NIL RECURRING

As a huge fan of "Fear of a Blank Planet" I was very eager to get my hands on this album, which amounts to a nice companion for the major release. In the end it's a relatively short but engaging collection of songs.

Consisting of four songs developed during the creative phase of FOABP, "Nil Recurring" is not only a fascinating insight into an "alternate" version of the major album, but a damn fine collections of songs to boot. I haven't researched the chronological order of how these songs came about - whether the NR versions came before, after, or alongside those on FOABP, and to be honest I don't care. These versions stand on their own merit. In parts you will hear melodies, choruses and riffs taken straight out of FOABP, but built around these are entirely different arrangements. To me, it's very interesting to hear the tangents that were explored on these songs and the similarities and differences from the songs that were eventually released on FOABP.

Even though you could conclude these were B-sides, they don't sound that way. The production values are terrific, and the arrangements themselves are well thought out. It's not a matter of changing a lyric here, a lead break there, or adding an extra verse. These are new compositions with their own personality. In short, they are great songs, which most bands would be happy to label as their first choice material.

At just under 30 minutes duration, this is not a lengthy release. There might be the argument that it could have been included with FOABP as a bonus. In fact, I usually only listen to "Nil Recurring" as an extension to FOABP at the end of that album. However, there's enough merit in Nil Recurring for me to be satisfied that it justifies a standalone release.

"Nil Recurring" is not necessarily a good starting point for those new to Porcupine Tree, but for established fans it comes highly recommended.

7.5/10