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Points: 12608 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 16 2012 at 19:08
I'm just getting into Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree. First I got the live album "Coma Divine", and indeed it is a great album. Then I got "Grace for Drowning", and really loved it too. Now I got "In Absentia" and "Fear of a Blank Planet", and I'm still loving what he's done, but somehow I think I want to get some more pre-Harrison albums next... that spacier atmosphere from "Coma Divine" was somwhat special and I kind of want some more of it.
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Points: 2111 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 16 2012 at 22:03
Originally posted by Argonaught Argonaught wrote:

I suspect I may be not a hard-core PT admirer, because I don't care much for their pre-Harrison output. The earlier PT were profound and inspired, but a little too experimental and not sufficiently mature (to my ears). Speaking of the lyrics, the weirdness sometimes outweighed the wit, I'm afraid. 

Therefore, I think In Absentia and Deadwing were in a way what Rubber Soul and Revolver had been for the Beatles, a spectacular  transition from a "curiosity" into a "unique phenomenon". Thus, FOABP became their Sgt Pepper and beyond. There is simply no other album that could be compared to FOABP in terms of contents, execution, exquisite musicianship and extraordinary engineering. In my book, FOABP is worth as much as all of the Pink Floyd, King Crimson and Yes output in the early 1970's. . 

The Incident, while an excellent album in its own right, wasn't as fundamental and majestic as FOABP ('Let It Be?')

I also think that Wilson's recent solo albums again shifted towards more experimental contents (the absence of Gavin Harrison?), and I have no place in my heart for IEM, No-Man, Bass Communion, let alone Blackfield and Storm Corrosion.  


 
Interesting perspective, Argonaught. I think The Beatles comparison was a little off though. We must remember that The Beatles started off very much a pop band whereas PT were always an experimental band first and foremost. PT was a way for Wilson to take a lot of risks in the studio. Signify was an obvious step forward and the first "official" band album. Anyway, your compliments about Fear For A Blank Planet are getting me really excited to hear it. I've already listened to Anesthetize from the album and it's one of the best PT songs I've heard so far. I think this particular song was a my gateway into the band, because not long after I heard I did some serious re-evaluation of Wilson's music.


Edited by Mirror Image - August 16 2012 at 22:03
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 16 2012 at 22:33
FoaBP has my favorite PT song. Way Out Of Here, it's the perfect hybridization of the band's talents. Great vocals, flawless drums, eerie keys, emergent bass, the metal climax - all superb. Love the song so much - though when i think of it, i should like other songs more. Hmm
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Points: 2111 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 16 2012 at 22:51
Originally posted by Horizons Horizons wrote:

FoaBP has my favorite PT song. Way Out Of Here, it's the perfect hybridization of the band's talents. Great vocals, flawless drums, eerie keys, emergent bass, the metal climax - all superb. Love the song so much - though when i think of it, i should like other songs more. Hmm


 
I would say Anesthetize has those ingredients as well. Wink Wouldn't you?
 


Edited by Mirror Image - August 16 2012 at 22:52
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 00:22
I don't enjoy Anesthetize as much for some reason. Steven doesn't do epics as well.
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Points: 2111 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 00:30
Originally posted by Horizons Horizons wrote:

I don't enjoy Anesthetize as much for some reason. Steven doesn't do epics as well.
 
I mean what's not to like about this song? I mean I respect that it's not your cup of tea, but I find it surprising that you don't connect with the song in some way or another.
 
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to hearing Grace In Drowning and Storm Corrosion. What do you think about these? I heard they're quite different not only from PT albums but from each other as well.
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 00:40
I still like Anesthetize, just Way Out Of Here clicks much better. After Lifeson's solo it gets boring and dragged out to keep my attention until the first chorus. Even then, Way Out Of Here has a better chorus. 
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Points: 2111 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 00:45
Originally posted by Horizons Horizons wrote:

I still like Anesthetize, just Way Out Of Here clicks much better. After Lifeson's solo it gets boring and dragged out to keep my attention until the first chorus. Even then, Way Out Of Here has a better chorus. 


 
Wow, you and me are definitely on a different page when it comes to Porcupine Tree! But this is a good thing. I found Anesthetize outstanding from start to finish.
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 00:49
Just that mid section of the song, possisbly the worst part of the song to be the least interested. LOL

1. Sky Moves Sideways Phase 1
2. Buying New Soul
3. Even Less (Extended)
4. Anesthetize 
5. Burning Sky

Is prolly how my list would go for favorite songs over 10 minutes.
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Points: 26171 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 01:35
The best thing about Anesthetize is thats its very original. It doesn't really have the structure of a traditional prog epic because it isn't a prog epic. It displays how the band had evolved and the importance of Gavin Harrison to PT is stamped on this track especially.
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Points: 2809 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 04:06
1983 -> 2000: Good to brilliant.
2001 ->Today: Meh (honourable exception: Insurgentes).
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Points: 2549 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 16:13
Originally posted by Horizons Horizons wrote:

I still like Anesthetize, just Way Out Of Here clicks much better. After Lifeson's solo it gets boring and dragged out to keep my attention until the first chorus. Even then, Way Out Of Here has a better chorus. 



I don't think the song is boring, really (I like repetition) but I have to say, Lifeson's solo is the best part of the song by a whole lot.
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Points: 26133 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 17:43
My favorite tunes

Shesmovedon
Arriving Somewhere But Not Here
The Sky Moves Sideways
Fear of a Blank Planet
Blackest Eyes

so I'm a pretty vanilla PT fan. Tongue
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Points: 809 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 17 2012 at 19:37
Originally posted by Ambient Hurricanes Ambient Hurricanes wrote:

Originally posted by Horizons Horizons wrote:

I still like Anesthetize, just Way Out Of Here clicks much better. After Lifeson's solo it gets boring and dragged out to keep my attention until the first chorus. Even then, Way Out Of Here has a better chorus. 



I don't think the song is boring, really (I like repetition) but I have to say, Lifeson's solo is the best part of the song by a whole lot.

Not all of the song is repetitive. Listen to the drumming! Excellent.
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Points: 17499 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 18 2012 at 22:49
I like Porcupine Tree....all of their albums.
I like Steven Wilson solo efforts. It took me seeing him live last April to fully appreciate GFD, I always liked Insurgentes.
I like Blackfield a lot....I cannot sit and listen to Storm Corrosion, its background music for me.
 
I like that Steven Wilson is an analog guy too, all the PT, SW vinyl I have is musically better than any CD or Digital I have.
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Points: 5093 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 19 2012 at 05:57
I have all the PT studio albums from Up The Downstair to In Absentia plus Coma Divine, but none of the later ones and, believe it or not I haven't heard Grace For Drowning yet, so my judgement is limited.
 
Of the ones I have In Absentia is my favourite but I'm getting increasingly curious about Grace For Drowning with all its praise, it's just that I could not buy much new music recently and somehow I put other albums higher in the priority list, but I guess that some day Grace will make it to the shopping cart, probably sooner rather than later. 
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Points: 1413 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 19 2012 at 06:55

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

The best thing about Anesthetize is thats its very original. It doesn't really have the structure of a traditional prog epic because it isn't a prog epic. It displays how the band had evolved and the importance of Gavin Harrison to PT is stamped on this track especially.

Amen, amen and once again amen. 

It winds down, though, with (what appears to me) a Dark Side of the Moon-inspired texture in the 3rd section. Otherwise, Anesthetize is unlike anything else.   

An extra amen to Mr. Harrison's role. 
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Points: 7971 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 19 2012 at 09:09
Originally posted by Catcher10 Catcher10 wrote:

I like Porcupine Tree....all of their albums.
I like Steven Wilson solo efforts. It took me seeing him live last April to fully appreciate GFD, I always liked Insurgentes.
I like Blackfield a lot....I cannot sit and listen to Storm Corrosion, its background music for me.
 
I like that Steven Wilson is an analog guy too, all the PT, SW vinyl I have is musically better than any CD or Digital I have.


WTF? Even the very first studio album? Shocked
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Points: 296 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 19 2012 at 09:41
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Points: 1413 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 19 2012 at 09:57
Originally posted by CCVP CCVP wrote:

Originally posted by Catcher10 Catcher10 wrote:

I like Porcupine Tree....all of their albums.
I like Steven Wilson solo efforts. It took me seeing him live last April to fully appreciate GFD, I always liked Insurgentes.
I like Blackfield a lot....I cannot sit and listen to Storm Corrosion, its background music for me.
 
I like that Steven Wilson is an analog guy too, all the PT, SW vinyl I have is musically better than any CD or Digital I have.


WTF? Even the very first studio album? Shocked


Well, some (in face, many) people value Wilson's "experi-mentality" over the quality of musicianship and songwriting; obviously, you - and I - prefer to see both.  

You can trace gradual progression in musicianship throughout the 90's, culminating in Lightbulb Sun. That's how far Wilson had been able to travel with his then-PT team. 

Replacement of Maitland with Harrison added a much-needed dimension to the sound and texture of PT to match the advances in their creativity. It signified a quantum leap in their musicianship and  opened new horizons for the band. Where Maitland used to simply hit his kit with sticks to maintain rhythm, Harrison came in and started sculpting uniquely lush, complex world-class music (IMHO). 

If you listen and compare to Shemovedon on Deadwing vs. on Lightbulb Sun, the difference is almost unbelievable. On Lightbulb Sun is sounds thinnish, bleak and lightweight. On Deadwing, only 4-5 years later, it's a mighty symphonic ballad... huge difference.   
 





 

 
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