Label: K-Scope
Year of release: 2015
Production: Steven Wilson
Album length: 62.33
Genre: Progressive Rock / Art Rock
Steven Wilson, the English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and sound engineer, has been the leading name of the modern progressive rock movement for the past fifteen years, and he’s done more for it than most other prog acts of the same period put together. »Transcience« is a rare double LP that collects some of the most vivid moments of Steven’s career between 2002 and 2015. It’s dominated by picks from Wilson’s solo career, plus just one track from the cult band Porcupine Tree, and that one was re-recorded, not exactly for the better compared to the original.
The single version of »Transcience«, »Hand Cannot Erase« and the shortened version of »Happy Returns« were picked from Steven’s current solo album »Hand. Cannot. Erase.« (2015). The fan favorites »Harmony Korine«, »Significant Other« and »Insurgentes« come from the solo debut »Insurgentes« (2008). Wilson’s second solo album »Grace For Drowning« (2011) is represented by »Postcard«, »Index« and a shortened version of »Deform to Form a Star«. »The Pin Drop« and »Drive Home« successfully recreate the dark mood typical of Steven’s third solo outing »The Raven That Refused to Sing« (2013). By the way, trimming any Wilson track is pretty much a crime, and it only adds to the uneasy feeling of ‘accessible to a wider audience at all costs’ that hangs over this fairly redundant collection of Steven’s solo masterpieces.
It’s interesting that Wilson’s take on »Thank You« also made the compilation, a song that originally belongs to Alanis Morrisette. It came out in 2014 on Steven’s covers album »Cover Version«. Why pick a cover out of so many far better original songs is the big question. The one real oddity on »Transcience« is the newly recorded version of the evergreen Porcupine Tree ballad »Lazarus«. It’s pretty close to the original, just without the same emotional fire, even though it was played by the most technically gifted musicians Steven has worked with so far. As for the music itself, »Transcience« is of course flawless, and it also shows off Steven’s outstanding knack for writing prog rock evergreens with unforgettable, timeless hooks.
»Transcience« is a pretty unnecessary double LP release that will only interest Wilson’s most devoted followers, since apart from the re-recorded »Lazarus« it brings nothing new. Basically it’s a ‘best of’ of Steven’s solo career, which only properly kicked off in 2008, when he was already a long-established name with Porcupine Tree, even though between 2003 and 2010 he put out a few solo singles featuring covers of other artists. Releasing a ‘best of’ after just three studio albums is definitely an unusual, if not questionable, move. And given the very nature of his music, Steven is also one of the last musicians in the world who should be getting his hands dirty with the rather worn-out world of ‘best of’ compilations. So »Transcience« earns a good score purely on the strength of its music, and not because of its ‘best of’ nature.
author: Peter Podbrežnik
rating: 8.5 / 10
Track list:
1. Transience (Single Version) (3.10)
2. Harmony Korine (5.07)
3. Postcard (4.27)
4. Significant Other (4.31)
5. Insurgentes (3.54)
6. The Pin Drop (5.01)
7. Happy Returns (Edit) (5.11)
8. Deform to Form a Star (Edit) (5.53)
9. Thank You (4.39)
10. Index (4.47)
11 Hand. Cannot. Erase. (4.13)
12. Lazarus (2015 Recording) (3.57)
13. Drive Home (7.33)
Line-up:
Steven Wilson – vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
Nick Beggs – chapman stick
Guthrie Govan – slide guitar
Adam Holzman – piano, Hammond organ
Marco Minnemann – drums
