Steven Wilson
„4 1/2“
Alternative, Prog Rock, Brit-Pop. Black Vinyl, Reissue. 2016.

Steven Wilson (SW) released his self-described mini-album "4 1/2" in 2016. At around 37 minutes, I don't find it too short. Fortunately, dedicated SW listeners can rely on the fact that these interlude albums are always good. The first four songs come from the "Hand.Cannot.Erase." sessions, song 5 didn't made it onto "The Raven That Refuses To Sing," and while "Don't Hate Me" is included on Porcupine Tree's (PT) "Stupid Dream" (1999), it's essentially a SW song. This one features Ninet Tayep on Vocals. I'm glad SW managed to stay true to himself and still reach new audiences, even if die-hard PT fans will despise me for saying so.

The very first song, "My Book Of Regrets," misleads you with its Britpop charm. Then, the 9:23-minute track evolves into a playful prog-rock song. Finally, the track returns to its beginning. Almost the heart of the album for me. "Year Of The Plague" demonstrates that SW also has a hand for beautiful instrumental melodies, and it works very well as a contrast to the first song. "Happiness III" begins very quietly; lyrics and melody form a unified whole. Here, too, I would classify it as Britpop, yet SW manages to keep the song interesting. 

Side B begins with the jazzy "Sunday Rain Sets In" and catapults me into 50s/60s suspense movies. At 3:50, it's unfortunately too short for my taste. But now, with the instrumental psychedelic prog song "Vermillioncore," comes my heart of the album. It could fit on any PT album. I like "Don't Hate Me" in any guise; here it's a rather jazzy version, and the chorus is sung by Ninet Tayep. Great variation. And with that, 37 interesting minutes are over.

Every song on this interim album deserves to be included on its respective album. I'll make an exception for "Don't Hate Me," as a different version of it already appears on PT's "Stupid Dream." SW manages to incorporate catchy melodies into alternative and/or prog-rock. Both PT and SW fans will find something to enjoy. Steven has once again masterfully blended different styles. If this qualifies as pop, then I can only wish for more of it. The use of real instruments alone is no longer a given these days (2026). And we can always fall back on the PT catalog. We're in a fortunate position here and can always find something new. 

Ninet Tayep – Vocals (Don’t Hate Me)
Nick Beggs – Bass Guitar, Chapman Stick
Craig Blundell, Marco Minnemann, Chad Wackerman – Drums
Theo Travis – Flute
Dave Kilminster, Guthrie Govan – Guitar
Adam Holzman – Wurlitzer, Hammond, MiniMoog, Organ, Piano
Steven Wilson – Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Melotron, Piano, Autoharp, Percussion, Ghostwriter IV, Keyboard, Moog, Prophet 6, Vocals

The photos are all from my LP. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.

No AI was used in the making of this Review.
©06.03.2026