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Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair CD (album) cover

UP THE DOWNSTAIR

Porcupine Tree

 

Heavy Prog

3.88 | 1132 ratings

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TheEliteExtremophile
3 stars 1993's Up the Downstair was originally intended as another double album. However, Steven Wilson opted instead to release it as a single disc, after lopping off the massive "Voyage 34" suite. Up the Downstair is a notable improvement over On the Sunday of Life, though it's still something of a mixed bag. Pointless interludes continue to litter Wilson's work, and his love of cosmic ambiance weighs the album down. But "Synesthesia" is a brilliant, catchy song that weds the astral complexities of early-70s Pink Floyd with the catchiness of '80s synthpop. The title track marks Wilson's first collaboration with Richard Barbieri, who would eventually join Porcupine Tree as their keyboardist. Electronics are prominent, drawing heavily from acts like Ozric Tentacles and some of the synthier corners of krautrock. "Burning Sky" features similar influences. Synths underpin searing guitars to create an enjoyable (if less-than-original) atmosphere.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/11/24/deep-dive-porcupine-tree-steven-wilson/

TheEliteExtremophile | 3/5 |

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