Porcupine Tree

[Soubasse]

Just bumping this for no reason other than to say that Art Rock, I finally managed to take up your recommendation above and have at last procured a copy of In Absentia which is getting just as many repeated listenings now as Deadwing has previously - what a marvellous album! Blackest Eyes and Trains make for excellent opening tracks. I also particularly like Wedding Nails and .3 However the absolute winners were the tragic Heart Attack In A Lay-By and Collapse The Light Into Earth which had me in tears; simple, sad and beautiful song.

Must try to grab Fear Of A Blank Planet now - I'm well hooked. This story has a bit of a bitter sting though as they're touring Australia next month and it's highly unlikely I'll be able to afford to go! (Mainly because of plane fares and accomodation). I've even been in correspondence with Richard Barbieri a few times, but I doubt I'll get to meet up with any of them let alone him ... dammit!!

[Art Rock]

Glad you like it. Heart Attack In A Lay-By is my second favourite song by them, only surpassed by the epic The sky moves sideways.

[Art Rock]

A review of their magnificent new album can be found on my blog:
http://artrock2006.blogspot.com/2008...-of-blank.html

[Fretless]

Fear of a Blank Planet seems to get a lot of bad mouthing by fans, but I think the album is fantastic and I've actually played it more than In Absentia, I think. The drumming in particular is jaw dropping.

[Soubasse]

I've only heard three tracks from FOABP so far and have liked all of them very much (especially Sleep Together - unsettlingly great). The video for FOABP was terrifying (but most of that opinion is from the parent and teacher side of me).

Oh and btw, the sting has gone and I have managed to scrounge enough cash combined with Frequent Flyer points and am making a very quick trip to Melbourne for their gig this Friday. The fact that Richard Barbieri also put me on the guest list was more than just a bit of added incentive!

[Andrew Roussak]

Hey Soubasse,

have fun on the gig! I 've never seen PT live, but they come sometimes to play here in South Germany ( or Elsasse in France ), so I'll get my chance I hope... Those colleagues of me who had visited their gigs before were really impressed...Must be great, as I think.

Btw I like FEAR... better than In Absentia - I find this album more homogeneous somehow.

[Soubasse]

Well, I'll start with "apart froms": Apart from being the shortest visit to Melbourne EVER (I'm used to staying more than just 11 hours), and the fact that the venue was not great, and the sound for the support band was awful which made me a little nervous for PT, and the fact that it was all ear-bleedingly loud, it was quite a good show.

They exploded onto stage with Fear Of A Blank Planet and they followed it with many a quality track primarily handpicked from the rest of FOABP (including Anesthetize, Way Out Of Here, and the apocalyptic Sleep Together which finished the main set before encores). Tracks from In Absentia were The Sound Of Muzak, Blackest Eyes and Trains which was the first encore. From Deadwing we were treated to Lazarus, Open Car and Halo which was the very last song for the night. There were a couple of earlier tracks but only one of which I recognised which was Hatesong. I felt it was a very well balanced set list which didn't leave a "virgin" audience wanting for much, although there were personal favourites that I missed such as Shallow, Arriving Somewhere, Heart Attack In A Lay-By, etc. But what we did get was a strong set showing their live skills to the fore. The performances were as tight as they were slick.

Some minor downsides: I thought Richard Barbieri's work could have come to the fore a little more (and yes, I possibly am a little biased thanks to his kind favours to me, but, for example, I couldn't clearly hear the strings in Sleep Together and they really make that song, especially toward the end). I thought even some of Colin Edwin's playing wasn't as noticeable as it could have been. And my main complaint was that the decibel level was so high, it would often detract from the overall balance. I'm actually very glad I thought to take my earplugs otherwise I suspect they might still be ringing. In the end, though, it was a quality set list from a high-quality band, and what surprised me the most (for Australia) was the large percentage of the audience that were singing along to so many of the songs.

It was great meeting up and chatting with Richard Barbieri and the rest of the group after the show too. They're a quiet, almost humble bunch, somewhat belying what they produce on stage

[shadoworec]

pt is absolutly amazing, my favorite album was actually up the downstairs

[almauro]

I love Stupid Dream and In Absentia. Their earlier stuff infused more heavy metal with their more melodic electronic and acoustic elements. If you like the darker metal side on PT, check out albums Steve Wilson produced for the legendary Swedish Prog Death Metal group, Opeth, beginning with the CD Blackwater Park. Like Porcupine, they also push the extreme of soft and heavy.

\

[kkhanna2020]

Porcupine Tree is definitely good...But my favorite Progressive metal band is Dream theater...

[Soubasse]

Bumping again for no other reason other than to say that for anyone who may have missed the news, there is a new PT album "The Incident" not far off now.

http://www.myspace.com/porcupinetree

http://www.porcupinetree.com/news.cfm

[30M]

I am going to see Porcupine tree in Decemeber in Wolverhampton. can't wait. A real modern twist to the prog rock journey. blackest eyes is their definitive song has a bit of everything. Amazing drummer who has now also joined King crimson so he must be useful. Deadwing is a great album with fave track 'mellotron scratch' awsome.

Highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to expand their listening in this genre.

Jon at 30M

[Soubasse]

Procured a copy of The Incident today, have just started listening (and greatly enjoying). Will give a mini-review later if anyone is interested.

Cheers,
Matt

[Bondarus]

I have to say, I love this band.

Its only in recent years that they've come to my attention with the 'Fear of a blank planet' album.

I heard a sample track on a cd that came free with a magazine and was absolutely hooked.

I don't have 'The incident' yet but have heard 'Time flys' and really like it.

There is another band I'd recommend to you if you enjoy Porcupine Tree, and that is Enochian Theory.

http://www.enochiantheory.co.uk/?q=high

http://www.myspace.com/enochiantheoryband

They are a very melodic new progressive rock band also from England. Their new cd is very good.

[Buttercup89]

I'll be seeing them in Copenhagen soon... and as for favorite albums, Deadwing and FOABP get the most repeats with me. Favorite song by them is, without a doubt, Halo.