Album Review: The Overview by Steven Wilson

For the last decade or so, Steven Wilson has displayed an almost devilish wish to confound the expectations of his fans and audience, exploring whatever vibe and structure was his whim. With The Overview, Wilson eyes a return to form --"form" in this case meaning '70s style space-prog--but somehow pulls off a balancing act between the progressive excess he built a fanbase on, and the pop accessibility he has recently strived for. Built around the concept of the "overview effect"--the astronaut's humbling realization of Earth's smallness in the vastness of space--the album is structured as two suites, each a miniature story featuring ambient openings, rock builds, pop centers, instrumental peaks, and spacious outros.

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Great concept on paper, mild execution. Over the past decade, Steven Wilson has gradually become the prog icon he sought to be. Porcupine Tree's absence and discovery by a new generation of listeners only made the group bigger, leading to a glorious return. Meanwhile, the front man did an excellent job providing new content as a solo musician. It was a needed step for him to cement his reputation, as both critics and fans pushed him to the forefront of the neo prog movement.

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Steven Wilson might not be the household name his talents indicate he should be but on the UK music scene his name is legendary. Both his solo output from his debut in 2008 with ‘Insurgentes’ and his work with Porcupine Tree are revered amongst his fanbase. His music has blended a plethora of genres, hard to define by one genre. His latest ‘The Overview’ sees him make a welcome return, his eighth solo effort it is a full length LP broken up into two sizable tracks - ‘Objects Outlive Us’ and ‘The Overview’.

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