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Grace For Drowning’ is the second album released under Wilson’s own name, and builds on the artistic inroads he forged with 2009’s exceptionally well-received ‘Insurgentes.’

A double album ('two 40-45 minute albums in the same package') Wilson has described it as "my biggest project to date".

He continues, “’Insurgentes’ was an important step for me into something new. This record takes that as a starting point, but it’s more experimental and more eclectic. For me the golden period for music was the late sixties and early seventies, when the album became the primary means of artistic expression, when musicians liberated themselves from the 3 minute pop song format, and started to draw on jazz and classical music especially, combining it with the spirit of psychedelia to create “journeys in sound” I guess you could call them. So without being retro, my album is a kind of homage to that spirit. There’s everything from [Ennio] Morricone-esque film themes to choral music to piano ballads to a 23 minute progressive jazz–inspired piece. I’ve actually used a few jazz musicians this time, which is something I picked up from my work remixing the King Crimson records.”

The full tracklist is as follows;

CD1:
1. Grace For Drowning (2.00)
2. Sectarian (8.00)
3. Deform to Form a Star (8.00)
4. No Part of Me (5.45)
5. Postcard (4.30)
6. Raider Prelude (2.30)
7. Remainder the Black Dog (9.15)

CD2:
1. Belle de Jour (3.00)
2. Index (4.45)
3. Track One (4.15)
4. Raider II (23.15)
5. Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye (8.00)

gracefordrowning.com

Video by Lasse Hoile lassehoile.com

Steven Wilson - Raider (edit) (full track from Grace for Drowning)

DEFORM TO FORM A STAR (live in London)

Kscope is pleased to announce the release of 'Not The Weapon But The Hand', the debut album from Steve Hogarth and Richard Barbieri.

Hogarth is best known as the frontman of Marillion, the progressive rock legends that he joined in 1989, following spells in The Europeans and How We Live. In addition to the 12 studio albums Marillion have released in this time, he has also recorded and toured as a solo artist, under the moniker H.

In recent years Richard Barbieri has been a core member of Porcupine Tree playing keyboards on all the band’s albums since 1993 as well as releasing two solo albums, Things Buried and Stranger Inside. Prior to this, it was in the new-wave pioneers Japan that he originally came to prominence, helping to create the groundbreaking synthesiser sound that defined the band and influenced the likes of The human league, Duran Duran, Gary Numan, Talk Talk, Kate bush and a whole raft of other artists, including Hogarth.

A few years ago, Porcupine Tree played some shows with Marillion and Steve invited Richard to be part of The h band on his Ice Cream Genius album. This association developed into what hogarth describes as "an easy working relationship which rapidly became an understanding beyond music."

It wasn’t surprising then that the duo decided to collaborate on a joint project, a venture they have been working on for the past few years, the results of which can be heard on Not The Weapon But The Hand. "It also goes beyond what you might expect from the two of us... The album consists of music which is at times moving, complex, multi-layered (both instrumentally and vocally) spooky, goofy and of course, very personal to me."
Not The Weapon But The Hand was completed in late 2011 and features occasional appearances from Danny Thompson on double bass, Arran Ahmun (John Martyn) and Chris Maitland (ex-Porcupine Tree) on drums and guitar and string arrangement contributions from Dave Gregory (XTC).

To order the album, visit the Kscope store at: burningshed.com/store/kscope/product/272/3511/

For more info, downloads and audio samples from 'Not the Weapon But the Hand', go to: kscopemusic.com/hogarthbarbieri

Kscope store

Steve Hogarth & Richard Barbieri - Lifting the Lid (Beloved Aunt Remix)

An extended 6 minute version that was previously released as part of the "Blackfield" digital download single, but I think only in mp3 form (as usual this is full resolution WAV). Blackfield's third album is due for release in March, and there is now a facebook page dedicated to the band at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackfield/103704446366593

Blackfield

BLACKFIELD (extended)

I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind
My mind, my mind
'Til I find somebody :')

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Alfredo Favi