 "another good band" | 2009-10-20 |
| - Reviewed By bebop555 |
Porcupine Tree is another good band n it sounds a little like pink floyd, an some of thier music sounds like the band called OZRIC TENTACLES too.
I discovered them because some one else is also a fan of ozric tentacles an told me that Porcupine Tree is another good band, that I should check out so I did an I didn't regret it.
If you like this band then also check out HAWKWIND, STEVE HILLAGE, GONG, OZRIC TENTACLES, an whatever else progressive/psychedelic space rock bands.
So for those who likes pink floyd then this band is for you because some of their music almost sounds like em.
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| "Best Band On Earth...........Period!!!!!" | 2009-07-17 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1UD81Q0J886PC |
Fan..#&^!*%.......tastic!!!
This recording takes one across a musical spectrum. They sound just as good "live". It won't be long before the whole world knows about Steven Wilson. "Musics' Best Kept Secret" |
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 "Usually good though hardly great" | 2009-03-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A8IFUOL8S9BZC |
| These guys have been pretty consistent in offering long doses of space-prog-rock from early studio discs onward, but have rarely offered stronger dosages of hard musical consistency amongst so many of these lengthy excursions. |
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| "Hear The Evening Break" | 2009-03-01 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
This may be one of my favorite albums from PT, at least from their early phase. Other good ones to get are Stupid Dream or In Absentia, depending on which era you want to try out. This, however, is a masterful representation of what they can do. Don't be fooled by all the Pink Floyd references. If this is Pink Floyd, then it's Pink Floyd on a lot of acid, with techno, totally amped up guitars, and a producer who isn't afraid to do all sorts of crazy stuff with arrangements. This may be Floydian at its core, but it's Floydian in a way that Tool is like Metallica. Line up something like Schism with something like One, and you can see the similarities, but Tool is a unique band by itself.
This album is one that seems to last forever. I rarely listen to any individual songs (although the alternate take of the title track is good as a stand-alone), instead choosing to take in the whole album. In fact, as much as I can remember, I've only ever listened to this album one way: lying on a mattress or couch, volume turned up, lights turned off. This would, I have to admit, be a fascinating album to listen to under the influence of acid.
The absolutely euphoric opening section of the first track often sends me soaring into the atmosphere, only to be torn down with that menacing line "We lost the skyline." And then, after that cathartic burst of trippiness in the chorus ("Sometimes its only afterwards I find that I'm not there") a huge Ozric Tentacles jam washes over us. The first song closes out with gentle plucking guitar that creates a nice soundscape. On this version, we then have Dislocated Day, an absolutely jarring piece that obviously showcases Wilson's penchant for metal, something he is exploiting in his career now. Then there's The Moon Touches Your Shoulder, a very typical PT acoustic ballad, but I love it, especially because of the jamming riff that shows up in the second half. Prepare Yourself is often panned as filler, but I really like it, Wilson is great at making little ambient soundscapes. The album closes with the second phase of the title track, which starts with a little spacey section that is probably the closest to Pink Floyd you'll find on the whole album (there's a synth in the beginning that sounds like it was lifted straight out of Wish You Were Here). This moves on to a blasting jam that's much louder than anything from the first phase, and then closes with a reprise of the very first theme (this section also features one of my favorite Steven Wilson guitar solos). The ocean slowly washes over you, and you come out of the other end feeling like you've spent 45 minutes in eternity.
The bonus disk is pretty strong too. The alternate take of the title track is great, especially the Floydian part of the second phase, which is instead transformed into a laid-back techno jam, very unique indeed. Sometimes, however, I miss the original track, especially at the very end when we miss out on Wilson's guitar solo, and it seems like the original is a little better mixed as well. Stars Die is a beautiful shuffling ballad, sublime. Moonloop gets a little trickier, but it should be familiar territory to fans of King Crimson, as it is very similar to Moonchild, as the name implies.
In general, I highly recommend this album if you're into space rock or progressive rock, fans of Pink Floyd and Ozric Tentacles alike. If you find this album to be too inaccessible, go for Up The Downstair, a slightly more accessible album from PT's spacey years, or even go straight to one of their later albums which are much tighter and more song-structured. Either way, it's PT, and you can't go wrong. |
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| "Tree has Deep 70's Roots" | 2008-11-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A32238G43WEUKV |
| Great album all around, both disks make for delicious background or a deep insightful listen. If you liked Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream and the Rhythm Devils then you will surely enjoy this 2 hour flight. I just watched Resident Evil 3 (muted) while listening to this entire album. It was a much better movie. 70's classic Floyd sound with lots of twists, turns and surprises. Highly recommended. |
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| "Dreamy atmospheric music par excellence" | 2008-10-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3QTSCTRZF3VGY |
Porcupine Tree, the London prog band, has more talent and versatility than they know what to do with. I note reviews that compare them to Yes, King Crimson and some other earlier prog outfits, but where Yes and ELP and their ilk could easily and often stepped into virtuosity blahdom, PT wisely stay away from the stuffiness and pretentiousness that makes me dislike that genre overall.
Much more acccurately, "The Sky Moves Sideways" fills a gap between Pink Ployd and "I Robot"-era Alan Parsons Project, and while one wouldn't think there was much room to squeeze in between those two spacy outfits, PT do, and what a delightful blend it is. Imagine David Gilmour rocking out just a tad harder, and Floyd's "Meddle" mellowness minus the Roger Waters' antisocial thematics, with a dollop of space music and you get the idea.
Far from dull, always intriguing, and extremely hypnotic, this double disc belongs in every home. No one track stands out - rather, the set is a cohesive workout, that moves seamlessly and takes us into the stars, away from the chaos and hatred of this vile world, even if it's only for a little while. |
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