No-Man "Returning Jesus" 3rd Stone Records stone 038CD 2001 (54:02)
Only Rain (7:24)
No Defence (5:20)
Close Your Eyes (8:25)
Carolina
Skeletons (5:08)
Outside
the Machine (5:47)
Returning Jesus (5:19)
Slow It All Down (3:42)
Lighthouse (8:13)
All
That You Are (4:44)
Something I've learned over the past few years is to get anything with Steven Wilson's name attached to it - Bass Communion, Porcupine Tree, IEM and now No-Man. No-Man is the UK based duo of Wilson (instruments) and Tim Bowness (vocals, also of Samuel Smiles, Henry Fool) and this is their 4th album in a decade. Here they are aided by 8 other players including Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree on bass and Steve Jansen (David Sylvian) on drums and percussion on several tracks. The focal point is Bowness' warm voice and poetic words (similar to Wilson's), soft and heavy with a quintessential singer songwriter melancholy and yearning. This is adorned with piano, synth, saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn, acoustic and electric guitars and percussion, which is more of an accessory than a driving force. The result is a lush organic balladry with an ambient sheen, crossbred between acoustic and electronic sounds, and blessed with perfect production. The songs are essentially pop but draw upon light jazz, classical, psuedo-tribal and experimental influences. I'm especially enamored with "Carolina Skeletons" (also title track of a 1998 EP). It's utterly emotive with forlorn piano, crumpled sound loop, Floydian guitar and Bowness relaying the sad story of 'Cowboy Kate' (Kate Carpenter perhaps?) ... "it's carolina skeletons that make her stranger when she eats". "All That You Are" is another crowning jewel, ending the album on a note of romantic resolution ... "let me take your hand and love all that you are". "Returning Jesus" is gorgeous, addictive and timeless. It's like a shared bed you never want to get out of ...
No-Man
Steven Wilson
HQ
Tim
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Where did I get this cd? - promo.