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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Steven Wilson

2015

Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Album Summary

This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.

Hand. Cannot. Erase. is the fourth solo studio album by English musician Steven Wilson. The album was released on 27 February 2015 through Kscope. The album was recorded in September 2014 at AIR Studios, London, UK. All band members of the previous album are also featured on the new recording. When discussing the lack of Theo Travis's input on the record, Steven Wilson described the album as less "jazzy" in comparison to the previous album, featuring only a few parts written for flutes and saxophones. Wilson also described the album as more reflective of all of the different material in his back catalogue, featuring elements of electronic music and straightforward pop songs alongside long progressive-oriented tracks. Alongside Wilson, the album features Ninet Tayeb on vocals, and the sequences featuring boy choristers is inspired by the track 'All of the Love', from The Dreaming, an album by Kate Bush. According to Wilson, the album is written from a female perspective, and the concept and story are inspired by the case of Joyce Carol Vincent, where a woman living in a large city dies in her apartment and no one misses her for over two years, despite her having family and friends. Wilson explained: "The basic story, or concept of the record – it's about a woman growing up, who goes to live in the city, very isolated, and she disappears one day and no one notices. There's more to it than that. Now, what's really interesting about this story is that your initial reaction when you hear a story like that is, 'Ah, little old bag lady that no one notices, no one cares about.' [Vincent] wasn't [like that]. She was young, she was popular, she was attractive, she had many friends, she had family, but for whatever reason, nobody missed her for three years."

Wikipedia

Rating

3.16

Votes

220

Genres

Submitter

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Reviews

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Feb 20 2024
3

I like what's going on here, but I think the record is too long, and generally suffering from prog problems.

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Feb 20 2024
3

Kind of bland prog, if I'm being honest. I mean, it's fine, very enjoyable in moments. But if I want prog I want it spicy, but this is like when you go to a Vietnamese restaurant and they give you the "white people" spicy. Nah man, I want it to hurt, hit me with the challenging stuff.

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Nov 15 2024
5

Halfway through 3 Years Older I perked up and started to really attend to this album even though not a lyric had yet been delivered. Something special was unfolding here. The music is layered and interesting. Dulcimers! Epic rock organ! Kate Bush-inspired boy choristers! This really engaged me. When I started investigating deeper it did not surprise me in the least that this drew comparisons to The Wall. The story behind this album is so compelling - there are a million ways that attempting to capture this story in a concept album should fail but I was enthralled for the duration. After one listen this album and its story haunts me - I’ll be listening to this a lot more and checking out more from Steven Wilson.

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Aug 10 2025
5

This. This right here might be the most glaring omission from the original list. Not Hand. Cannot. Erase. necessarily, but Steven Wilson himself. Easily one of the most important figures in rock in the 21st century and not a single album. Ridiculous. Hand. Cannot. Erase. is a beatiful example of what Wilson can achieve on his own. Majestic, tragic and, as always, brilliant.

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Dec 23 2023
3

Steven Wilson is one of those people who I assume is like his fans - annoying.

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Nov 05 2024
5

Prog usually leaves me cold, but despite being be big, dramatic and theatrical, this has undeniable heart. It connects, builds and it soars. Thanks for the recommendation! Rating: 4.5 Playlist track: Hand Cannot Erase Date listened: 15/11/24

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Apr 21 2025
5

Masterpiece

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Dec 23 2023
4

I was totally surprised by this album. Never heard of the artist, but I was hooked just from the Wikipedia article about the album and the trail it led me down about the inspiration of the characters in this album. Such a tragedy that befell Joyce Vincent. I think its re-listenability is hindered due to its concept nature, but I really enjoyed this album and glad for the submitter to have shared it with us. 4.5/5, but downgraded to 4 stars based on re-listenability.

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Oct 21 2024
4

I had a friend who told me this was his favorite artist, and when I realized I'd never heard of him (but had heard of Porcupine Tree), I checked them out. I did not check this album, nor did it particularly pull me in enough to warrant more listens, but now listening to this record, I found myself enjoying it. In parts. Any of the heavier proggy parts, I love. When the record slows down, it's easy to lose track of it. It's clearly steeped in every prog-rock band that came before it, and I think it holds the mantle well, just not entirely my bag. Call it 3.5. Favorite track: "Ancestor"

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Mar 14 2024
3

I appreciate Steven Wilson for his support of prog rock and some of the great remixes he's done. I like his music also, but I find it a bit cold and emotionless. It's sort of how I feel about Rush compared to Yes. I absolutely love Yes, but with Rush, while I can appreciate their technical proficiency at the end of the day it leaves me a little unsatisfied. I will give his another listen though. 3 stars.

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Mar 05 2025
3

Ah the curse of prog rock. Why do so many people who finished this challenge just have a hard-on for prog rock? I don't get it. Do you just like songs that go on for 15 minutes? 10 minutes longer than they should? It's tiring after a while. Musically it's competent but the songs are just too damn long for me to really care. Again the problem with prog rock. Learn to edit! My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3.5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.

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Mar 21 2024
2

He's such a self-absorbed guy that it's almost unbearable. I highly respect him as an artist within Porcupine Tree, and especially his work in modernizing the sound of old prog classics. However, I've never been drawn to his solo work. This was a perfect opportunity to give him another chance... and all he's done is reaffirm my opinion

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Apr 16 2024
5

Might be my favorite of the user albums so far; very beautiful!

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May 24 2024
5

Really good. Great add

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Jan 15 2024
4

Someone I'd never heard of, and really interesting. A lot of Prog DNA but shades form Rush to CSN&Y. Didn't do a ton for me lyrically but they did the job.

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Jan 26 2024
4

Really good mix, huge instrumentals. Nice vibe for some morning work

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Jan 29 2024
4

interesting progrock album. Lyricaly, I had a harder time to empathize with the story of the album. But the music is very good.

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Feb 05 2024
4

Jamais entendu parle de l'artiste mais j'ai bien aimé le style. 4.5

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Feb 27 2024
4

This was pretty cool! 8/10

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May 13 2024
4

I really enjoyed listening to this. Complex, but accessible progressive rock with elements of so much (Crosby Stills and Nash, Pink Floyd, Marillion, even Elton John). Intriguing and heartbreaking story concept. A worthy bonus inclusion

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Sep 14 2024
4

Good prog rock album by Steven Wilson. I like the album cover too. The music gets complex sometimes. Smart, but not too smart.

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Oct 12 2024
4

Fourth studio album? It is unique. I think I like it.

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Dec 02 2024
4

Really great album, lots of variety but with that slightly electronic vibe. Jazzy and rock at times.

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Jan 30 2025
4

A really solid prog album with fantastic grooves and some really effective more tender moments, though quite a few of these softer parts don’t have as much impact. It’s not Wilson’s strongest work in my opinion, and The Raven Who Refused to Sing or something like In Absentia from his time in Porcupine Tree would be a better example of a more consistent and rewarding project

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Apr 07 2025
4

It's nice to hear modern non-metal prog, and my favourite prog always has a plot and narration, so a win all round!

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Apr 09 2025
4

An enjoyable surprise.

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Apr 17 2025
4

I enjoyed this. Well played. Well recorded. Interesting songs.

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May 11 2025
4

Familiar with this guy from a couple of prog album remasters he did. Wish I had a better vocabulary for it, but this kind of has the same vibe as the Todd Rundgren stuff from the main list. Something about Producer guys and their musical sensibilities

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May 15 2025
4

This was wild, really all over the place, but that were bits that I loved. There were also bits I hated. But overall I think it was a very well put together album and did keep my interest.

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May 16 2025
4

I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this album, but it was fascinating. Routine tugged at already stretched heartstrings.

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May 18 2025
4

Impressive, and a lot to like but also a touch overdone. Opens like Quadrophenia. A lot of strong passages but stuff that also loses a listener not fully bought into the plot. Not quite worthy of list proper one would say, though one might be tempted to listen again and seek out tunes by his real band. (And don't sleep on Stephen Wilson, Jr., strong emerging country artist.).

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May 22 2025
4

Real nice

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Jun 24 2025
4

I really enjoyed this one and definitely plan on listening to it again. This was very easy to listen to and get into right off the bat.

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Jun 30 2025
4

I’m not normally a fan of progrock as it often seems soulless and just an excuse to noodle around on your guitar/keyboard/zither etc, but I actually liked this because it was emotive without being melodramatic.

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Jul 09 2025
4

cool album but concept albums just aren't my thing. great bass and dynamics work.

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Aug 02 2025
4

Oh well, Steven Wilson. I have to say that it's a little hard for me to refrain from expressing derisive takes about his gen-x fans (ironically sounding like boomers) when they fawn over absolutely *everything* the man did -- whether as a solo artist or in his original act Porcupine Tree (gradually adding lengthy metal and seventies prog-rock dirges to their nineties psych alt-rock shtick). Those hardcore fans talk of Wilson as if he was a groundbreaking genius or something, and it sounds quite laughable for me given how obviously derivative his music is (to his own admission, I think). I really tried with Porcupine Tree, several times, actually...But I just can't help finding most of their music either quite bland or very heavy-handed, or both (which takes the cake actually!). *Fear Of A Blank Planet* is OK, I guess, but it's not the revolution stans think it is. And the rest is quite forgettable. Especially if you compare it to truly groundbreaking artists also working at the time those records were released. That personal mileage about PT doesn't mean I can't show the respect Wilson deserves as an incredibly proficient, skilled and productive artist, though. And that includes his valuable work remixing classic albums recorded by seventies prog rock legends to help them stand the test of time, of course. About Wilson's solo career as a singer-songwriter and musician, what I already knew of it (not much, I admit it) suggested that said career was as hit-or-miss as the one of his main act (his recent solo foray in a relatively more streamlined strand of pop rock is an absolute borefest for my ears, for instance). Needless to say, I expected to be underwhelmed by *Hand. Cannot. Erase.*... Well, guess what? I was NOT underwhelmed by this album. On the contrary, I have to admit that it's objectively excellent, for two main reasons I will try to quickly pinpoint now: a) The overall concept behind this album, drawing from that heartbreaking event that took place in London, raises a lot of questions about modern alienation and the overall human condition. And that inspiration is used as a catalyst that's emotionally powerful throughout the record, whether musically and lyrically. Regarding those lyrics, they are a little oblique sometimes -- prog rock constraints play a part there -- but when you know what they're really about, most of them hit the mark in memorable ways. In closer "Happy Returns", that part about the lonesome protagonist counting years as if they were trains she waves at, unable to make them stop, tightened my throat in a fashion I didn't see coming. And the last words of the song (and album) are a tear-jerker for sure when you know what they are referencing. An extraordinary conclusion, enhanced by that eerie choir in the background. b) As suggested by my last lines up there, the music is often up to the task of enhancing the lyrical assets and overall concept. The prog rock tones -- drawing from Genesis and Yes to Pink Floyd's The Wall -- do feel genuine and authentic. The unavoidable meandering turns associated to that style are kept to a minimum. And as I said, the last track slaps, as well as the long epic one that leads to it. Oh, and the short indie-rock title-track reminds me of a mid-career Manic Street Preachers hit, hits which I have a soft spot for (even if they're drawn from albums that are mostly mixed bag affairs for me). So yeah why not? Except for one little thing... Due to his personal life, Wilson has strong ties with Israel, and he's already stated in the past that he can't comprehend why some international artists are calling for meaningful action to end apartheid there, including through BDS sanctions (FYI, that was before Oct 7 and the genocide in Gaza, but more on that later...). I understand that Israel's society is very warm and accepting, and when your wife is Israeli, it's hard to take a stance that goes beyond a vague "civilians, wherever they are, shouldn't die" so as to address the systemic issues plaguing the region, some of whom stems from the current fascistic leadership there (even if others go back from a long time ago...). I can even grasp that BDS might appear as too extreme for someone like Steve, that it sounds like a collective punishment for all Israeli artists. Then again, this situation can raise a few eyebrows. Especially when you've collaborated with a musician (Aviv Geffen, once aligned to the side of peace) who's now pandering to the illegal religious settlers in the West Bank -- a lot of whom routinely do everything in their power to make their Palestinian neighbors' lives miserable (check out Israeli human rights organization B'tselem to know more about that). Yet Wilson has remained silent about his old friend's new alignment. Because he now agrees with him? Worse, to this day, Wilson remains silent about the Gaza genocide itself. Sure, not every artist needs to take a stand in this. But the context for Wilson is different... After the horrible events of Oct. 7 (which MUST be condemned in equal measure, there's nothing to argue here), he tweeted to express his support for the Israeli victims, which was the right thing to do, of course. Incidentally, he also lamented about the probable future loss of civilian lives in Gaza (evidence that he knew what was going to happen, like a lot of Israelis). But then, he said that the IDF had to do "everything in their power to destroy Hamas", or something to that effect. A phrasing that has aged very poorly in two years time... I know there's a deep trauma in Israel because of that pogrom and the whole hostage situation, and I won't shed a tear for the Hamas leaders and the direct perpetrators of those crimes who have since been killed. Yet can you doom or ethnically cleanse two million people because of those crimes? No you can't. And yet that's exactly what's happening today. So yeah, beyond that awkward phrasing, Wilson has since made zero public statement to extend the expression of his sorrow to the Palestinian civilian victims of the war. Official number: 60,000 dead (plus the maimed, the displaced, the starvation, the rubbles everywhere...). You don't believe those numbers? Well, even if Hamas is inflating them, 10,000 or something like that would still be unacceptable. And yet the so-called "progressive" Wilson has nothing to say about this. And only two plausible alternative reasons can explain this silence: he's too afraid, or he looks the other way. Let me be clear here: in the face of the current tragedy, none of those reasons are valid enough. They can only show that the bulk of Israeli society is going down a very slippery slope through constant brainwashing, and that voices for peace over there must take the upper hand before it's too late. Even if it's *already* too late... Sorry for the lengthy political rant here, but this issue is too grave and serious to let it go. Because for me, opinions about those pivotal matters will decide who's in the right side of history in the foreseeable future, plain and simple. I'm gonna step down from my soapbox very soon, don't worry... Regarding 1001-albums matters, I will still give the positive grade I originally wanted to assign this LP for purely artistic reasons, yet I only do so begrudgingly. To be clear, I *don't* want to separate the person and the artist here. But I gotta maintain some sort of cohesion. Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood are for instance in a very similar situation regarding their take on this war right now (it's worse for them, actually, because RH are also known as a band that's far more "political" than Porcupine Tree). And yet, being an old fan of them, most of their albums are still in the high or highest-rated galleries for the original list, and it wouldn't make much sense for me to edit them now. Same thing with Kanye West, whose music I once loved, but whose revolting antisemitic, n*zi-praising rants have logically dismantled whatever legacy me might have had in the future. No one but me cares about those galleries anyway... What truly *matters* here is to inform potential readers of what I know about those artists' stances about that subject whenever I find one. Of course I'm not forcing anyone to share my own opinion, here expressed after the quick descriptions of those stances. Please rest assured that the factual parts up there are seriously sourced, at least. If you have time on your hands, a few keywords will help you find said sources... After that, it's up to everyone here to make up their minds on the issue. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5). Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ----- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 33 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 44 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 90 (including this one) ---- Émile, quelques réponses au dessus..

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Aug 10 2025
4

The user picks just keep on delivering. Steven Wilson is the coolest dork I know, and the official list should definitely have some Wilson/Porcupine Tree on it. Hand. Cannot. Erase. showcases Wilson's take on modern prog rock, and it's a compelling take. The compositions are interesting and the overall themes universal - if 'Happy Returns' doesn’t make you tear up, I don’t know what will.

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Jan 26 2024
3

The most bland of these bonus albums so far. Totally inoffensively fine.

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Feb 22 2024
3

Ancestral was the easy track highlight. The other tunes contain some shredding and thematic material, but without going all in on the latter Wilson refuses to try in a certain way. Even in failure that style can "succeed". Instead, we get a non-jagged but muted waveform.

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Feb 27 2024
3

Weird, but nice solid sound

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Feb 27 2024
3

6/10. This was peaceful and chilled out, but didn't really stand out to me a ton. Definitely a good album, but not something I am crazy for.

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Mar 05 2024
3

Fans of Porcupine Tree will definitely like this as its basically an extension of that sound. First Regret sounds remarkably like Rush, but the remainder is the driving prog/rock sound that PC is famous for.

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Mar 22 2024
3

Well, what can I say. I love a lot of the Procupine Tree records and the work Wilson did with Opeth. But honestly, this work doesn't distinguish itself a lot from what he did earlier. That doesn't mean I don't like it. Quite the contrary. I still have weakness for this kinda prog. And on a good moment when I have the space to listen to it, it still sounds great.

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Apr 06 2024
3

Well crafted, there's great talent there. On the other hand nothing too memorable.

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May 22 2024
3

Good stuff Should get into some porcupine tree soon 4 3

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Jun 06 2024
3

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Hand cannot erase

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Jul 27 2024
3

This was a good prog/power pop album. It had shades of jazz, CSN style harmonies, and fantastic musicianship. The story itself is very compelling and allows Steven Wilson to explore themes of youth, relationship, isolation, and death. That said, there were some parts that didn’t work as well musically that really made the album feel disjointed.

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Sep 01 2024
3

Progressive rock, progressive pop. Ni fu ni fa.

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Oct 07 2024
3

Community theater dropout musical. If you want a long prog album, this is for you!

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Oct 12 2024
3

An interesting hybrid. A little introspective/heartfelt singer-songwriter, that goes into several experiments in the rock/classic rock/prog rock genre. Perfect Life was the first track that stood out, though it wasn't until Ancestral that i felt the rock side of things took off a bit better. Not a bad listen, just not too much to return to.

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Oct 29 2024
3

There were a couple interesting mixes of 70s and modern prog rock but overall it was just whatever. I’m beginning to realize that it’s hard to sit through these 70 minute albums when they don’t even have the 1001 album stamp of approval. At least there I’m guaranteed some reason for why I should listen to it beyond “some guy thought it was really good”

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Nov 11 2024
3

This was well written and very well played, but I didn't connect much with the proggier songs. And yeah, it was overly long. Pleased to see music of this quality being produced so recently. Fave Songs: Perfect Life, Hand Cannot Erase, Routine

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Nov 15 2024
3

I was unable to really connect with this today.

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Dec 02 2024
3

Very interesting album, a good change of pace. Categorized as prog rock, which makes sense. I like the long, meandering nature of some of these tracks. I also think the variety of instruments and sounds is cool, it's a bit all over the place in a good way. Only saving one song, but it was a fun listen. Favorite tracks: Home Invasion / Regret #9. Album art: A woman's face deteriorating into colorful paint. Very bold and vibrant, I like this one. 3/5

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Dec 20 2024
3

Cringe

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Feb 22 2025
3

I really can't take Steven Wilson's lyrics seriously in Porcupine Tree or his solo work, but the guy can compose a fine ass tune. Somebody should tell him to finally bite the bullet and become a full-time "JRPG final boss battle theme" writer.

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Mar 10 2025
3

Not bad. Some interesting stuff but some bits that I felt where overproduced.

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Mar 12 2025
3

Wears its influences on its sleeve a bit too much.

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May 15 2025
3

Hand Cannot Erase is very proggy, not all bad, has some dreaminess and some hard guitar jamming, both of those sounds are pretty enjoyable when they turn up, there's a lot of forgettable stuff in between and it runs so unnecessarily long. Hard to really pick out standout tracks because they all have sections of good and bad within, probably gets a low 3, just.

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May 17 2025
3

Pretty enough but somehow, at least for me, lacking a beating heart.

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Jun 05 2025
3

Musically it's very accomplished- it sounds like a 70 Prog concept album... I'm kinda amazed people still listen to these now and reading into it transpires Steven is from Porcupine tree and has worked with, well most of the old 70s Prog groups from the 70s! Not my bag but still interesting. He's a very talented guy.

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Jun 15 2025
3

Solid, though I prefer his albums “Grave For Drowning” and “The Raven That Refused To Sing”

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Jun 29 2025
3

Wow. The conceit of making a prog rock epic "from a woman's perspective" is frankly pretty astounding. I can't say that it lives up to its ambitions. It is frequently subject to the ridiculous ornate overindulgence of the worst of prog as a genre, while not coming even close to the highs that that genre can afford. At its best, it is competent prog. I certainly do not hate it, but I cannot for the life of my fathom it's inclusion when there's so much less wanky prog out there.

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Jul 23 2025
3

Good in places

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Aug 16 2025
3

Boy, 1001 albums generator users really love their prog, huh? So, I’ve tried over the years to get Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree and kind of always leave his records feeling a little unimpressed. Don’t get me wrong, they sound great and he is talented. It’s just that the music, a lot of the time, feels a little generic, or maybe too referential towards his influences. It’s almost a paradox: is it actually *progressive* rock, if the music is clearly indebted to and playing off of works in the genre that have come before it? I’m not saying this is a Genesis rip off or something like that - it’s not - just that you can definitely hear the influences of “classic prog” in his work and I’m not sure that musically enough is going on to make the music unique or challenging. I will say, I liked some of his mixes of the classic Yes albums, though.

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Feb 06 2024
2

I just can't with prog sometimes man, sorry.

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Feb 06 2024
2

I like the proggier bits, but the rest sounds like emo musical theatre.

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Mar 08 2024
2

Probably the most pretentious album on this list which is some accolade!

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Mar 22 2024
2

This is too neat and clean mor my taste. Steven Wilson is being music's equivalent of that annoying OCD neighbour who manages to have his garden pristine on every day of the year. Not a single piece of weed or dirt - no room for some wild out of bounds things that might appear if you give them room. Musically it's all very well done, but with all the wrinkles professionally ironed out, it's fails to actually grab me. I like to actually be in my garden, not look at it from inside the house.

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Jun 06 2024
2

This LP has no idea what it wants to be, and all the guises it tries on are equally annoying. There are longer sections of breezy radio-friendly pop that give way to boring attempts at pummeling hardcore, all that circling back to plucky synth pop that should’ve stayed in the ‘aughts. At its completion, this album gives me no sense of what Wilson was trying to accomplish or what kind of artist he wants to be, even though he tried damn hard for an hour to convince me otherwise.

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Jun 13 2024
2

Not that great. It was too long for what it was. Nothing really stood out and the dial did not move much on it.

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Aug 15 2024
2

Faaaaar toooooo looooong

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Sep 14 2024
2

Interesting, but I wouldn't add it to any Best Album list.

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Nov 28 2024
2

This is modern indie prog rock and I do not love it. The bigger than life concepts have been around for a while but this felt like took that a step further with this album. Some songs were quick and other were way too long. This album suffered from being disorganized. It’s an adventurous attempt but falls flat for me. 5.8/10

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May 15 2025
2

Wow I have no idea what to make of this! What WAS it. I often complain that albums are too samey but wow this was all over the place. And I'm not sure that was a good thing. No coherence. Despite it being varied I still didn't like the songs individually. Too long too

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Jun 03 2025
2

Oh prog off, you prog.

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Dec 30 2024
1

I don't understand the appeal of this. It's so bland.

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