliest album I have is Signify, that's as far back as I've gone so far. Apart from that my list is kind of the same but I'd have Lightbulb Sun where you've got Stupid Dream and probably the latest one in 7th place above Signify. And maybe The Incident just ahead of Stupid Dream, so similar.

 

 

yea i'm not a fan of Really early PT stuff.  It's too pink Floyd-y and i'd much rather just play floyd, lol i much prefer PT when Wilson and company just started writing songs with prog-y elements as opposed to long spacey epics.

 

 

I really do like Grace for Drowning Just not as much as some others.

 

Mick

[stoopid]

18 hours ago, bluefox4000 said:

 

 

 

 

Porcupine Tree

 

1. Fear of A Bank Planet

2. Deadwing

3. In Absentia

4. Stupid Dream

5. CLOSURE/CONTINUATION

6. Lightbulb Sun

7. The Incident

8. Signify

9. The Sky Moves Sideways

10. Up the Downstair

11. On the Sunday of Life

 

Steven Wilson.

 

1. Hand Cannot Erase

2. The Raven That Refused to Sing

3. Insurgentes

4.  Grace For Drowning

5. To The Bone

6. The Future Bites

 

I really did not and still don't really like The Future Bites.  I have a terrible feeling the new one will be more of it.......but we'll see.

 

Mick

Agree with most of this.  Especially the early PT being too much like Floyd, but never as good (or even remotely close to being as good).  For me Lightbulb Sun is where I feel like PT started with its consistent identity.

 

Future Bites does bite, there's a couple tracks that are fine.  The feedback from others regarding the new album has been mostly positive, so it's worth a bluray purchase for $25 shipped.  I did a hard pass on the boxed set for the last two albums (sold my HCE boxed set a while ago because huge profit).  I'm looking forward to at least giving Harmony Codex some spins, keeping my expectations severely tempered and allowing SW to do his thing washout my consternation.

[bluefox4000]

13 minutes ago, stoopid said:

Agree with most of this.  Especially the early PT being too much like Floyd, but never as good (or even remotely close to being as good).  For me Lightbulb Sun is where I feel like PT started with its consistent identity.

 

Future Bites does bite, there's a couple tracks that are fine.  The feedback from others regarding the new album has been mostly positive, so it's worth a bluray purchase for $25 shipped.  I did a hard pass on the boxed set for the last two albums (sold my HCE boxed set a while ago because huge profit).  I'm looking forward to at least giving Harmony Codex some spins, keeping my expectations severely tempered and allowing SW to do his thing washout my consternation.

 

Yea i didn't like TFB cause Steven said no guitar.  and what my dude fails ro connect is that the guitar is the ice-ing on the cake and now he's just giving us dry cake, lol

 

i know he's said no more guitar but i don't believe him.  her's a fickle fickle man.  guitar WIILL be back mark me.

 

and BTW glad someone else isn't into early PT.  it's a poor imitation of good prog, lol

 

Mick

 

 

[stoopid]

5 minutes ago, bluefox4000 said:

and BTW glad someone else isn't into early PT.  it's a poor imitation of good prog, lol

I'm not sure Steven ever thought of it as being a prog thing, at least initially.  He certainly has A LOT of prog influences (Yes, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Floyd, Rush, etc etc etc) but his own music has a lot of other synth pop, shoegaze and alt rock and post rock elements to it.  He has a diverse musical taste, so it's inevitable he's going to alienate some (or most in the case of Future Bites) of his fan base if he decides to inject a higher percent of one of those other influences.  I like that he tries to sew together diverse sounds and influences, but he doesn't always succeed.

[stoopid]

The missing link was Gavin in particular, having an original and virtuosic player in the band elevated everyone else around him.  IMO porcupine tree as prog starts with In Absentia with Gavin playing all the original parts on the record, and in full force with Deadwing with Gavin being a full time member and somewhat part of the song writing process.

Edited September 24, 2023 by stoopid

[bluefox4000]

Just now, stoopid said:

I'm not sure Steven ever thought of it as being a prog thing, at least initially.  He certainly has A LOT of prog influences (Yes, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Floyd, Rush, etc etc etc) but his own music has a lot of other synth pop, shoegaze and alt rock and post rock elements to it.  He has a diverse musical taste, so it's inevitable he's going to alienate some (or most in the case of Future Bites) of his fan base if he decides to inject a higher percent of one of those other influences.  I like that he tries to sew together diverse sounds and influences, but he doesn't always succeed.

 

 

i can agree.  TFB isn't a deal breaker at all for as i'm hoping he builds on it into something i DO like.  i still have faith in him.  Maybe in fav years or so we'll look back at TFB and go oh he started there to get to this better place.

 

in fact i'm sure that'll be the case as he's always morphing.

 

Mick

[stoopid]

1 minute ago, bluefox4000 said:

 

 

i can agree.  TFB isn't a deal breaker at all for as i'm hoping he builds on it into something i DO like.  i still have faith in him.  Maybe in fav years or so we'll look back at TFB and go oh he started there to get to this better place.

 

in fact i'm sure that'll be the case as he's always morphing.

 

Mick

I see Grace For Drowning as an album that got us to Raven and HCE, so yes I'm 100% with you there.

[Tony R]

Listening to the new album now, has hints of PT and Wilson’s work on Grace For Drowning and The Future Bites but way better than either. In some ways it’s almost like a tribute to Peter Gabriel. 

Of course it sounds fantastic. 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Tony R

[stoopid]

2 minutes ago, Tony R said:

Listening to the new album now, has hints of PT and Wilson’s work on Grace For Drowning and The Future Bites but way better than either. In some ways it’s almost like a tribute to Peter Gabriel. 

Of course it sounds fantastic. 

Was about to post that it finally leaked.  Haven't had a chance to listen yet.  My Bluray arrives tomorrow from the UK, that's damn quick.

 

It's amazing he's managed to prevent any leaks on the last two albums until just days before, and those are likely only because people are getting their preordered copies.

[Tony R]

2 minutes ago, stoopid said:

Was about to post that it finally leaked.  Haven't had a chance to listen yet.  My Bluray arrives tomorrow from the UK, that's damn quick.

 

It's amazing he's managed to prevent any leaks on the last two albums until just days before, and those are likely only because people are getting their preordered copies.

Yeah mine arrives tomorrow but I’m off on holiday before it will get posted. Downloaded hi - res version.

It’s going to sound fantastic in surround but it’ll be nearly two weeks before I can get back and listen to it.