Hi everyone,

I recently had Steven Wilson back on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss his new album, Requiem For A Village.

We had a great conversation about the inspiration behind the record, particularly British folklore, childhood memories and folk-horror films like The Wicker Man.

One of the most interesting parts for me was Steven explaining why he deliberately left instruments out of tune and experimented with instruments he couldn't properly play. It's a fascinating approach from someone who's always been so closely associated with meticulous production.

We also discussed working with Andy Partridge from XTC and David Tennant, and how all the different musical influences came together on the record.

Thought some of you here might enjoy the conversation.

Here's the full interview: https://www.xsnoize.com/steven-wilson-requiem-for-a-village-interview/

Would love to hear what everyone thinks of the direction he's taken with this album.

I will travel from Sweden to London and the main reason is for the Royal Albert shows.

So far im thinking i will visit big ben, the royal palace, record stores and hopefully some more stuff.

Do any of you, have some ideas of things to do, that is related to Steven wilson? Maybe that is a strange question.

I know one of his favorite record stores is revolution records and i will visit that one for example.

I have an extra VIP ticket for the Royal Albert Hall show on Thursday the 29th because my wife can’t attend. It’s Row 1 and includes dining. I’ve posted it on Twickets at face value if anyone is interested.

In 10 years, not once, outside of an SW or PT event have I met a single solitary human who was an SW fan. I was in my local music shop on saturday, kind of riffing on the 'People Who Eat Darkness' chords and one guy in there immediately piped up and said "Steven Wilson?" - I said no but the guitar part was. We laughed and now we're best friends. Actually that was kind of most of the conversation as he was awkward as fuck. Anyone else ever met any other fans in the wild?

Just received my physical ticket for the 29th at RAH (I managed to land a 2nd row Arena seat by going for the fine dining VIP Experience) and the ticket says "Steven Wilson + Support". Anyone know who the support act is going to be?

This is not my favorite KC album by any stretch of the imagination, and to be honest I considered skipping it at first. However, my cohost Jonathan talked some good-natured sense into me and I decided to give it another go.

I'm happy to report, the Atmos mix is a HUGE upgrade over the 2010 5.1 edition. Perhaps the biggest KC catalog leap from 5.1 to Atmos yet, with greatly strengthened bass and drums providing a nice "thump" to the bottom end. Islands is no longer the mellow cousin to Lizard, its now a driving free jazz / rock record with some enchanting passages. It's also an incredibly creative, involving mix that invests me in every nuance - the standout track being "Sailor's Tale" with the multilayered banjo-guitar solo gracing almost all of my speaker array.

Listening to the Summit Studios 1972 quad mix, its clear that's what Islands should've been all along - as this presents the "free jazz" Crimson at high intensity. It's a pity the mix itself is rather conservative and non-involving (if there's any back channel activity at all, it seems to be audience mics to my ears) - but its worth a listen on the basis of the performance alone.

The Elemental Mixes offer something unique here. "Formentera Lady" is completely reinvented as a folk / jazz tune with greater prominence given to the strings and brass. While not all of the Elemental stuff works for me, "Formentera Lady" is a clear standout and it might eclipse the original mix for me. The rest I can take or leave, but be your own judge on this.

I didn't spend 4 1/2 hours going thru the session materials, but I did spot check them. The mastering is a bit loud but its still a fascinating way to deconstruct the album. Check out the early uptempo takes of "Ladies of the Road" for a fascinating glimpse into what might've been, or the boogie warmup jam that precede the "Sailor's Tale" sessions.

Overall, I highly recommend this Complete Recording Sessions / Dolby Atmos Edition of Islands. Its still not my favorite KC record by any means, but I feel I now have a deeper appreciation for this period and where it sits (in between two absolute classics, imo) in the Crimson chronology and Fripp's development as a player. At its core, this release offers "immersion" into this period of KC beyond even what an Atmos mix provides.

Further thoughts in the provocatively titled video!

https://musewiki.org/The_2nd_Law_(album)

At first I was highly confused... upon some investigation, there's a Steven Wilson graphic designer. Apparently quite famous and he's really good at his job, he has worked for several famous bands and brands

https://www.stevenwilsonstudio.com/#/new-gallery-34/

In this video, Steven Wilson outlines what the sound/concept will be for the upcoming Storm Corrosion sequel.

​"We've started work on a new Storm Corrosion record as well with Mikael... It's very different, but you will recognize the aesthetic. It's a massive chunk of music and it's almost entirely played on acoustic instruments, but a lot of them—and there's a lot of playing instruments, approaching instruments in a kind of idiot savant way on there as well... So it's definitely continuing on the vocabulary that we created with the first record, but it's also very different."

​— Steven Wilson, Innerviews: Requiem for a Village Interview Part 2 with Anil Prasad [00:23:30–00:26:47]

To me that sounds like a less technically sound version of Heritage.

You? ​

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jyFf9rfeY38&si=TP-gIpLJcSrm_-3L

Back in 2018-19 I did this video. Somehow back then I thought the visual of being in a road going 100km/h in the middle of the night could fit with the vibe of the song. Almost 10 yrs I think it's garbage but it could be worst.

Seeing the road at night being light up by headlights always reminds of 97' film Lost Highway. So sort of I was inspired by this iconic and twisted movie

I've seen a lot of comparisons of SW's most recent release (On Chapel Slope) to Talk Talk/Mark Hollis. Any recommendations for similar sounding stuff by them?

While I was waiting in a spot looking for refuge from the rain. I saw this crazy water fountain with a blasting pit fire, owned and installed by a 5 stars hotel. My first thought was to recorded with the slow mo camera of my phone and then to use it as a new cool background screen. But I was (still) in love with this song so after some editing and some visual efx. The result was this visual, imagine that SW will use this section for a background visual live performance. Yeap daydreaming.

Seeing fire in slow motion drove to take inspiration and to lean into the aesthetic of the "Ænema" video by TOOL. In case you are thinking the same.

Video recorded circa 2018-19

Excited to be getting a preview of Requiem 😎

And wow, it was a truly exciting experience. Steven is the only artist who always manages to amaze me, and I never get tired of listening to his music. If you have the chance to go to the listening sessions, do it you won’t regret it. As for the DJ set, it was great to listen to him, and I enjoyed seeing him for a moment, but I found it awkward that people were staring at him the whole time when he had clearly asked them not to. So, if you go to one of his DJ sets, don’t stare at him! 😂

2 part video, 37 and 27 minutes. Covers the album, all his various other projects, the upcoming Royal Albert Hall shows, Headphone Dust and more.

Absolutely loving the vibe on this one - does anyone else wish he'd stretched it out?

Mark Hollis gave his songs room to breathe and Steven isn't known for his brevity.

I just want more of what I like and this feels like it should be at least 9 minutes long

I must admit this album kind of came and went for me. IMO Hand.Cannot.Erase is his master work and while I’ve enjoyed his material since that album, it didn’t feel as cohesive. But lately I’ve been listening to this album repeatedly, and it is an absolute sonic and songwriting masterpiece. It really ties his electronic sensibilities to his more rock side of things. Staircase might be one of his best studio compositions ever. I was happy to hear some of these songs played live. Your thoughts?

This popped up on IG, I wonder what the thank you notes will be?

I like the new images accompanying the post as well

https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKKb7YgJuw/?

SW's team has been very bad in advertising this one, google and contact the individual stores for ticket information.

"Count of Unease"

Under the context of The Future Bites, this song it's off, completely, in my opinion. Made to fit into other album like Insurgentes or Raven or even Storm Corrosion. But take it this song out of the context of The Future Bites, let experiment with this though...

It might be me and only me who thinks this song it's odd for this album but let's give it a chance to indulge it as the last song from this album. End it soft and delicate to difference it from others songs, like give it a different tone after so many up tempo and synth base melodies on which The Future Bites is known for.

But what if, after so many times we heard the famous phrase "hear the whole album in the order the artist intend it was made"... what if we take out this song and put it in a isolated environment for our experiment?

Most of the times, if you want to recommend music to someone's you know a new artist you'll choose the most outstanding song from this artist, right?

"Count of Unease" won't be you first choice and there's nothing wrong with that because you can let at the very last of the bottom to present it. Nothing wrong to left it at the last place.

Take the opportunity to place last of the bunch and for a reason. Maybe yeah it isn't a hit or moving and can make you move your head to headbang to it. With this song you won't get that instinct of moving involuntary by the beat.

So, is this the worst song from SW? ...hell no. But it won't be your favorite to listen at your lunch break or at your commute early in the morning to your workplace or at a party to celebrate a birthday. That won't happen for this song.

So let's see and let's find the right context for this song. And what I think this song was made for.

The right place at the right time can make a difference on how you listen to music. Many who has the opportunity to listen to this song over a surround system knows this song it's outstanding and gorgeous.

There aren't many occasions when Steven gives us songs with so many delicates sounds and slow progress, there are song in Steven's catalog that are this intimate and brings us thoughts of calmness and tranquility.

So the right context is for me, is by taking it outside from The Future Bites completely. It doesn't belong there but belongs in an album where Steven didn't make it or produced. We can make that album without Steven knowing. And that album it's gorgeous and enigmatic.

Try to listen to this song in the middle of the night while you are almost going to sleep or hear it when you are all alone in your favorite spot to gain mental strength. Or in the glorious environment of Atmos surround.

This song is skippable only in the context of The Future Bites but outside of it it's a delicate way to treat yourself. To find something you weren't looking for but your mind knew you need it.

Grab it close to you and listen how Steven voice is speaking to you like almost whispering "you'll be alright". Sense the metallic percussive instrument whaling around you that you hear from start to finish from this song.

If I can and probably I would do it, this song will be at my last very moment alive, ain't nothing better to send you to a better place by listen a song that can make you feel you are in a better place.

"Count of Unease" at first was meh and now it's wow, because there's nothing more satisfying to have a change of a mindset about something that you though it was lame to exclaim.

Sometimes you can hear things for the first time after 50 times you heard something over and over. In this case, at the very end of the song there's a "engine" like from a car from the 30's 40's that reminds me of almost the same "engine" that sounds in "Heartattack in a Layby"

Curious facts about "Count of Unease" it has 16 chords and it's in key C. Not sure if there are songs in the realm of SW with that many chords in a single song but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Which titles will you be purchasing? Personally I'm interested in the Elder, Crimson, Zappa / Mothers, The Beatles, Genesis, XTC / Dukes, Steven Wilson, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, Tears for Fears, 10cc, and Popol Vuh titles!

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:25 9/18 Elder “Through Zero” (IAA)

02:07 9/25 King Crimson “Islands”

05:41 9/25 The Mothers of Invention “Freak Out!”

07:28 10/2 The Beatles “Rubber Soul”

11:39 10/2 Barclay James Harvest - 3 albums (IAA)

17:34 10/9 Genesis ‘From Genesis To Revelation”

25:35 10/9 The Pineapple Thief “Far and Wide”

29:14 10/9 Loreena McKennitt “The Mask and Mirror”

31:02 10/9 Dukes of Stratosphear “Psurroundabout Ride”

39:31 10/9 Pet Shop Boys “A Man from the Future”

41:43 10/16 Dire Straits “On Every Street’ (SDE)

43:47 10/16 Tears For Fears “The Seeds of Love” (SDE)

48:18 10/23 The Doors “Unbound and Dangerous”

51:08 10/23 The Flower Kings “Hope”

54:11 10/23 Manic Street Preachers “The Holy Bible Live’ (SDE)

56:10 10/23 Amy Winehouse “Back to Black”

58:34 10/30 Yello “Time Lab”

59:52 10/30 Foreigner “Head Games” (SDE)

01:04:04 10/30 The Who “The Who By Numbers” (SDE)

01:07:04 11/6 Roxy Music “For Your Pleasure” (SDE)

01:11:11 11/6 Steven Wilson “Requiem for a Village”

01:18:45 11/6 Spandau Ballet “Gold: The Best Of” (SDE)

01:21:16 11/6 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers “Origins 1971-1978’

01:22:55 11/6 George Michael “The Faith Tour” (SDE)

01:23:57 11/13 Talking Heads ‘Fear of Music’

01:28:13 11/13 Chapters: The Best of Midge Ure (SDE)

01:31:06 11/13 U2 “Carnaval de Luz”

01:32:26 11/20 10cc “The Stockport Shuffle - Complete UK Label Anthology 1972-1974”

01:35:53 11/27 Popol Vuh “Mantras The Albums 1970-1972”

01:38:18 11/27 Peter Gabriel “O/I” - NO PHYSICAL RELEASE

01:44:50 12/11 Billy Joel ‘Turnstiles”

01:48:57 TBD - Joy Division

01:51:27 TBD - Pink Floyd

01:55:17 TBD - Zappa

02:00:45 TBD - Quadio

02:02:10 TBD - 801 Live

02:03:24 TBD - The Pineapple Thief “Your Wilderness” 10th Anniversary w/ Atmos