4 1/2

JANUARY 2016 // MINI ALBUM

ABOUT 4 1/2

4½ is a mini-album by Steven Wilson, released on 22 January 2016. It collects songs that were written during the sessions for the previous two studio albums, Hand. Cannot. Erase. and The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories). The closing track is a new version of "Don't Hate Me", sung as a duet with Ninet Tayeb.

STREAM THE ALBUM

Steven Wilson – lead vocals, guitars, autoharp, Mellotron, piano, percussion, virtual instruments Dave Kilminster – guitar (tracks 1 and 6) Guthrie Govan – guitar (track 3) Nick Beggs – bass, Chapman Stick, backing vocals Adam Holzman – Wurlitzer, Hammond organ, Minimoog, Rhodes, piano Craig Blundell – drums (tracks 1, 5, and 6) Marco Minnemann – drums (track 3) Chad Wackerman – drums (track 4) Theo Travis – reeds (tracks 4 and 6) Ninet Tayeb – co-lead vocals (track 6)

"My Book of Regrets" was written in late 2013 and finished in June 2015. Main recording took place from 28 June 2015 in Montreal, with additional recording at No Man's Land. "Year of the Plague" was written and recorded during the The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) sessions in 2012–2013. "Happiness III" was written in 2013 and recorded during the Hand. Cannot. Erase. sessions at Air Studio in September 2014. "Sunday Rain Sets In" was recorded during the Hand. Cannot. Erase. sessions at Air Studios, East West and Spin Studios in 2014. "Vermillioncore" was partly written in late 2013, finished in June 2015 and recorded in October 2015. "Don't Hate Me" was written in 1998 and originally released by Wilson's Porcupine Tree on their 1999 album Stupid Dream. This version of the track was taken from a solo-band live concert in Europe in September 2015, with additional recording at No Man's Land.