Review Summary: A love like this makes us strong.
I've got to be completely honest here: I don't remember a whole lot about Steven Wilson's previous album
The Raven that Refused to Sing. I didn't care a whole lot for it initially, and I still don't care for it much now; it was little more than
Grace for Drowning part 2, and merely felt like it was made for the sole purpose of fulfilling a personal task rather than made out of passion. It was merely another Steven WIlson record, and it suffered for that. That is why
Hand. Cannot. Erase. might ultimately be the most important that Wilson has ever made; the record shows Steven Wilson finally leaving his comfort zone and making music out of passion rather than his own interest. If you are expecting another
Raven or
Insurgentes, you'll be in for a shock. For one, it's way poppier than anything he has made in the past- of course, being overly pop-sounding is nothing new for Wilson, as back in Porcupine Tree, he had been known for making beautiful, at times downright pop music. However, even then, this album is downright pop at times, and it's better for it. It's easily Wilson's most accessible release yet, and that might just be what his music has been needing for a long time.
Hand. Cannot. Erase. is a concept album, but unlike the ghost story-themed
Raven,
Hand. is based on the documentary film
Dreams of a Life, about a woman who dies in her apartment, and nobody finds out about it until 3 years later. Usually, the concept always takes a backseat to the music, but Steven takes the concept here and transcends it- he incorporates the story into the music, the vocal melodies, the chord progressons, etc. Each track feels like the aural equivalent of a journal entry from said woman- maybe that's why the album feels a lot more personal than his other works. The track "Routine" is the best demonstration of this, where throughout the track, he expresses the woman's household chores routine through a thought process-style lyric, and through melancholy vocal melodies and chord progressions. To add to the atmosphere, Ninet Tayeb brings her heavenly voice into the mix and sings a few lines too, almost to make it sound as if the woman herself is singing. The song climaxes with a scream from the woman, which serves as the perfect way to lead into the next track, "Home Invasion".
Wilson also incorporates liberal use of electronics throughout the album- something that a lot of bands seem to do nowadays, but here it never feels gratuitous, and is only there to add to the atmosphere. It's mostly limited to percussion, but it adds to the rather ethereal effect the music has. The usual sprinklings of mellotron and 70s prog are there too, but they're thankfully limited to small doses. In fact, 95% of them are found in the 13-minute "Ancestral", which is a truly adventurous track that shows perfect between ethereal, slow beauty and aggressiveness. In fact, the best parts of the album are when Wilson branches away from his fascination with 1970s progressive rock and focuses on the new elements- the title track shows Wilson embracing a new energy thanks to this new sound. The song itself is upbeat and catchy, with an overly hopeful atmosphere. Wilson sings the song with such enthusiasm that it's even inspiring sounding, even. It's also immediately followed with "Perfect Life", which starts off rather spookily with electronic percussion and a monlogue recited by Tayeb, but soon it transitions into an extremely gorgeous tune, where Steve softly sings "We've got... we've got the perfect life" repeatedly. Ultimately though, the highlight of the album is "Happy Returns", which is not only heartbreaking musically, but lyrically is absolutely
devastating. Of course, the story wasn't going to end happily given the album's concept, but "Happy Returns" is guaranteed to reduce you to tears.
Normally an album should never be about the message, but
Hand. Cannot. Erase. is a cautionary tale at the end of the day. The aforementioned "Happy Returns" reminds us all that we should always keep communication with those who love us, and make sure they know we are alright. It never hurts to fire off a text message to your family or your spouse to let them know you're okay- and this album will make you make damned sure to appreciate those who love you and want to know where you are and how you are doing. And this, my friends, is the beauty of
Hand. Cannot. Erase. It's inspiring, it's musically beautiful, it's tightly produced, and it's above all moving. Steven Wilson knows how to tug at your heartstrings, and this album is proof of that- he one mentioned that sometimes, he finds the saddest music the most beautiful, and he's correct. This album serves as perfect proof of that claim, and is definitely among his best works.
