Continuing in the growing commercial vein of their previous releases, Porcupine Tree's In Absentia may be the most accessible release to ever spew forth from the group. Rolling electronic percussion blends with simple and solid live drumming to provide an understated backbeat as perennial Tree leader Steven Wilson pastes his complicated pop over the proceedings. Wilson's ability to bury his layered vocals in mountains of spacy electric guitar without drowning out his fragile lyrics is still a valued feature of the music, and the rare moments of clarity that his vocals display are breathtaking in their power. A reliance on a somewhat gothic heavy metal sound makes for some bizarre moments, especially when held up against his gentler material. The best example of this is the chugging "Wedding Nails," which recalls Dream Theater in its grandiose scope without utilizing the same sort of technical wizardry. But Wilson manages to bridge the gap between the various genres he utilizes, creating an environment where his haunting melodies could take a drastic turn at any minute. Porcupine Tree also continue their Radiohead fascination, although the influence is much less direct than on their last few efforts. Instead, it comes through at odd intervals, like the moments of sparse instrumentation on the otherwise lush "Heartattack in a Lay By." Sonically gorgeous and deceivingly complex, In Absentia has the most immediate appeal of anything Wilson has released under this moniker up to this point. By keeping the songs at manageable lengths and avoiding the avant-garde electronica flourishes of the band's early days, Porcupine Tree has grown into a fully realized pop group without cutting any of the elements that also make them an important force in the /p>
eo-prog movement.
You'll find no indecision around the Ripple office when it comes to Porcupine Tree. I first discovered these cats after reading a one-page blurb in Classic Rock Magazine. Intrigued, I picked up the CD and passed the word on to the Pope, who picked up the PT baton and ran with it.For good reason.Arguably, no single individual has left his stamp on the developing world of neo-prog more indelibl...
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This is an outstanding LP. They do a great mix of instruments. Good tempo/emotion switches from high to low and back.If you haven't gotten in to Porcupine Tree, this is a great album to start off on.
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So, word has it that not many MOGgers are familiar with "Porcupine Tree":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_tree. I think that we should "change that":http://annazrk.multiply.com/music/item/75. If Interpol sound too British to be American, then these guys sound too American to be British. Enjoy.
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This song was just released by PT. It was originally done during sessions for "In Absentia" but was omitted because they felt it was "too cheerful" for the mood of that album.And now, since we're all in the mood for PT...Dried up, a guitar upon my knee I should have sold out when the devil came for me Dig a hole and throw it out to sea Break the code, how happy I could beI still wave at the dot...
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I never hear muzak in elevators anymore, guess the old masters decided to let anxiety go unabated. Even the songs they spin at the market or pharmacy don't fit the old sterile definitions. Or maybe the conventional wisdom on late-stage Roxy Musicish stylings have pushed them over the edge. But mostly, I just wanted to see for myself.
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So, word has it that not many MOGgers are familiar with "Porcupine Tree":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_tree. I think that we should "change that":http://annazrk.multiply.com/music/item/75. If Interpol sound too British to be American, then these guys sound too American to be British. Enjoy.
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I've been asked on occasion where I get my music, and I once responded, tongue in cheek, that to tell would mean I'd have to kill the person asking.Perhaps it would have been better to tell, especially with the trend I see emerging. This is probably old news, but like the frog in boiling water, we can't be apathetic about what's going on. The heat is being turned up and we continue to swim as i...
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One of the interesting things about new songs that get posted on MOG is the 'first listen' activity that forces us to look past the innate musical appreciation trait in which 'first listens' don't tell us whether or not we really like the song. For example, in my case first listens are often unappreciated, or I find myself fidgeting and wanting to put something on that I know I enjoy. Music I e...
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This could be a post about getting your back scratched, or hanging a picture, or placing a piece of furniture for your significant other. It's none of those. What it is about is the timeless exercise undertaken by audiophiles everywhere immediately after a move to a new home, apartment, or some other hovel where said audiophile's precious equipment, namely the loudspeakers in this case, will be...
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I'm trying to hold a "Fest" for musicians that think the music world is getting run down by Censors... I need some support for this Fest.ITS CALLED SLAVE TO THE SOUND FEST AND IT MIGHT BE HELD SOON SO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR MORE POSTS...To support this Fest send me posts of any ideas you have about it. because I've never put on anything this big before.THANX
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You'll find no indecision around the Ripple office when it comes to Porcupine Tree. I first discovered these cats after reading a one-page blurb in Classic Rock Magazine. Intrigued, I picked up the CD and passed the word on to the Pope, who picked up the PT baton and ran with it.For good reason.Arguably, no single individual has left his stamp on the developing world of neo-prog more indelibl...
More >
This is an outstanding LP. They do a great mix of instruments. Good tempo/emotion switches from high to low and back.If you haven't gotten in to Porcupine Tree, this is a great album to start off on.
More >
Click to enlarge the image brought to you by Lemur Digital Arts & Crafts Inc. ©Results of week 38-39:Which one is more trés cuteé and disarmingly charming? Pip Brown (Ladyhawke) OR Katie White (The Ting Tings)?Pip Brown (Ladyhawke) 20 (51%)Katie White (The Ting Tings) 19 (48%)Total votes: 39OMG, YES! You, my beloved readers, are RIGHT! You CAN'T choose between to alt QTs! 50/50 was the official
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My favorite Porcupine Tree track. The entire album is great, but this song is amazing
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Blackest Eyes |
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| 2 Trains |
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| 3 Lips of Ashes |
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| 4 The Sound of Muzak |
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| 5 Gravity Eyelids |
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| 6 Wedding Nails |
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| 7 Prodigal |
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| 8 3 |
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| 9 The Creator Has a Mastertape |
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| 10 Heartattack in a Lay By |
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| 11 Strip the Soul |
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| 12 Collapse the Light into Earth |
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Click to purchase…
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 "In Absentia")
