by Joe Tingle
As a self-professed progressive rock snob, 2013 poses to be a great year for me. In February, Porcupine Tree frontman and progressive music mad scientist Steven Wilson is releasing his third solo album, The Raven that Refused to Sing (And Other Stories). Recorded as a collaborative effort with his current touring band, Wilson’s new releases is already one of the most anticipated of the year and will certainly be received as the early “Album of the Year” in many circles.
On the flipside of that, I am already geeking-out for Dream Theater’s upcoming concert film. While Dream Theater are almost always criticized in “serious” music circles, there are few bands who are as entertaining or as crowd-pleasing as DT. And, having made it through thirty years of playing together and releasing new albums regularly, I suspect that some of those judgmental eyes which regularly fall on DT and their fans may be shrouded in envy, for lack of a favorite band that’s so consistently and unabashedly motivated by pleasing their fan base, regardless of what critics think.
At any rate, 2013 poses to be a great year for music. And, with a little luck, we may even see progress on that new Tool record.
