Steven Wilson

The last time Steven Wilson of the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree visited Soundcheck, he didn’t play live in the studio. Instead, he let our listeners download a song he’d recorded just for them in his home studio. It became one of the most popular things we’ve ever offered on the Soundcheck page. Today, this guitar wiz tries his hand at solo piano. And, he shares a track from his solo album “Grace for Drowning." (Download it here.)

The last time Steven Wilson of the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree visited Soundcheck, he didn’t play live in the studio. Instead, he let our listeners download a song he’d recorded just for them in his home studio. It became one of the most popular things we’ve ever offered on the Soundcheck page. Today, this guitar wiz tries his hand at solo piano. And, he debuts a track from his upcoming solo album “Grace for Drowning." (Download it here.)

Concept Albums. They’re the pop-music equivalent of the novel. But, sometimes … novels can be really, really boring. On today’s Soundcheck Smackdown, music critic Amanda Petrusich and Steven Wilson of the prog-rock band Porcupine Tree debate whether the concept album is ingenious…or just indulgent. Plus, journalist and biographer James Kaplan tells us about the concept album’s surprising history.

Steven Wilson, founder of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, has been busy. He’s touring with Porcupine Tree, supporting a documentary called Insurgentes, and in addition to a monthly column in Electronic Musician, he’s written opinion pieces for The NY Times and Billboard.