The Future Bites
by Steven Wilson
User Score
6.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 48 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 48
  3. Negative: 10 out of 48
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  1. Geffen
    Feb 5, 2021
    5
    While not my cup of tea, it did have a few good tracks to keep me listening all the way through.

    Favorites: "King Ghost", "12 Things I Forgot", "Personal Shopper".
  2. jakeharmon99
    Feb 5, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An extension of what he dabbled with on his previous album, The Future Bites is an exercise in progression. While one critic has called it the OK Computer of the Amazon era, I would consider this akin to Kid A in that it adds elements without detracting from how enjoyable each songs are. And, in a few cases, these songs would fit on some of his older albums, be it 12 Things I Forgot on Hand. Cannot. Erase; Count of Unease on Stupid Dream from Porcupine Tree; or Eminent Sleaze on The Jokes on You from Karma. Lead single, Personal Shopper, while including Elton John and background singers on the chorus, is a 9 minute experience with a funky, dance beat and beautifully harmonized tenor voice from Steven on the bridge (which appears twice) and includes a hard rock coda. And Steven hasn't abandoned rock. Eminent Sleaze includes the Chapman stick and a guitar solo while Follower sounds perfect for 80s rock.… Expand
  3. jk47
    Jan 29, 2021
    6
    Even dating back to the Porcupine Tree years, I rank Steven Wilson's skills in this order:

    1. Sound Design and soundscapes. This is what he most excels at. Whether it's the atmospheric textures of Porcupine Tree or the synth production of his later solo stuff, his sound production is always exceptional. 2. Musicianship. He's a good multi-instrumentalist and he always finds great    Even dating back to the Porcupine Tree years, I rank Steven Wilson's skills in this order:

    1. Sound Design and soundscapes. This is what he most excels at. Whether it's the atmospheric textures of Porcupine Tree or the synth production of his later solo stuff, his sound production is always exceptional.

    2. Musicianship. He's a good multi-instrumentalist and he always finds great musicians to work with.

    3. Songwriting. He's a solid songwriter and has written some great compositions. I wouldn't say he's an elite songwriter, but he does stand out from many of his peers in this skillset. 

    4. Vocalist. Wilson is a below average singer, but has largely written songs that fit his limitations until recently where he's tried stepping out of his comfort zone, which has made his limitations more apparent. An example of this is the falsetto in the previous album's "Same Asylum As Before", which sounds forced and insincere.

    5. Lyricist. He's never been great at writing lyrics in my opinion. He often takes some interesting concepts and expresses them with some of the most clumsy and corny lines. More often than not, his other skills distract from this limitation.

    Why am I starting with a ranking of his skills? Because I think this album perfectly exemplifies this hierarchy. There's some amazing synth and beat production and good musicianship, but there's also some very unfortunate falsetto vocals and awkward lyrics that prevent this album from resonating with me. And that's a big problem because a good pop album requires strong vocal performances. The first single, Personal Shopper, is a great example of this. The synth production is fantastic and musically, this song is amazing. The vocal melodies are well written and the female vocals on the chorus sound pretty good. But the falsetto verses are outside of Wilson's comfortable range and as a result it sounds spurious. The lyrics focus on one of the most overdone concepts in music (The typical breakup song is the only one I can immediately think of as more overdone) and is conveyed with clumsy delivery. Much of this album feels that way. There's a lot to like, but there's some glaring flaws that are hard to ignore. I welcome his venture into electropop and I think this album is stylistically more focused than his previous effort, but I can't help but wish that this was more of a collaboration with a skilled pop vocalist/lyricist.

    A lot of his fans are going to be disappointed that this isn't a prog record, but I applaud Wilson for trying new things. If you want to listen to prog, you can always listen to his back catalog. All bands reach that point where they need to go new directions to avoid becoming stale. But not everyone is capable of pulling off a KidA. Most bands end up in a tough spot where they either have to continue rehashing the sound they've done for decades, or go in new directions where they're not particularly impactful (See: Muse). I like that Steven Wilson is trying to expand into new genres, but the problem is that this genre requires a lot from the parts of his skillset that are lacking and exposes many of his flaws. This album both showcases his greatest strengths and his greatest flaws.    … Expand
  4. scline31
    Feb 4, 2021
    1
    I wonder if the concept has become more important than the music. At least he has a large back catalog to listen to.
  5. RDC04
    Feb 4, 2021
    1
    If you're looking for a prog record, you're going to be disappointed. If you're looking for a good electro-pop record, well you're also going to be disappointed. It's just simply not a good record (for any genre).
  6. ChefShwasty
    Feb 3, 2021
    2
    Steven Wilson has the absolute right to abandon his ambition and cash in on easy soulless pop music, and as a die-hard fan, I have the absolute right to hate it.

    Look, do I blame the dude? Absolutely not. If I had spent my entire life making some of the best music in existence only to receive mild acclaim, I'd be kinda mad, too. I'd want to do something easy. This is like a world class    Steven Wilson has the absolute right to abandon his ambition and cash in on easy soulless pop music, and as a die-hard fan, I have the absolute right to hate it.

    Look, do I blame the dude? Absolutely not. If I had spent my entire life making some of the best music in existence only to receive mild acclaim, I'd be kinda mad, too. I'd want to do something easy. This is like a world class chef with Michelin stars and multiple cook books buying a few McDonald's restaurants just to make a quick buck.

    This is the same man who has written Homeric Epics like "Anesthetize," "Arriving Somewhere Not Here," and "Time Flies." Someone who belongs in a Hall of Fame unto themselves for remastering, collaboration, and inspiration.

    And he's making terrible pop garbage.

    Within seconds of putting my CD in my car, I became a faceless drone of attention-seeking cacophony, because the distorted bass is the same thing your hear in every Walmart parking lot in the ghetto. That same guttural bass rumbling and license-plate slapping BRRRRRRT from people who have no qualms on trying to be deaf by their 40's.

    The music, itself, has the same pattern as someone who's recently drawn inspiration from blasé hackneyed artists like the Weeknd and Lorde, grinding through the paces of mediocrity like a high-schooler who downloaded a free app trying to emulate the much less sophomoric efforts of Daft Punk.

    What's most insulting is that the album feels like a parody of itself. Even the name "The Future Bites" insults you, insinuating that the current state of music is not to entertain, only to repress and neutralize your brain, but then flagrantly using every heartless computer program to ram another bass-drop down your throat. In the song "Eminent Sleaze," Wilson talks about skeezy, slimy, untrustworthy people who are only out for your money by brandishing a sharp suit and a fake smile.

    It's utterly ironic, intentional or not, that this album is the personification of the latter two things.

    I'm going to keep trying, but currently I just feel insulted as a fan of Wilson's. Maybe one day it will click. Maybe one day the silver pills and soma will just knock me into an unconscious state where I can appreciate something on this album.

    But until then, I think I'll throw on some Opeth and think of better times.    … Expand
  7. yorai
    Feb 3, 2021
    0
    this is nothing less than betrayal. abandoning his much dedicated crowd to make cheesy pop songs that will fade from your memory the second the album ends.
  8. ViceAVersa
    Jan 29, 2021
    8
    This has the potential to be one of my favorite records from Wilson. Its beauty, especially shown in the track KING GHOST, which the vocals and backing synths give the song a great atmosphere. Another example would be the track COUNT OF UNEASE, as its somber vibe makes this track one of the best in the album. I also like the concept of PERSONAL SHOPPER as it sets up the theme for theThis has the potential to be one of my favorite records from Wilson. Its beauty, especially shown in the track KING GHOST, which the vocals and backing synths give the song a great atmosphere. Another example would be the track COUNT OF UNEASE, as its somber vibe makes this track one of the best in the album. I also like the concept of PERSONAL SHOPPER as it sets up the theme for the entire album in my opinion. The most interesting part of the album was the transition to more of a heavily inspired electronic/indie record with 80s/90s influences, which I was a sucker for a couple years back. Lastly, the only problem I have with this album is how massive of a shift from this installment was from the previous, which is why a lot of people might be turned off by this record or possibly bring in many more fans in the process. Overall though, I still think this is a great and catchy record (in which this might the be Wilson's catchiest solo record) and I don’t mind the change.… Expand
  9. Pupplehaze
    Feb 5, 2021
    3
    His 'least interesting' offering to date. However, King Ghost is excellent, beautiful and amazing imho (ty SW). Moving on... 12 Things I Forgot is basically a Pete Frampton/Blackfield mix that I like, but it's ultimately weak and should be on a Blackfield album. Count of Ease shows that SW knows where to put a great track on an album, to give it a powerful finale. 2 great moments, 1His 'least interesting' offering to date. However, King Ghost is excellent, beautiful and amazing imho (ty SW). Moving on... 12 Things I Forgot is basically a Pete Frampton/Blackfield mix that I like, but it's ultimately weak and should be on a Blackfield album. Count of Ease shows that SW knows where to put a great track on an album, to give it a powerful finale. 2 great moments, 1 nostalgic track (wishing for a decent Blackfield album again) and the rest is drab mediocre pop that is trying to be edgy and sophisticated but is, ultimately and regrettably, forgettable.
    This is the first time in 6 albums I didn't by his 'super deluxe' version... and, thankfully, I feel like I dodged an expensive and non-essential bullet.    … Expand
  10. Almostred
    Feb 4, 2021
    8
    Judge this album for what it is, not what it isn't. What it isn't: a Porcupine Tree record replete with random key and time signature changes; noodly, interminable guitar solos; peripatetic ADHD toddler drumming, and whale noises. What it is: a mature and modern electronic pop album that employs a contemporary musical language to evoke the past without living in it. Wilson will never beJudge this album for what it is, not what it isn't. What it isn't: a Porcupine Tree record replete with random key and time signature changes; noodly, interminable guitar solos; peripatetic ADHD toddler drumming, and whale noises. What it is: a mature and modern electronic pop album that employs a contemporary musical language to evoke the past without living in it. Wilson will never be Bowie, but I'll bet now he knows how Bowie felt c. 1975 or so: "Yeah, 'Young Americans' is weird and makes me uncomfortable, so I'd appreciate if Bowie could un-invent himself, re-hire the Spiders from Mars, and do "Ziggy Stardust" again, just with different songs. But not too different."… Expand
  11. JLuis_001
    Jan 31, 2021
    7
    Changes are never easy, that's well known, and in music, changes are usually not welcomed, mostly by fans who stick to a sound or a style.

    I respect any musician who wants to get out of their comfort zone, this as long as the change is natural and more than anything that shows growth for them and their music. When Wilson released the first single, ''Personal Shopper'', the response    Changes are never easy, that's well known, and in music, changes are usually not welcomed, mostly by fans who stick to a sound or a style.

    I respect any musician who wants to get out of their comfort zone, this as long as the change is natural and more than anything that shows growth for them and their music.

    When Wilson released the first single, ''Personal Shopper'', the response from a certain part of the fans, wasn't positive. Wilson opted for a sound that was nothing like what he had done so far as a solo artist, and faced the dark side of progressive rock snobs.

    But frankly it doesn't matter anymore. The album's here and for better or worse, it represents Wilson's next step in his career.

    I personally enjoyed the album, it's fair to admit that it's not his best effort, but it's far from the failure that some were predicting.
    The album is short, but concise. Tracks like King Ghost, Eminent Sleaze and Man of the People are songs that feel completely different from anything he had done before, and yet you can feel that they are part of him, like the rest of his discography.

    Definitely the album flows quite well, but I admit that there are moments that feel a bit uneven, in this case I mean songs like 12 Things I Forgot, which I loved from the first time I heard it, but within the musical concept does not fit very well, especially because I think that its sound is much more similar to what he has done with Blackfield, than what he tries with the rest of the songs on this album.

    The other slump I would say belongs to Follower, which in my opinion is the weakest song on the entire album.

    Ultimately The Future Bites is accessible to all kinds of music lovers, perhaps many fans will not agree, and it's fair, but it's also fair that he seeks new paths and is not focused on satisfying a base.

    Obviously Wilson is looking to expand his horizons, and that always means losing fans, at the same time that he can gain many new ones.

    Notable Tracks

    > King Ghost
    > 12 Things I Forgot
    > Man of the People
    > Personal Shopper
    > Count of Unease    … Expand
  12. Kebber10
    Feb 6, 2021
    5
    My score lies between ripcord and AllMusic scores.. could listen to the whole album.. although heard interesting sounds along the way in general imho more akin with a 80s Peter Gabriel album, so a bit old school for the 2021s.
  13. GuitarPen
    Feb 6, 2021
    7
    With his 6th studio album, former Porcupine Tree frontman and Prog Rock wonderboy turns sharply into the digital netherworld, challenging his most ardent followers' expectations.

    After Wilson's brilliant Hand Cannot Erase and To the Bone, it was anyone's guess as to which direction he'd turn. Yet, the deep and profound songs of alienation and marginalization backed by more digital    With his 6th studio album, former Porcupine Tree frontman and Prog Rock wonderboy turns sharply into the digital netherworld, challenging his most ardent followers' expectations.

    After Wilson's brilliant Hand Cannot Erase and To the Bone, it was anyone's guess as to which direction he'd turn. Yet, the deep and profound songs of alienation and marginalization backed by more digital underpinnings such as "Routine," "Perfect Life," and "Permanating" should have tipped us off. The dangerous impact technology has in slowly stripping away our bodies' souls and transforming people into automatons continues to be the thread that runs through Wilson's most recent endeavors.

    Let's be clear, this is unlike anything you've ever heard from Wilson, and there are certain risks in steering down this path. It didn't bode well for Dennis DeYoung, and Styx with 1983's Kilroy was Here. "Mr. Roboto" remains the unfortunate example of how not to make this turn, and there are moments on this album that made me wonder if I was listening to a prog-rock mastermind or a failed Barry Gibb project from the late '80s.

    Still, there's an argument to be made for suspending your disbelief, dispelling your preconceived notions, and giving this album a good honest listen. In doing so, I was pleasantly surprised by several tracks. "12 Things I Forgot" is quintessential Wilson with confessional, soul-searing lyrics riding upon layers of acoustic guitar rhythm and piano. It would not be out of place on any Wilson or Porcupine Tree album. "Eminent Sleaze" is an innovative mix of genres and a song helped along by a strong chorus of backing female vocals, while " Follower" delivers poignant, timely lyrics upon smart and diverse sonic textures.

    In full disclosure, Wilson's recent dissing of Eddie Van Halen's playing style after his death and his sudden shift in genres may have clouded my opinion. Once I accepted the man as the shape-shifting virtuoso he is, I was able to appreciate The Future Bites for the smart and complex achievement that it is.

    - Guitar & Pen    … Expand
  14. photosilva
    Feb 10, 2021
    1
    sorry steven,,with respect: the fact of this album is not my cup of tea, is not because someone like me likes hard metal or prog or jazz, blues of hard rock! which i do all. the reason for this album being a very disappointed album in my opinion is due to factor of being more than nothing special, with the same old routine pop album that you can find it everywhere, anywhere but evensorry steven,,with respect: the fact of this album is not my cup of tea, is not because someone like me likes hard metal or prog or jazz, blues of hard rock! which i do all. the reason for this album being a very disappointed album in my opinion is due to factor of being more than nothing special, with the same old routine pop album that you can find it everywhere, anywhere but even better than this album. when artists goes from one area into another is something that i really admire. i seen 5 shows from porcupine tree and 7 from steven wilson and it looks like he wanted to provoke hard metal fans and make them to go away or at least to exempt himself from prog music. he always criticized in concerts people who likes guitar star players or hard metal, but if you are going to do something different, at least be different from the others, and that thing was always something steven did better than everyone else by creating a difference in his music. i know that electronics is a future state of mind of the new generations of musicians or non musicians, and the guitar instrument is fading away in this millenium decades, but this album didn't went well on me by not creating any other way for perfection we got used too with steven. when bands like silverchair, pain of salvation, imelda may, span and other bands decided to go into a different direction, they left behind something that was so amazing that would take decades to have such bands like that coming by or they would be the best in their style. porcupine tree was one of those examples: it sounded like radiohead, coldplay, dream theater, nine inch nails, pink floyd and other genres. this album would get into your ears very fast but it will fade away faster as well, at least for me. prog genre was always a name for me that represents various genres and that's the reason for me to call progressive music, because you never knew were they stand. this album is somehow the other way of that. it's justsounds like many thousands pops albums out there. it's like when a man gets married and gets kids, he tries to please his music more to his wife than too his fans,,,,and he achieved that,,,but like every other man, when you get tired of your wife and kids, the old mind will kick off and it will come back soon or later. i still admire steven wilson for his dedication and i will never stop going to his shows. look at this point: even in his shows when he lost money because he wanted to produce an amazing and different live show, and only to a small bunch of people,,,he did that because he wanted to leave people shocked from their performance and the visual aspects from being different. people would get out and say: **** what the hell did i just watch,,amazing shows, and next time he would perform another show, i would come back with more invited people to witness his shows,,,they all loved their live shows but they also didn't like this album either.… Expand
  15. Eraldocoil
    Feb 17, 2021
    0
    Steven Wilson perdió el toque, sus últimos álbumes han ido decayendo ya que cada vez más va siendo reemplazado el rock por el pop.
  16. Acid3P
    Feb 18, 2022
    9
    Steven Wilson fights for the position of alternative pop king! However, he will have to dethrone Beck, so the most logical outcome of this duel could be a joint album. We'll see where his next musical steps will lead. Anyway, THE FUTURE BITES
    is the culmination of Wilson's work to date, and features weighty themes underscored by surgically perfect production at the intersection of pop and    Steven Wilson fights for the position of alternative pop king! However, he will have to dethrone Beck, so the most logical outcome of this duel could be a joint album. We'll see where his next musical steps will lead. Anyway, THE FUTURE BITES
    is the culmination of Wilson's work to date, and features weighty themes underscored by surgically perfect production at the intersection of pop and electronica. The instrumental complexity of the simpler motifs doesn't even need to be mentioned at first listen.    … Expand
  17. GratefulNate
    Nov 11, 2022
    8
    Steven's still a hell of a songwriter. Is this album as good as Hand Cannot Erase, Raven, or To The Bone? No it definitely isn't but DAMN is this a good album.

    Steven plays a lot more into the electronic side of his influences which I can admire. This is incredibly apparent with songs like King Ghost, Personal Shopper, and Eminent Sleaze, all of which have a very 80s new wave/synthpop    Steven's still a hell of a songwriter. Is this album as good as Hand Cannot Erase, Raven, or To The Bone? No it definitely isn't but DAMN is this a good album.

    Steven plays a lot more into the electronic side of his influences which I can admire. This is incredibly apparent with songs like King Ghost, Personal Shopper, and Eminent Sleaze, all of which have a very 80s new wave/synthpop vibe to them while tackling modern topics like mental health and predatory capitalism.

    However, the rock cuts on this record stand out for me as some of the BEST work he's ever done.

    -Unself/Self - This album starts off with a two part opener that would sound right at home on To The Bone with a special guest appearance from Japan/Porcupine Tree key player Richard Barbieri.

    -12 Things I Forgot - I feel like this is a love letter to everyone who grew up idealizing the real world in their youth who now struggle to assimilate into a society that has neglected them. All the while bound together with Steven's guitar playing that evokes George Harrison's spiritual-like melodies in albums like 33 1/3 or Living in the Material World coupled with backing harmonies reminiscent of Dark Side of the Moon era Pink Floyd.

    -Man of the People - Steven goes for a more political tone with this track all the while evoking echoes of early Porcupine Tree on this one. Brilliant lyrics and an incredibly catchy chorus

    -Follower - Like we got in To The Bone with Same Asylum as Before, Steven captures some energy from Porcupine Tree's most popular period and gives it a modern twist.

    Also don't miss the Elton John cameo on Personal Shopper.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. Under The Radar
    Feb 10, 2021
    75
    If The Future Bites is heard as a provocative record, it also underscores how Wilson continues to creatively challenge himself.
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  2. No Ripcord
    Feb 5, 2021
    30
    The Future Bites is the worst sounding album he’s ever put out.
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  3. Record Collector
    Feb 5, 2021
    100
    It’s hard to imagine a more prescient-sounding record than one that explores how nascent technologies affect our motivations as modern consumers at a time when we’re all frantically buying online to stave off the effects of lockdown. The songs dealing directly with this are The Future Bites’ most captivating. ... There’s no need for the buyer to be wary here. The Future Bites is guaranteed to weather the ravages of time.
    Read full review
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