Steven Wilson Retrospective Part 8: No-Man - "Flowermouth" (June 27, 1994)
- Andrew J. Harper
- Jun 26, 2018
- 8 min read
The follow-up to Loveblows & Lovecries: A Confession is often viewed as a fan favorite, with some calling it the definitive No-Man album. As always, Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness are the two in-charge of the proceedings. However, there are a plethora of guest performances on this album from members of bands such as Dead Can Dance (Lisa Gerrard), Japan/Rain Tree Crow (Steve Jansen), King Crimson (Robert Fripp [playing guitar on several tracks] and Mel Collins),
“Angel Gets Caught In The Beauty Trap” (9:56)
The arpeggio pattern which starts this song is one that pulsates for a while—even as other instruments and Tim Bowness’s smoky-yet-soothing vocals deliver the first verse. Following that verse, things explode with a drum pattern (played by Chris Maitland) and Ben Coleman’s aching violin touches. Then, you notice Robert Fripp playing some harmonics and then some keyboard touches laid over the top of some acoustic strumming. Afterwards, some tribal percussion comes to the fore as violins reign. Keyboard patterns break up the violin’s reign as the percussion still goes at it.
Once the violins come back in, there is a point where you think that this song can’t get any more beautiful. Then, Tim Bowness’s voice glides over this mixture and it becomes bliss. After this verse, there is a trumpet solo from Ian Carr, followed by Mel Collins’s soprano sax solo. All the while, some acoustic chords are strummed in the background in sync with the changed drum rhythm of this section. During Collins’s sax solo, Fripp plays some droning sustains. These sustains lead to an understated guitar solo that runs counter to the sax solo. Then, it all crashes out and light hi-hats and the keyboard arpeggios are all that are heard.
At about the 7 minute mark, Tim Bowness delivers the line “Even now, I see you fall” in his smooth-as-butter voice until a shimmer effect leads in some violin parts to glide over the brewing sound which provides the bedrock for the next words—a constant refrain of “In my dream, I feel you breathing.” Then, a violin solo comes about as some acoustic-guitar flourishes pop about—all the while, percussion chimes in. Then, the song ends in a state as dreamlike as it began.
This track alone eclipses anything from Loveblows & Lovecries: A Confession and sets an expectation high for the rest of the record to follow. Despite the ten-minute runtime, “Angel Gets Caught In The Beauty Trap” flows as if it were five minutes. Which is a sign that No-Man’s vertically-styled (to use Steven’s term) prog-pop works adeptly at sustaining the listener’s attention.
Seriously, just listen to this song. It’s underrated as can be.
“You Grow More Beautiful” (5:37)
This track begins with some funky guitar and a drum rhythm. This is definitely a single-worthy song with an inspired performance from Tim Bowness. The chorus feels like a different song than the verses—the shift from guitar to warm synths marks a new tone. After that, all the flourishes of the song end up being the thing which links the sections of the song together. I know I said in the Loveblows & Lovecries: A Confession review that the songs on there are made by the little details. In this case, that is literal with “You Grow More Beautiful.” But even Steven Wilson’s wah-drenched guitar solo before the third chorus can’t derail the steady rhythm—it is still a piece of connective tissue to this song that unites the total structure.
And the total result is one that leaves me baffled at how this didn’t end up a hit single for No-Man. My pal Katie probably has an answer in Grunge, but Kurt Cobain’s suicide 1994 (the same year of this album’s release) seems like something that would have made a dent in grunge’s popularity that would’ve allowed for something else to hit it big. In a different musical era, No-Man would’ve been the type of sound that would’ve stepped in.
“Animal Ghost” (6:09)
A low ominous drop in synth leads into a flute passage by Mel Collins. Then, an odd percussion rhythm precedes an actual drum track that lays down the pattern for the first verse to enter. Guitar strums and keyboard strokes usher in the chorus, only for them to drop out for the second verse to happen immediately after. The second chorus is the same, but now with some violin from Ben Coleman being added to the concoction.
After this second chorus, there is break dominated by flute and percussion. Bass soon comes in alongside acoustic guitar while the flute is still going under a stronger bedrock than before. This break ends on a crash cymbal and the presence of some of Robert Fripp’s frippertronics mark a transition into the third verse as the keyboard grows more dominant. The third chorus begins sans drums, but that only allows the other instruments to shine in creating texture for that and the outro.
“Soft Shoulders” (3:57)
A percussion effect with odd reverb starts this one before a drum machine is brought in. Then, some keyboards come in along with Tim Bowness’s great vocals. All the while, a smooth bassline slinks around in the background. During the first verse, there are rhythmic keyboard stabs. The chorus of this song has every instrument muddled together in a shimmering stew of sound, directly contrasting the stripped-back verses. The second verse has touches of a string section that doesn’t feel overwhelming—still more space than the chorus allows.
After the second chorus, the larger-than-life sound subsides for a bit. Then, it comes back for another chorus before the peaceful ending.
“Shell Of A Fighter” (7:48)
This epic is ushered in by Richard Barbieri’s (soon to be inducted into Porcupine Tree) electronics before keyboards, violins, and drums enter the picture. Then, Tim Bowness’s standard smooth voice floats over the top of the mix as violin (courtesy of Ben Coleman) drones in-and-out of the rhythm. The chorus brings piano and acoustic guitar into the picture while post-chorus electric violin flourishes have a welcome lead-in to the second verse.
Following the second chorus, the elective violin flourish from earlier is left accompanied only by faint percussion for a small break that leads to the next set of lyrics before merging into the third chorus. This time, the chorus has some electric guitar bits that lead into a guitar solo from what sounds like Steven (it could be Robert Fripp). Then, the song goes into a near-silent soundscape as samples of Tim stating the song title play in the background. Then, some faint keyboards and then a funky guitar rhythm lead into some furious-sounding fuzz-toned guitar riffs/solos. In fact, multiple layers of guitar coat this while the drums return and Tim’s sample plays intermittently. During this, the whole thing appears to build up in an overwhelming maelstrom of guitar distortion from Wilson and/or Fripp until the song stops dead save two guitars and then some softly shimmering synths.
Overall, this is the second-strongest song on Flowermouth (“Angel Gets Caught In The Beauty Trap” is the strongest). This is by no means a slouch, though.
“Teardrop Fall” (4:37)
Soft keyboards lead into a fast-paced drumline before Tim soars over the pattern. Then, a synth pad and a synth bassline mark the arrival of the chorus—immaculately delivered by Tim Bowness. The second verse muscles through with an electro-pop rush as the second chorus proceeds likewise.
Following the second chorus, some Fripp riffs ride in what sounds like a sample (it could be some frippertronics, though). Then, Mel Collins comes in with some flute before a bit of a break leads to the third chorus (this one is overlaid with some violin from Ben Coleman). After this, a flute solo leads the song out on a soothing note.
“Watching Over Me” (4:48)
This number starts with Steve Jansen playing percussion while Steven offers some acoustic guitar as Tim croons out the first verse. Soon enough, some cymbal sounds are played in the mix. The first chorus is transitioned into seamlessly, but afterwards there is some smooth guitar licks played as synth pads play in the background. The second verse is as low-key as the first—save for some guitar flourishes by Steven. The second chorus has the guitar playing along with Tim’s vocals. Additionally, some bass starts to creep into the proceedings.
Following the second chorus, there is a brief and understated guitar solo before Ben Coleman shows up with violin that is heart-tugging. This continues for quite some time until Steven stops playing his repeated arpeggio and the song ends.
Dare I say it, but this song may be the most beautiful one on the album. And given how that’s true of most of the other tracks, that’s a tough call.
“Simple” (7:03)
This song starts with electronic samples before some keyboard and frippertronics come into the mix before Tim enters with his usual smooth voice being supported by hi-hats. The chorus is where the voice sample by Lisa Gerrard backs up Tim’s vocals before shifting back to the verse seamlessly. This second chorus has more prominent keyboards than the first one.
After the second chorus, there is what sounds like haunted keyboard circling though in a rhythm not unlike what Steven would play on acoustic guitar. Through this, Robert Fripp plays an atonally distorted electronic guitar solo. Then, this comes back by a fuzz-toned guitar riff. Then, Tim belts the chorus again over this monstrous mix as haunting synths build up in the background. After a while, the Lisa Gerrard plays again—only adding to the unnerving atmosphere being created in a track whose lyrics seem like an account of a possessive lover. Suddenly, all instruments cut out besides discordant violins and synths. This whole section leading to the end sounds about as creepy as the outro of “Radioactive Toy” by Porcupine Tree.
Side note, this song comes with a music video that is pretty odd. First of all, it’s in a fish-eye lens for much of it. Also, there is the matter that it is cycles through color filters while the whole video is fixated on a woman smoking a cigarette against a pole in a town square. That the last minute of the music video involves the color filter slowly becoming desaturated, the woman looking like she doesn’t feel so good, and the woman leaning back on the pole about to pass out only makes the discordant mess of an outro even more unsettling.
“Things Change” (7:31)
A mellow keys pattern gets complimented by cymbals to start this out. As an actual drum beat makes its way into the picture, Tim Bowness’s vocals come along with it. After the verse, some acoustic guitar shimmers through the forefront even after Tim comes back. Once keyboard enters after the first chorus, there is some gorgeous violin from Ben Coleman as Chris Maitland plays some pretty busy fills. After that, there is a brief keyboard break before the second verse, which carries on that rhythm and adds some of Maitland’s fill-heavy style. Steven’s acoustic guitar becomes another layer that’s added to the mix which Tim soars above for the chorus.
Following the second chorus, the build-up continues as Maitland grows louder on drums and Coleman enters. Then, Steven Wilson arrives with an out-there guitar solo as Maitland continues to change things up with his kit. This is undoubtedly what the crescendo has led to. This solo goes on for a little over two minutes of fury that seems improved by Steven. After this solo ends in a full-band crash-out, there are keyboards and a marching-snare rhythm that soon dies out to some electric violin (or is it frippertronics) flourishes that play out the song (and album).
Final Thoughts:
Flowermouth is a definite step-up from Loveblows & Lovecries: A Confession in that it marks a refinement of the formula from the earlier album. Although the collaborators don’t steal the spotlight on any of the songs, they do wonders to help an already-strong foundation that was built by Steven Wilson’s impeccable melodic ear and Tim Bowness’s incredible voice (which is stronger here than on Loveblows & Lovecries: A Confession). Long song lengths aside, this album is the perfect introduction to anyone new to anything Steven Wilson has done (and certainly to the No-Man project). If nothing else, listen to “Angel Gets Caught In The Beauty Trap” (perhaps the finest song Steven had written up to this point in his career and one of his best in general). I had some reservations with the No-Man project when I heard Loveblows & Lovecries: A Confession, but the song quality of Flowermouth puts any doubts I had at ease.
The Next Five:
* Porcupine Tree - "The Sky Moves Sideways" (February 1995)
* No-Man - "Wild Opera" (September 1996)
* Incredible Expanding Mindfuck - "IEM" (1996)
* Porcupine Tree - "Signify" (September 1996)
* Bass Communion - "I" (April 1998) [This one will be interesting to jump into; I'll have a lot of words to speak regarding "Drugged"]
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