Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Vinyl front-end used for this review:
Rega P3:RB880 tonearm,Denon DL160
Phono Stage:Whest Audio TWO.2 phono stage.

Just like "To The Bone" (https://www.discogs.com/release/10910388-Steven-Wilson-To-The-Bone) I love this LP by S.W,everything mentioned about T.T.B goes up a notch or three for me here. There`s not a bad track on here and there`s some REALLY nice backing vocals by guess including Nick Beggs of Kajagoogoo fame (vocalist and bassist).
I`ve not heard any other versions but if this one is "too far of a reach" money wise,try taking a punt on one of the cheaper editions which rate highly also!

Music 5*
Sound quality 5*
Mastering/pressing 5*

I have the 2023 gatefold edition and it did not come with any booklet (lyrics etc) anyone else?

Eine Großtat des Prog. SWs bestes Soloalbum. Dank Tools "Fear Inoculum" nur noch Platz 2 in meiner Sammlung

Sounds amazing! Dead quiet grooves, one of the best pressing I own, seriously...

The record is really fantastic. The quality of the vinyl, CD and also the BluRayAudio is crazy. All formats sound fantastic, but that was not to be expected otherwise. The content is no less great. Hand.Cannot.Erase is currently my favorite album. I'm so glad I found the Jethro Tull remasters. Without these fantastic edits, I might never have found Steven Wilson and his music.

It is definitely pressed on high quality, quiet wax. I agree with the great dynamics also. But I find the overall sound itself to be a little buzzy and thin. Very mid heavy with muddy treble, especially the vocals on side A and B. Does anyone else hear that?

Edit: Upgraded my cartridge. Sounds fantastic. Nevermind my previous observation.

Lovely pressing. Dead quiet, beautiful dynamics and weighty instruments! And the music is spectacular too

can anybody tell me if these are the differences between the limited edition Made in Germany printed on the back is the limited edition,not made in UK & Europe, thanks

Found a copy of this wax record for $8 at Amoeba in Hollywood! Someone had returned it because of a bit of excess glue on the edge of side D, but it doesnt even affect playback! Score!

About 5 listens later it's time for a little review, for the few who care. Sorry, I can only talk in superlatives about this.
I think we have an album here that will gently slip into the list of classic rock albums of all time. Yes I'm talking Dark Side of the Moon, Tommy, The Joshua Tree, Nevermind, and the likes. Steven Wilson is more diverse in musical styles than on his previous solo albums. Actually it's arguably more diverse than anything he has done before. Yet, it is a very coherent album. It needs to be listened to from beginning to end. It all connects. Most of the songs are relatively short for a prog epic. Mind boggling musicianship doesn't turn into endlessly spun out idiosyncrasies, heavy passages don't escalate into endless shredding, and the very catchy poppy passages continue long enough to groove along for plenty of time. Steven Wilson has produced many an excellent piece of music during his impressive career. But for me, this goes beyond that, far beyond that. It's a captivating, diverse, adventurous, profound, excellently written, and executed album. Also thanks to the top-notch musicians he has gathered around him. Get it, listen to it, indulge in it. And in 20 years from now you may be able to say that you have been witness to one of the greatest rock albums of all time.
I'm giving this album 5 stars (out of 5). Only 3% of my vast music collection has that ranking.