IN ABSENTIA

As I go into this one, I rate myself at level 3.5?I know the album pretty well, but not quite at expert level. This was my introduction to the world of Porcupine Tree. I am surprised that this one isn't higher on the list, really. The Incident is usually considered inferior to this one, but it is several positions higher. This is actually the lowest ranked of the PT albums that made the list, but I don't think I'll agree. Of course, we just did Insurgentes on Monday, which is Steven Wilson's first Solo album, and Wilson has been a collaborator on a few previous entries.

Track 1 - Blackest Eyes

My gateway PT song and still one of my favorites. That intro gets me every time! The slow build, then, BLAM!! Awesome riffage! Then we have the acoustic flavored verses. The harmonies on this song (and album) are exquisite. I love the heavy riff in the instrumental section, then how the organ brings things back down. The song ends so tightly! GREAT SONG!!

Track 2 - Trains

From the heaviness of Blackest Eyes, we go right into the acoustic flavored Trains. Almost folk-rock, even when the band kicks in. Gavin Harrison debuts in PT nicely on this album. This, to me, Is the classic PT lineup! Wilson, Barbieri, Harrison, Edward. And then we get Banjo! Who would have guessed it on a prog album. Brilliant. After the mellow bridge, things get a bit heavier. Wonderful tune!

Track 3 - Lips of Ashes

Now for the haunting side of PT. The drums lay out of this one. An acoustic guitar riff drives the song with electric guitar atmospherics in the background. The vocals are absolutely spot-on in the harmonies. Such a nice blend.

Track 4 - Sound of Muzak

This one falls somewhere between Trains and Lips of Ashes, style-wise. An acoustic riff and Harrison's brilliant drumming in an odd meter set up the first verse. The chorus goes to 4-4 and more fantastic harmonies. I love the guitar tone at around 2:30 that brings is into the guitar solo. While Wilson isn't a virtuoso player like Steve Howe, he is still quite good. The lines he plays are so tasteful and well placed. What Wilson does so well is create an atmosphere and mood with his music, and this is a great example of that.

Track 5 - Gravity Eyelids

A drum machine rhythm and Barbieri's keyboards lay the foundations for Wilson's vocals, here. Bass and real drums join in for the second verse/chorus. Then we have a spooky kind of instrumental break before heavy guitar joins playing tight staccato riffs, before it opens up and gets more of a sustained note riff that is closer to what we had in Blackest Eyes. Colin Edward plays some nice bass lines, but he's never mixed prominently. He's there in the mix, but rarely, if ever, out front. We end with the more techno feel of the intro.

Track 6 - Wedding Nails

The riff here on this instrumental is like "One Way Out" from the Allman Bros. but more twisted on its side. Then we shift into a tremolo picked riff with an alternating one. Following a repeat of the first riff, there is a middle section with accenting chords and atmospheric guitar and keyboard sounds. Then we kick back into the tremolo riff. There is a long, slow fade of atmospheric sounds at the end. Great instrumental track

Track 7 - Prodigal

We start with a 4-4 slide-guitar riff backed by the bass & drums. Wilson's vocals are a bit blase at the beginning, but then the harmony vocals join in, and things pick up. At 2:25, the guitar riff is almost like a cleaner EVH type of riff. The next verse/chorus are similar. There is a slide solo over the EVH riff at the end. Good track

Track 8 - .3

OK, so Colin Edward gets a moment in the sun on this one with his bass riff setting the foundation for the song. The rest of the band builds off of the bass and we get an excellent atmosphere to play off of. At around 2:30 it sounds like a reverse guitar part, the Lush clean electric guitar with a strumming acoustic. The vocals join in for the first time in this song following this. Then we go back to the bass-riff, but heavier. Cool song, mostly instrumental

Track 9 - The Creator Has a Mastertape

So once again, my earlier statement is proven wrong, as the bass and drums are the foundation of this one. Wilson likes to use lots of vocal effects. We get heavy around 1:45. I like the quick pace of this one. Fantastic drum fill at around 3:30.

Track 10 - Heartattack in a Layby

Piano and clean electric guitar start this one off at a much slower tempo from the previous track.

There is a beautiful vocal melody here. I love the vocal countermelodies at around 2:45. Beautiful song.

Track 11 - Strip the Soul

A bass riff kicks us off, again contradicting my earlier statement. Complex rhythms on the drums & guitar parts when they kick in. Nice. Then it comes back down for the second voice. The arrangement of the guitar parts is great. Then suddenly it's being played on an acoustic guitar, and we get almost funky. This song is heavy without melting your face, and no growling. This one is a track I didn't know as well as some of the others, and it's a bit of a hidden gem on an already strong album. Love it.

Track 12 - Collapse the Light into Earth.

We have a 6-8 piano ballad for our closer. As I am sitting, the piano is on the right and the echo-laden vocals are on the left. Then the vocals move center, as the song slowly builds. At around 3:30, string-like sounds join, and the vocals become "ahhs." What a beautiful sound. Then the song title joins the "aahs." There is just a bit of electric guitar feedback near the end as the piano then fades out. The song creates a peaceful close to the album.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Absolutely beautiful album. I feel like it established a style blueprint for many 21st century prog bands. As I said earlier, it made me aware of Porcupine Tree, then discovered that they'd been around for over a decade at that point. But they came a long way from "Let's all go to Jupiter Island," That's for sure! 4.75 out of 5 stars. Brilliant album, but there are others I am saving my 5's for. (Again, clicking a 5, because that's as close as I can get.)