​Steven Wilson reflects on what the term progressive means to him, the age of streaming, the return of vinyl and his hopes for more exposure for the progressive genres on the mid-season finale of FreqsTV’s original series, Into the Machine.

The series, presented by Germany’s Metal Hammer, features a different band every Thursday on the official FreqsTV YouTube channel.

Into The Machine - Ep. 5, Steven Wilson:

January 22nd saw the release of a new Steven Wilson album, 4 ½, so titled because it forms an interim release between Steven's recently released fourth album Hand. Cannot. Erase. and the next studio album.

4 ½ comprises six tracks with a total running time of 37 minutes. Four of the songs originated during the sessions for Hand. Cannot. Erase., and one from the recording sessions for the previous album The Raven that Refused To Sing. The final track is a version of “Don't Hate Me”, a song originally recorded by Porcupine Tree in 1998, and is based on a live recording made on the recent tour of Europe with additional recording later done in the studio. The vocals on this new version are sung as a duet between Steven and Ninet Tayeb.

Also appearing on the album are members of Steven's band over the last few years; Adam Holzman, Nick Beggs, Guthrie Govan, Dave Kilminster, Craig Blundell, Marco Minnemann, Chad Wackerman, and Theo Travis.

4 ½ was released by Kscope on CD, 180 gram vinyl, and blu-ray, with all formats housed in a beautiful die-cut sleeve photographed by Lasse Hoile and designed by Carl Glover. The blu-ray (audio only) edition includes high res stereo, a 5.1 mix of the album, and a bonus 5.1 mix of the new version of Lazarus (recently included on the Transience vinyl compilation). The vinyl edition includes a download code for the album in a choice of FLAC or mp3. Pre-order here. The album is also be available digitally from iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Apple Music.

4 ½ tracklisting:

“My Book Of Regrets”
“Year Of The Plague”
“Happiness 3”
“Sunday Rain Sets In”
“Vermillioncore”
“Don’t Hate Me”

After the success of Steven Wilson’s Hand. Cannot. Erase. tour of North America earlier this year, he has announced that he will be returning for more live shows in March 2016.

Dates:

March
1 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
2 - Montreal, QC - St-Denis Theatre
3 - Albany, NY - The Egg
4 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
5 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
7 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
8 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre

More details here.