Steven Wilson may just be the industry's best kept secret. Despite a multicontextual and multidirectional career which has delved into almost every genre imaginable, even Wilson's most popular of projects remain far-removed from the mainstream. He began his professional career with No-Man, in the sad vein of dreamy synth-pop, and has since gone on to form progressive groundbreaker Porcupine Tree, the dark and always irresistably catchy Blackfield, the psychedelic improv-based I.E.M., and worked with standard-setting bands such as Opeth and King Crimson. While anyone familiar with the above bands knows of Wilson's studio wizardry and multi-instrument proficiency, a solo career under his own name has been limited to a series of CD-R releases of acoustic material and cover songs only available through his web site and some random electronic instrumentals which remain largely obscure. Not anymore.

Insurgentes is his full-length debut, under his own name, and hits the listener as effectively as a well-aimed audio shotgun blast. It delves into every genre Wilson has explored while at the same time expanding on each of them, all the while attaining it's own unique sound with the focus and precision of a laser beam. This is a skill beyond the average musician, leaving the listener to always expect the unexpected. Indeed, the stylistic changes are often within the context of a single track, as Wilson begins "Salvaging" with a simple yet sinister guitar riff complemented by his snarls of "what was the point of making me trust...yeah you make me feel sick..." before dropping out the bottom into a soaring orchestral arrangement worthy of J. Ralph's approval. "Get All That You Deserve" works in the opposite direction as Wilson enters eerily, accompanied by only a piano, before bringing in massive walls of noisy distortion like angry drunks crashing a funeral. He has proven himself a true musical Dr. Frankenstein in his ability to take something beautiful and destroy it, only to resurrect it to even greater heights than before.

Consistency is still an ingredient throughout this madhouse of sonic manipulation, as "Harmony Korine" immediately lends itself to the status of hit single and the nostalgic "Veneno Para Las Hadas" evokes fond memories of Porcupine Tree's "The Sky Moves Sideways" with heart-wrenching beauty. Be wary of this album: it will immediately set the bar higher than anything you've heard this year or even this decade and leave the mark of true musical genius on your auditory lobes by comparatively ruining every other album you hear afterwards.

If you are an Open-Minded & Multi-Genre Connoisseur of REAL music, there is almost nothing Steven Wilson creates that isn't a pleasurable & mind-expanding experience to listen to.

Even the early Porcupine Tree stuff is fabulous for a proper state of meditation, and the odd occassion of fun & frolic, when the correct mood strikes you.

PT, No-Man, IEM, Bass Communion & Blackfield projects are full of Drama, Emotion, Beauty, Exploration, Originality & Mastery of Color worthy of Ghogan's Palette. If you are a Musician, then you are likely familiar with the term "Using the Entire Spice Rack" ! Steven Wilson does have quite a Tasty Menu to offer. Music that takes the Listener on a Journey;

--is another fine way of describing it.

I absolutely tip my hat to Steve Wilson, and I am damned grateful for the rare opportunity that anyone came along and picked up the torch from where it was dropped on the lifeless, overtilled soil by groups like Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, The Doors, & King Crimson, etc. There are many bands out there that were weaned on Progressive, and now present their own attempts at continuing the Genre, but FEW have been able to truly expand on that style of Rock Music in such a meaningful and enjoyable manner as Steven Wilson & Porcupine Tree. They make it feel & sound like true Destiny, or Spiritually Harmonic Convergence of The Universe--which is indeed the most magical & rare quality for any musicians to capture and demonstrate. That elusive & mystical spark of Mystery and Adventure is what made Progressive Rock so exciting to begin with.

That being said, expectations for the 1st Official, Full-length Solo Release from Mr. Wilson were quite high, to say the least ! Sadly, he used the opportunity to fulfill his own self-indulgent interests of Studio Sound Experimentation, instead of making a product that his actual audience would enjoy listening to. With the exception of the Opening Track, and a few other scattered moments of awe & beauty, the album sounds like Steven's been spending WAY too much time hanging out with Robert Fripp, or trying to impress him ! This disc is not the usual tasty snack, nor does it take you on a journey anywhere but straight into a BRICK WALL, and then make a weak attempt at apologizing ! It's dank, dark, industrial, devoid of harmony or rhythm, and sounds almost deliberately aimless and unstructured. Gee, I guess he wanted to SURPRISE us for a change !?

I suppose one could hail it as a brilliant sonic accomplishment, but it CERTAINLY aint enjoyable to listen to ! Feels like swimming through the La Brea Tarpits, or having a 600-pound Fat Lady sit on your chest and fart in your face ! I like the other REVIEW here, where somebody compared it to a day in the Dentist's Chair without Novacaine ! LMAO ! That pretty much sums it up !

I am becoming more & more concerned about the future of his music, and PT, and all the other SW Side-Bands .

Steven Wilson's music used to make me HAPPY, now it just makes me want to put a Shotgun to my head, it is SO DAMNED DEPRESSING, Sinister, and Ugly. I was SO excited to hear the new Porcupine Tree album, "The Incident",

only to discover that it also suffered a similar treatment as this solo album :

1 great song, a few highlights,

then pointless rambling exercises in self-loathing aural vomit. What the Hell happened to writing GROOVIN'-[...]SONGS ?! Are we bored of that now ? If I wanna feel miserable, I'll turn on the NEWS, Thank You !

Most Fans know that The Beach Boys are one of SW's most cherished Muses. That element of simple joyful pop and sing-along harmony is what seems to so powerfully balance the contrast against the "Darker" flavors of SW/PT music; It has always been a Trademark part of their sound & style; yet seems to be increasingly more absent from recent releases.

I guess nothing wonderful ever lasts forever,

as the old cliche goes. I tried to exchange this CD at the used music store today. They offered me 50 cents. I almost took it ! I'm pretty mad at Steve right now, but, I'll hold out hope that he's just going through a 'phase' right now; and will get back to what made him GREAT, soon in the near future.

Bottom Line : If you are looking for a Soundtrack to commit suicide to, this is the perfect album !

"Music to Crash Your Car To"

(Hope nobody tries to sue him, after their Kid does just that !)