June 29th, 2015 - Hand. Cannot. Erase. My. Wit.

Good evening!  The Meista here pairing Steven Wilson's "Hand. Cannot. Erase." (Deluxe Edition) and a Wasatch Plum Wit from the Utah Brewers Cooperative (Wasatch Brewery)!  This one is for my brother HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAINO!!  This one also goes out to Marcus, Geoff, and Matt at The Barrelhouse.. cheers boys!!  Thanks for the excellent service!!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Steven Wilson
• Title: "Hand. Cannot. Erase." (Deluxe Edition)
• Recorded: September 2014 at AIR Studios, London, England
• Release date: February 27th, 2015 (4th studio album by Steven Wilson)
• Record company: Kscope
• Production: Steven Wilson
• Album cover art: Steven Wilson, Hajo Mueller, and Carl Glover
• Personnel: Steven Wilson (lead vocals, keyboards, mellotron, guitar, bass, banjo, hammered dulcimer, programming, and effects) with Nick Beggs (bass, Chapman Stick, and backing vocals), Guthrie Govan (guitars), Adam Holzman (piano, Hammond organ, celesta, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Moog synthesizer), and Marco Minnemann (drums)
• Additional musicians: Leo Blair (vocals), Dave Gregory (guitars), Katherine Jenkins (spoken word), London Session Orchestra (strings), Schola Cantorum Of The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School  (choir), Ninet Tayeb (vocals), Theo Travis (flute and baritone saxophone), and Chad Wackerman (drums)
• Musical style: Progressive rock with elements of hard rock and electronic rock
• Sound: What I've always found amazing about Wilson's music is the amazing sense of depth and intelligence and (at the same time) the accessibility and groove... simply brilliant!   
• Major themes: "Hand. Cannot. Erase." is a haunting concept album about isolation and how some of us fade into nothingness.  It was inspired by the true story of Joyce Carol Vincent.  Wilson describes the album as, "The basic story, or concept of the record – it's about a woman growing up, who goes to live in the city, very isolated, and she disappears one day and no one notices. There's more to it than that. Now, what's really interesting about this story is that your initial reaction when you hear a story like that is, 'Ah, little old bag lady that no one notices, no one cares about.' [Vincent] wasn't [like that]. She was young, she was popular, she was attractive, she had many friends, she had family, but for whatever reason, nobody missed her for three years."
• Tracks: 

1. "First Regret / 3 Years Older"
2. "Hand Cannot Erase"
3. "Perfect Life"
4. "Routine"
5. "Home Invasion / Regret # 9"
6. "Transience"
7. "Ancestral"
8. "Happy Returns / Ascendant Here On..."
9. "Perfect Life" (Grand Union Mix)
10. "Routine" (Ninet Solo Vocal Version)

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Utah Brewers Cooperative (Wasatch Brewery)
• Website: http://www.wasatchbeers.com/default.aspx
• Brew: Wasatch Plum Wit
• Style: Witbier
• Serving: 16 ounce glass off the tap at The Barrelhouse (Ogden, Utah)
• ABV: 4%
• Pour: Very murky pale pinkish yellow with a huge frothy head that displays myriad lacing.
• Nose: Tart and yeasty, the nose of the Wasatch Plum Wit is characterized by aromas of banana, plum, black cherries, cloves, nutmeg, and cracked wheat.
• Taste: The taste of the Wasatch Plum Wit is tart, fruity, spicy, yeasty, and earthy.  There are notes of wheat, banana ester, tart and tangy plum, lemon juice, lemon zest, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, and white pepper.    
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the Wasatch Plum Wit is crisp, tart, and refreshing with a somewhat dry and spicy finish.

Overall pairing: The refreshing, crisp, and malty flavor of the Wasatch Plum Wit from the Utah Brewers Cooperative (Wasatch Brewery) goes well with the accessibility and softer side of "Hand. Cannot. Erase.", while the spicy and sharper tart flavors work well with the overall pain, depth, and passion expressed in the lyrics.

Cheers!!