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STEVEN WILSON
(UNITED KINGDOM)
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THE FUTURE BITES
(2021)
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LABEL:
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GENRE:
ROCK
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TAGS:
Electro
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"Steven Wilson's "The Future Bites" is the most contemporary album of his career and could well lead to even greater recognition for his electronic orientation as well as to the loss of many early fans."
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3/5
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Since the beginning of his (solo) career, Steven Wilson has tirelessly made it a point not to release the same album twice in a row. In this, we must recognize a certain constancy that has always accompanied him with the primary motivation of seeking greater recognition. He approached in turn electronic music (No-Man), elitist and noisy ambient (Bass Communion), accessible melancholic pop (Blackfield) and, with Porcupine Tree, psychedelic, progressive, pop and finally metal to finish on a concept album, all at a rhythm of several records for each of these periods.
All these projects, some of which are still in the news today, can be considered as stylistic laboratories thanks to which Steven Wilson blossoms on his own with great success so far, both critically and with a public that is more and more numerous to follow him. Nevertheless, while this audience is growing, early fans are beginning to doubt the artist's ability to maintain his inspiration and the quality of his compositions because of the rapid pace of these changes in style.
Unsurprisingly, as announced, the new album is more contemporary, more modern, more topical music. Gone are the electric guitars and the somewhat progressive and jazzy developments that still sometimes enameled some of the pop tracks on the last album... Here the listener is bathed in direct trip hop electro made in Wilson with the underlying question: has he managed to transcend style?
"The Future Bites" by its nature is Steven Wilson's most accessible album and probably the most likely to make him known. After a short intro that announces the color, 'Self' reveals itself under rather cheerful finery, notably by female choirs that will be found several times in the album. After this rather simple track, 'King Ghost' enhances the interest with a heady melody embellished by the leading voice of Steven Wilson and very good arrangements. If Prince was an inspiration for 'To The Bone', it is found on 'Eminent Sleaze' with bass and gospel vocals that blend rather well in the title but whose lack of development is striking. This is one of the first times that we feel a continuity between two albums rather than a marked change, as evidenced by 'Follower' which is reminiscent of 'Detonation' on 'To The Bone'.
By dint of simplifying his subject, his music becomes almost commonplace, at the risk of blurring the Wilson's touch that he had managed to instill in his compositions until now, especially in the melancholic aspect. This is fortunately found in 'Man Of The People', one of the best tracks of the album and in the closing track 'Count Of Unease' which reminds a bit of 'Song Of Unborn'. '12 Things I Forgot' is a bit of an intruder, as it has an acoustic and organic pop atmosphere that could easily have found its place on a Blackfield album. Finally, 'Personnal Shopper', with its nine minutes, could still hold out hope for convoluted constructions that Steven Wilson likes to offer. Alas, the title suffers from a strong linearity, and Sir Elton John's intervention does not bring much in a role that goes against his usual exuberance.
Add to this the fact that the album denounces over-consumption while at the same time offering a multitude of expensive media and versions for purchase, and the message may be misunderstood. Finally, "The Future Bites" is not unpleasant but leaves an aftertaste of unfinished work, despite a few good tracks, revealing a somewhat new and assumed aspect of Steven Wilson, wrapping a claiming speech under rather catchy rhythms. Steven Wilson holds there his "Let's Dance". As he says : "The album which allowed Bowie to reach the general public... but which makes him lose his fans of the first hour". - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Unself
02. Self
03. King Ghost
04. 12 Things I Forgot
05. Eminent Sleaze
06. Personal Shopper
07. Man Of The People
08. Follower
09. Count Of Unease
LINEUP:
Bobbie Gordon: Chant / Choeurs
Crystal Williams: Chant / Choeurs
David Kosten: Programmation
Fyfe Dangerfield: Chant / Choeurs
Michael Spearman:
Nick Beggs: Basse
Steven Wilson: Chant / Guitares / Claviers / Percussions
Wendy Harriott: Chant / Choeurs
Elton John: Chant / Invité
Rotem Wilson: Chant / Invité
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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Top of the page
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(5) COMMENT(S)
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Tiens je viens de me rappeler un passage de son autobiographie parue il y a un peu plus d’un an où SW expliquait être désormais plus attiré par la qualité que par la quantité d’albums qu’il sort.
Alors au vu des deux derniers skeuds qu’il nous a pondu, j’imagine pas ce que ça aurait donné s’il avait sorti 1 ou 2 albums par an. 
D’ailleurs Steven ça serait cool de nous présenter un petit single de The Harmony Codex, parce que ça fait quand même pas mal de temps que tu nous en parles et que ton dernier « grand » album remonte tout de même à 2017 
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Bon après plus de 3 mois à me décider à l'acheter en vinyle ,car vu que j'ai tout les autres ,pourquoi pas lui
Maintenant mon avis.
Et bien c'est comme la musique prog des années 70 qui se sont reconvertit dans les années 80
On regarde Bowie avec son let's dance.
Yes avec son numéro de numéro de série en titre de l'album.
Genesis "Abacab"
Ange avec son "moteur" horrible cet album d'ailleurs.
Et pleins d'autres encore.
Bref tout est accessible mais parfois c'est a vomir ,on écoute un titre comme "12 thing..." Pour moi c'est impossible surtout venant de Sir Wilson.
Sinon le reste de l'album est écoutable ça serait quelqu'un d'autre on le trouverait sûrement excellent.
Mais bon si on veut de l'électro aboutit il faut aller voir du côté de Thom York avec son Animal.
Car ici c'est simpliste trop certainement pour ses fans de première heure .
Bref Sir Wilson veut la reconnaissance commerciale ,la reconnaissance du génie musicale il l'a déjà eu.
Peut être a t'il lui aussi vendu son âme au diable
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c'est marrant comme les goûts et les couleurs peuvent être différents ! je trouve la pochette super réussie malgré sa simplicité et je trouve qu'elle ressemble à son contenu : plein de faux-semblants.... Je pense que c'est un album à creuser d'urgence pour en retirer toute sa substantifique moelle. Sous sa fausse simplicité l'album cache de vraies pépites qui ont été pensées et assumées de bout en bout. Un travail d'orfèvre. Par contre je comprends complétement que de nombreuses personnes n'adhèrent pas.
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Outre la "critique" de l'album postée par ailleurs, un petit commentaire pour souligner la nullité de la pochette ! Pas possible de faire des trucs aussi moches aujourd'hui quand on dispose de budgets comme Steven Wilson et d'une pléthore d'artistes capables de pondre des artworks de toute beauté !
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Je trouve dures toutes les critiques qui s'abattent sur cet album alors qu'il contient de véritables pépites, pop certes, mais pépites quand même. Wilson ne fait plus du Porcupine Tree, que chacun s'en accommode, ou s'en passe. Oui, la musique de SW est moins progressive (quoi que ...) mais le talent de composition et d'écriture dont il fait preuve est bluffant. Calgepo parle de Bowie dans sa chronique, et il aurait tout aussi bien pu citer Prince ou Tears For Fears pour la qualité des arrangements ou pour la force mélodique qui se dégage de l'album.
Je comprends que l'on y soit pas réceptif, mais sa musique me touche à chaque fois. C'est la pop que j'aime et que je ré-écoute avec plaisir.
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Top of the page
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READERS
2.8/5 (13 view(s))
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STAFF:
2.7/5 (11 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH STEVEN WILSON
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LAST INTERVIEW
STEVEN WILSON (FEBRUARY 11ST, 2025)
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Barely a ½ year after ‘The Harmony Codex’, Steven Wilson is already back with his eighth solo album ‘The Overview’, offering us a magnificent overview...
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OTHER REVIEWS
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT STEVEN WILSON
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