Customer Reviews

Wild Opera

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A radical departure from previous efforts, No-Man's "Wild Opera" can be difficult to digest, but is such a remarkably unique album, I've often found that it demands attention. The band, consistently of vocalist Tim Bowness and instrumentalist Steven Wilson, explores different sounds and moods in an album that seems largely united by being completely inconsistent with itself, and yet it makes a coherent album statement.

Opening at a breackneck beat with funky guitars and a fierce tenor sax solo (courtesy of guest Mel Collins) and spoken vocals of "Radiant City", it's pretty clear this isn't the No-Man of Flowermouth, nevermind Loveblows and Lovecries: A Confession. The album moves through any number of moods, be it a smokey yet clean groove and misplaced sentimentality ("Pretty Genius"), downtempo, bleak portraits punctuated with slathers of industrial guitars ("Housewives Hooked on Heroin") or vaguely unexpected balladry ("My Revenge on Seattle", of which I can't really say much else other than it's captivating). Along the way, it never ceases to surprise (the generally off-kiltered "Infant Phenomenon", the dead stop midway through "Sheeploop", claustrophobic "Dry Cleaning Ray" opening up into a deep prog guitar solo). It can be catchy, it can be unpleasant, one thing it is consistently is surprising.

No-Man tends to inspire hyperbole from me-- their constant search for new direction, long gestation of albums, and penchant for high levels of well craftedness tends to make them consistently produce work I absolutely adore. "Wild Opera" isn't quite as good as its predecessor (Flowermouth) or its successor (Returning Jesus), but in its own right, it's an awfully good record, and certainly quite unique. Highly recommended.

Wild Opera is a recording that just months ago was bringing big bucks on eBay and other auction sites. It was long out of print and as No-Man started to gain traction with a discerning and growing group of cognoscenti, demand went up and prices rose. Now, thanks to Burning Shed and K-Scope, Wild Opera has been remastered and reissued in a delightful package that includes the remaster of the EP Dry Cleaning Ray and six additional tracks all for one very reasonable price.
Those who have followed No-Man for some time already know that every album is a complete surprise because Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson would rather follow the muse wherever it leads than to pander to the musical flavor of the day. If you haven't heard Wild Opera before, you will find that it is even more uncompromisingly avant-garde than much of the rest of the band's work. It took me a while to really get into it, but once it seeped into my consciousness I realized what a singular piece of work it is.
There is a lot to like on the main course. My favorites are Pretty Genius, Sinister Jazz, Housewives Hooked On Heroin, Taste my Dream, Dry Cleaning Ray, and Sheeploop. It contains twelve listed tracks plus an unlisted bonus track that suddenly surprises after an extended period of silence.
The second disc also features some tasty pieces such as the remix edit of Dry Cleaning Ray, Sweetside Silver Night, Jacks the Sax, Diet Mothers, and Sicknote most of which strongly evoke the music of Steven Wilson's main band Porcupine Tree. Among the bonus cuts I most enjoy the alternate version of Housewives Hooked on Heroin, and the radio sessions of Time Travel In Texas and Pretty Genius.
As with other K-Scope reissues I have purchased to date, the CDs come very handsomely packaged in the kind of plastic jewel box that should be standard for all plastic-packaged CDs. Additionally, the buyer gets an attractive booklet containing pictures, album info, and the lyrics. If you are into No-Man on any level, I highly recommend that you acquire this edition of Wild Opera while it remains available. You won't regret it!

No-Man is absolutely fantastic. If you like Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree, you have to listen to this CD, and buy it. Really worth the money. There's not one track which won't draw you into wanting all their CDs.

Tracklist on "Wild Opera"

1. Radiant City*****
2. Pretty Genius*****
3. Infant Phenomenon
4. Sinister Jazz
5. Housewives Hooked on Heroin*****
6. Libertine Libretto
7. Taste My Dream*****
8. Dry Cleaning Ray*****
9. Sheeploop*****
10. My Rival Trevor
11. Time Travel in Texas
12. My Revenge on Seattle
13. [Untitled Track]
14. [Untitled Track]

***** The ones that I put 5 stars next to are the ones I absolutely love, and most recommend you listen to, if you have the chance.

The singer Tim Bowness has a somewhat sexual, very selling voice, which matches Porcupine Tree's "Steven Wilson" on guitars.
What else can I say, but go and buy this CD. Totally worth it.

There's a little bit of dance, some good beats, great vocals, guitars, all inspired by Steven Wilson.

Hope this review helped.

There are just not adjectives in my vernacular anyway, to describe just how awesome the music of No-Man really is. I simply cannot overstate how simply incredible this recording is although there are a couple of songs on it which so not make my No-Man "Hall of Fame" songs. The positives far outweigh the negatives especially on this two CD set and make no mistake about disc two is no throw away at all. In fact, I would venture to say that most people who know superb music when they hear it would agree that No-Man's Demos, Remixes, etc. are generally better than many music artists main songs.

Highlight tracks to my ear are "Housewives Hooked On Heroin", "Sinister Jazz", "Dry Cleaning Ray", "Taste My Dream" and "Pretty Genius" are all just that and more. How these two talented artists can collaborate on such a wide and varied style of music and pull it off most of the time while constantly being daring about their incomporable music is amazing to me.

This CD will be orgasmic to you especially if you like early Prog Rock like King Crimson and Pink Floyd and you can sit back and get lost in the arrary of sounds that will bombard your senses while you are listening to this brilliant masterpiece of music that is truly a "Wild Opera" when all is said and done.

5 Stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!