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The Longevity Option: An Interview with Steven Wilson

Home Invasion celebrates Steven Wilson's victory lap after the chart success of 2017's To the Bone. Still, he says, there are more places to plant his flag, mountains to climb.

Jedd Beaudoin

Music

The Rhythmic Redesign of Porcupine Tree: An Interview with Gavin Harrison

Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison talks with PopMatters about the long and complex process that went into his creation of the big band album, Cheating the Polygraph.

Interviews

Gavin Harrison: Cheating the Polygraph

The music of Porcupine Tree meets the rhythmic intensity of Whiplash in these eight dazzling reinterpretations.

Music

Steven Wilson: Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Hand. Cannot. Erase. is easily the strongest of Wilson's solo output in terms of cohesive narrative and dynamic song structure.

Brice Ezell and Jordan Blum

Music

Steven Wilson and Mariusz Duda Team Up on New Track, "The Old Peace"

As a tribute to a recently departed fan, Steven Wilson and Mariusz Duda (of Lunatic Soul and Riverside fame) have teamed up for the gorgeous song "The Old Peace".

Music

Steven Wilson: The Raven That Refused to Sing (and other stories)

In taking the '70s prog influences that were present on Grace for Drowning and blowing them up, Steven Wilson has made what is easily the most "prog" release of his storied career.

Music

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "Stop Swimming"

As this Between the Grooves series concludes, we finish with “Stop Swimming”, one of Steven Wilson’s favorite Porcupine Tree songs. Stupid Dream's jazz-tinged closer is drenched in the mood of disillusionment and the apathy of being apathetic.

Music

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - “Tinto Brass”

A groovy and at times thrashy jam whose roots date back to the title track of Porcupine Tree’s 1993 release Up the Downstair, “Tinto Brass” shows what happens when four brilliant musicians get together and just play. What this has to do with a Italian erotica director, however, I still don’t know.

Music

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - “A Smart Kid”

Nine years after "Radioactive Toy", doomsday has finally happened. And if "A Smart Kid" is any indication, the freedom to destroy probably wasn't such a good idea in the first place.

Music

Gavin Harrison & Ø5Ric: The Man Who Sold Himself

Despite Gavin Harrison & Ø5Ric's rhythmic prowess, The Man Who Sold Himself is a coldly intellectual work of prog that isn't as fun to listen to as it is challenging.

Music

Prog's Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "Stranger by the Minute"

The second single off of Stupid Dream, "Stranger by the Minute" is one of the album's most endearing songs, a tongue-in-cheek mash of psychedelic lyrics and radio-friendly rock. It's also unusually chipper for these usually melancholy proggers.

Music

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - “Baby Dream in Cellophane”

Stupid Dream's eighth track, "Baby Dream in Cellophane", is a unique little experiment in that it merges Porcupine Tree's early psychedelic sonic with Steven Wilson's love of Beach Boys-styled vocal harmonies.

Music

Prog's Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "This Is No Rehearsal"

"This Is No Rehearsal", one of Stupid Dream's most radio-friendly moments, is a concise demonstration of the heavy/soft balance Porcupine Tree has come to master, as well as a retelling of a horrific tale.

Music

Together We're Stronger: An Interview with No-Man's Tim Bowness

The British art-rock duo No-Man, consisting of Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson, has long toiled in semi-obscurity. But thanks to the success of Wilson's other band, Porcupine Tree, No-Man is finally beginning to receive its proper due on the eve of its new release, Love and Endings.

Music

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "Don’t Hate Me"

Concluding the Unrequited Love Trilogy in a state of despair and hopelessness, "Don't Hate Me", the best song on Stupid Dream, is most memorable for the instrumental interplay that comprises the latter half of the track, featuring some of Porcupine Tree's best musicianship.

Music

Pop Ten

The 25 Best Classic Progressive Rock Albums

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 1: 100 - 81

The 10 Best Indie Pop Albums of 2009

Jackie Chan's 10 Best Films

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 5: 20 - 1

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 2: 80 - 61

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The Longevity Option: An Interview with Steven Wilson

Home Invasion celebrates Steven Wilson's victory lap after the chart success of 2017's To the Bone. Still, he says, there are more places to plant his flag, mountains to climb.

The Rhythmic Redesign of Porcupine Tree: An Interview with Gavin Harrison

Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison talks with PopMatters about the long and complex process that went into his creation of the big band album, Cheating the Polygraph.

Gavin Harrison: Cheating the Polygraph

The music of Porcupine Tree meets the rhythmic intensity of Whiplash in these eight dazzling reinterpretations.

Steven Wilson: Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Hand. Cannot. Erase. is easily the strongest of Wilson's solo output in terms of cohesive narrative and dynamic song structure.

Steven Wilson and Mariusz Duda Team Up on New Track, "The Old Peace"

As a tribute to a recently departed fan, Steven Wilson and Mariusz Duda (of Lunatic Soul and Riverside fame) have teamed up for the gorgeous song "The Old Peace".

Steven Wilson: The Raven That Refused to Sing (and other stories)

In taking the '70s prog influences that were present on Grace for Drowning and blowing them up, Steven Wilson has made what is easily the most "prog" release of his storied career.

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "Stop Swimming"

As this Between the Grooves series concludes, we finish with “Stop Swimming”, one of Steven Wilson’s favorite Porcupine Tree songs. Stupid Dream's jazz-tinged closer is drenched in the mood of disillusionment and the apathy of being apathetic.

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - “Tinto Brass”

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - “A Smart Kid”

Nine years after "Radioactive Toy", doomsday has finally happened. And if "A Smart Kid" is any indication, the freedom to destroy probably wasn't such a good idea in the first place.

Gavin Harrison & Ø5Ric: The Man Who Sold Himself

Despite Gavin Harrison & Ø5Ric's rhythmic prowess, The Man Who Sold Himself is a coldly intellectual work of prog that isn't as fun to listen to as it is challenging.

Prog's Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "Stranger by the Minute"

The second single off of Stupid Dream, "Stranger by the Minute" is one of the album's most endearing songs, a tongue-in-cheek mash of psychedelic lyrics and radio-friendly rock. It's also unusually chipper for these usually melancholy proggers.

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - “Baby Dream in Cellophane”

Stupid Dream's eighth track, "Baby Dream in Cellophane", is a unique little experiment in that it merges Porcupine Tree's early psychedelic sonic with Steven Wilson's love of Beach Boys-styled vocal harmonies.

Prog's Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "This Is No Rehearsal"

"This Is No Rehearsal", one of Stupid Dream's most radio-friendly moments, is a concise demonstration of the heavy/soft balance Porcupine Tree has come to master, as well as a retelling of a horrific tale.

Together We're Stronger: An Interview with No-Man's Tim Bowness

The British art-rock duo No-Man, consisting of Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson, has long toiled in semi-obscurity. But thanks to the success of Wilson's other band, Porcupine Tree, No-Man is finally beginning to receive its proper due on the eve of its new release, Love and Endings.

Prog’s Only Stupid Dream: Porcupine Tree - "Don’t Hate Me"

Concluding the Unrequited Love Trilogy in a state of despair and hopelessness, "Don't Hate Me", the best song on Stupid Dream, is most memorable for the instrumental interplay that comprises the latter half of the track, featuring some of Porcupine Tree's best musicianship.

The Ugly and Unlistenable Death Spiral of Eddie Van Halen

Get Out of the Shower!: The Shower Scene and Hitchcock's Narrative Style in 'Psycho'

Bobby Hawk Keeps It Simple on "Salt and Liquor" (premiere)

Josh Rouse Gets Us in the Holiday Spirit With "Sleigh Brother Bill" (premiere + interview)

Parker Gispert Re-Imagines Sinatra Classic "That's Life" (premiere + interview)

Samuel Jack Lays Bare His Mental Health Struggle on "In My Head" (premiere)

The Stone Foxes Set the Spotlight on San Francisco's Homelessness Epidemic in "Million Dollar Shoes" (premiere)

Folk Rock's the Dales Contemplate "Easy Times" (premiere)

Mellotron Variations Inspire With "Went Home to Meet Konrad" (premiere)

Stand and Sway Take It "One Day at a Time" (premiere)

EG Vines' 'Family Business' Seeks to Find the Humanity in Others (album stream) (premiere)

Home Invasion celebrates Steven Wilson's victory lap after the chart success of 2017's To the Bone. Still, he says, there are more places to plant his flag, mountains to climb.

Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison talks with PopMatters about the long and complex process that went into his creation of the big band album, Cheating the Polygraph.

The music of Porcupine Tree meets the rhythmic intensity of Whiplash in these eight dazzling reinterpretations.

Hand. Cannot. Erase. is easily the strongest of Wilson's solo output in terms of cohesive narrative and dynamic song structure.

As a tribute to a recently departed fan, Steven Wilson and Mariusz Duda (of Lunatic Soul and Riverside fame) have teamed up for the gorgeous song "The Old Peace".

In taking the '70s prog influences that were present on Grace for Drowning and blowing them up, Steven Wilson has made what is easily the most "prog" release of his storied career.

With the February 25th release of Steven Wilson’s third solo LP The Raven That Refused to Sing (and other stories) approaching, PopMatters looks back on Wilson’s storied career to pick out ten of his strongest recordings, ranging from beautiful works of ambience to transcontinental art rock.

As this Between the Grooves series concludes, we finish with “Stop Swimming”, one of Steven Wilson’s favorite Porcupine Tree songs. Stupid Dream's jazz-tinged closer is drenched in the mood of disillusionment and the apathy of being apathetic.

Nine years after "Radioactive Toy", doomsday has finally happened. And if "A Smart Kid" is any indication, the freedom to destroy probably wasn't such a good idea in the first place.

Despite Gavin Harrison & Ø5Ric's rhythmic prowess, The Man Who Sold Himself is a coldly intellectual work of prog that isn't as fun to listen to as it is challenging.

The second single off of Stupid Dream, "Stranger by the Minute" is one of the album's most endearing songs, a tongue-in-cheek mash of psychedelic lyrics and radio-friendly rock. It's also unusually chipper for these usually melancholy proggers.

Stupid Dream's eighth track, "Baby Dream in Cellophane", is a unique little experiment in that it merges Porcupine Tree's early psychedelic sonic with Steven Wilson's love of Beach Boys-styled vocal harmonies.

"This Is No Rehearsal", one of Stupid Dream's most radio-friendly moments, is a concise demonstration of the heavy/soft balance Porcupine Tree has come to master, as well as a retelling of a horrific tale.

The British art-rock duo No-Man, consisting of Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson, has long toiled in semi-obscurity. But thanks to the success of Wilson's other band, Porcupine Tree, No-Man is finally beginning to receive its proper due on the eve of its new release, Love and Endings.

Concluding the Unrequited Love Trilogy in a state of despair and hopelessness, "Don't Hate Me", the best song on Stupid Dream, is most memorable for the instrumental interplay that comprises the latter half of the track, featuring some of Porcupine Tree's best musicianship.