Review Summary: A fantastic example of how to explore accessible singer-songwriter pop territory without losing one's vision and identity.
For years, I was of the opinion that the quality of Steven Wilson’s work largely died off after Porcupine Tree’s breakup (or what we initially thought of as a hiatus). Sure,
Grace for Drowning and, to a lesser extent
The Raven Who Refused to Sing, had their moments of fantastic songwriting and craftsmanship. But the emphasis on making 1970s progressive rock throwbacks seemed to distance me from what made Wilson’s work so distinct in the first place… that is, throwing progressive rock into more modern musical settings. Ever since the late 90s, alternative rock and pop influences became somewhat of a muse for Wilson as he explored the sonic landscape of each new Porcupine Tree album, generating a mixture of the accessible and experimental. And truly, the album that brought his “modern vs. traditional” approach back in full force was 2015’s
Hand. Cannot. Erase., which ranks among his finest albums from any project he’s dipped his hand into (no pun intended). But, in all honesty, it’s hard to know where to even place its successor
To the Bone in regards to Wilson’s other material. All I know is that it’s both a great pop album and a great rock album.
This is Wilson’s wholehearted dive into singer-songwriter waters, right down to the rather individualistic (even somewhat egocentric) nature of the artwork and rediscovering the "art of writing songs." As far as the songwriting goes, this is pretty much an art rock record with various layers of pop aesthetics. For those who have worried that this may be too much of a departure from his old work, fear not! It’s still the same Steven Wilson we know and love (?), just approaching his craft from a less familiar point of view than usual. Basically, catchy hooks and big pop choruses are the new order of the day (at least more than usual for Wilson), and the longer and more experimental tracks have now become the exception to the regular songwriting patterns Wilson is expressing. But that art/prog element still rears its head once in a while. After all, we still have a 9-minute powerhouse of a track known as “Detonation” - a piece filled with varied dynamics and extended solo work - to look forward to near the end of the experience. This is directly followed by a gorgeous and subdued piano ballad with subtle rhythms and wispy choir, “Song of Unborn,” proving that Wilson’s penchant for melancholy and complex emotional baggage is still there in spades.
That said, it’s not like the lyrics are exactly high art or anything. This is pretty typical of a Steven Wilson product anyway, and at least the words fit the context of a pop-driven record like this a bit more, but they’re still pretty damn cringey from time to time. One could perhaps forgive the nonspecific joyousness of the peppy piano-pop number “Permeating,” and the intimate love-oriented lyrics of the slow guitar-centric interlude “Blank Tapes” are nicely executed when Wilson and Ninet Tayeb sing them in a convincing duet. But yeah, that “I’m tired of Facebook” line from “Pariah” is pretty fucking hard to give a pass. A shame, too, because “Pariah” still manages to be one of the album’s highlights because of the beautiful acoustic balladry and post-rock climax that anchor such amateur lyricism. But, as far as I’m concerned, what really gives
To the Bone its charm and beauty is that Wilson really sounded like he was enjoying himself on this one. Even in interviews surrounding the release, he seems more eager and excited than usual to put out this collection, and it shows when you get down to listening to the effort involved. I must admit that this is one of the first Wilson records that actually blindsided me because of some of the risks that he attempted. The best one? The ending of the power ballad “Refuge,” in which jazzy piano chords and a harmonica solo collide in one of the most beautiful moments you’ll hear this year. Also notable is the grungy hard rock banger “People Who Eat Darkness,” which ends up sounding like Wilson’s take on Foo Fighters (not that I’m complaining about that). And yes, some moments are a tad too familiar as well. “The Same Asylum as Before” suffers the most from this, sounding like a boring mix of Porcupine Tree’s own “Prodigal” and something you’d hear from a mid-career album like
Stupid Dream. But thankfully, this recycling is usually kept to a minimum.
Whether
To the Bone will be considered among Steven Wilson’s best material or not, it does seem like the necessary way to move forward in his career. Hearing his usual tropes and motifs so stripped down and emotionally charged like this can be breathtaking, even if the songwriting isn’t always bringing his A-game. There have been a lot of jokes recently about calling Steven Wilson an “international popstar” and all that, but if he got that successful off an album like this, I wouldn’t mind that at all. A pop/rock record this beautifully organic and well-crafted deserves to reach many ears, and Wilson should be proud of its many merits as one of this year's most thoroughly enjoyable experiences so far.
