Review Summary: The 21st Century Pink Floyd
“4 ½” is a six track mini-album clocking in at 37 minutes. Four of these tracks originated from Steven Wilson’s most recent album, “Hand. Cannot. Erase”, and another single track from the recording sessions of the aforementioned album’s predecessor: “The Raven That Refused To Sing”. The final track is a new version of Porcupine Tree’s ‘Don’t Hate Me’, from the “Stupid Dream” album which is structured around both a new studio recording as well as a live performance of the song
This album is bookended by 2 nine and a half minute epics. ‘My Book of Regrets’ begins with a summery vibe as bright scratching riffs introduce Wilson’s relaxed vocals. His voice has a soothing effect on you that somehow remains just as relaxed while the music behind him undulates in speed and intensity. This vibrancy is enhanced as Nick Beggs’s gallivanting bass springs to life across a spectrum of scratchy riffs and vibrant synthesizer which blossom into a kaleidoscopic guitar solo that in turn snaps, back to the mellow synth. The velveteen production of these instrumental transitions exemplifies Steven Wilson’s genre-bending progression while the seamless mixing is mirrored on the closing cover track ‘Don’t Hate Me’. As mentioned, this is a new recording of the Porcupine Tree song that Wilson composed in 1999. The overdubbing of the live performance breathes further life into the heart of the song where his singing echoes around the snazzy guitars and tiptoeing bass. Joining him in a duet is pop-rock singer Ninet Tayeb, whose sharp voice pierces the composed tones of Steve Wilson that add an extra dimension of ardour which closes “4 ½” on a heavenly climax.
Between these two compositions are 4 pop rock tracks. ‘Year Of The Plague’ commences on some ebbing synthesiser and emotional strings. Each strike of the acoustic guitar that follows holds a feather-like delicacy to it which serves as an introduction to ‘Happiness III’. This song opposes the fragility of the instrumental ‘Year of The Plague’ as it displays a gregarious Steve Wilson both vocally and instrumentally. Jazzy drums and bouncy piano formulate a (further) contradictory tone towards the apologetic lyrics which ultimately bring about a joyous sensation. Two more instrumentals follow. The first, ‘Sunday Rain Sets In’ is a short and mysterious song that sounds disconnected to the album’s happy character while the whirling solos, buzzing synth and groovy bass all combine in sparse riff driven interludes in ‘Vermillioncore’ that establishes an array of psychedelic genres and spiralling dynamics.
Some might think that the release of this album would seem like a good masquerade for simply grabbing money off fans with the excuse of it being ‘new music’; however Steven Wilson is not that kind of artist. Ignoring the fact that “4 ½” is a predictably great record to his solo project’s catalogue, this is a logical release. Including the songs that form “4 ½” in the albums that they originated from could have affected each album’s reception by giving them a bloated listening experience. Instead, we are offered an extra mini-album that is moving, cheerful and instrumentally exciting considering the short length of this album has to display Steve Wilson’s talent.
*Unintentional correlation with regard to the album title and the awarded rating.*
