It seems to be in the question box thingy......

 

I've voted IA many times before, today I'll vote Lightbulb Sun

 

I tried to make that show, but couldn't. Congrats there.

 

But I am baffled as to how people say that they lost their "sparkle" or their "creative edge" over the past few albums. Why? Because they're heavier?  To me, The Incident is far far superior to Stupid Dream, which sounds cold to me. Just as an example.

 

To each his own, of course, but I think a lot of people are associating growing popularity with declining quality when all that's really going on is a sonic progresson.

 

This, with Deadwing up there.

 

I love the early albums Up The Downstair and TSMS.  Of the latest albums I prefer Deadwing and The Incident.  On the subject of The Incident I really cannot for the life of me understand the flak this gets.  I think it's absolutely outstanding.  For me, it's their best effort since the mid-90s.

 

My vote goes to The Sky Moves Sideways, the rest of my top 5 at present are:-

 

2.  The Incident

3.  Up The Downstair

4.  Deadwing

5.  Stupid Dream

 

All are good though!

I might go with In Absentia today. That is one of my personal favourites. I've always been partial to Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun era- PT, too. This is a hard decision. 

I'll say In Absentia. 

I am surprised The Incident isn't getting any votes. I thought it was the best album of '09 personally. 

I couldn't agree more Kashmir .  The Incident is a fantastic album and I really think I should have put it at number 1 rather than 2 as I did when I first posted.  It was certainly my favourite album of 2009 and that in a year when there were so many excellent releases.

 

It appears as though this is an album that is loved by the minority and hated by the majority, even some PT fanboys .  We may be in the minority here but we know we're right .

 

The Sky Moves Sideways and Fear Of A Blank Planet. These two albums for me personally, have everything that I look for in an album. They need to be listened to from start to finish in order for them to make full sense, they take you on a journey.

 

The Sky Moves Sideways was the 1st album I purchased by PT, and I had never heard a single note by this band until I put that CD on and I was blown away, similar to when I descovered Pink Floyd. Fear Of A Blank Planet had exactly the same effect on me. Whilst the other albums I have mentioned are extremely strong, there are songs on all of them that I care little for. On Signify I always have to skip Idiot Prayer and Intermediate Jesus. Four Chords that Made A million on Lightbulb Sun is argubly the worst song Steven Wilson has ever written. In Absentia has Lips Of Ashes, which whilst quite plesant at times, is also quite boring, I don't like Wedding Nails, whilst Gravity Eyelids is over-long but can be forgiven when it finally kicks in. Deadwing is a very strong album though, I can listen to this in it's entirety without a problem and the issues I have with songs on this album or minor. I find Lazarus a lbit too commercial and repetative and after listening to Half-Light I can't help but find Glass Arm Shattering a little wanting, although it does fit into the albums sound much better than if Half-Light had of been included instead.

 

FOABP is the album I have to choose though. Anesthetize,for me, is there ultimate achievement, whilst the other songs fit in perfectly around it and it's themes to create the perfect record for me. I also think Sleep Together is very underrated. It is a brilliant example of prog.