NIL RECURRING

Having just reviewed Allan Holdsworth's Road Games earlier today, I felt like tackling another short selection of songs in the form of Porcupine Tree's EP, Nil Recurring. The tracks that make up this EP were conceived and recorded around the same time as their Fear Of A Blank Planet album, so perhaps you can think of this as sort of a companion piece to FOABP.

The title track is an instrumental with not only King Crimson's Robert Fripp making a cameo, but also drummer Gavin Harrison in a role we aren't accustomed to: as a guitarist (though he still lays down drums as well). Harrison plays the tapping guitar part that is the main driving force the song. It is a solid tune, but it seems kind of odd starting off this EP.

"Normal" is a rather beautiful song with bandleader Steve Wilson front and center with nice strumming acoustic guitar work (though it briefly gets heavy) and emotional vocal delivery. Keyboards add some strong support during the chorus of the song, which itself sounds awfully familiar ("Sentimental" of FOABP). This is my favorite song on the EP.

"Cheating The Polygraph" has a rather melancholy verse but is paired quite nicely with a heavy, more upbeat chorus. Harrison once again proves that the drum throne in Porcupine Tree is among the most secure jobs in existence. Steve Wilson adds not one but two well played guitar solos, perhaps just to let Gavin know who's the boss : ) .

"What Happens Now" has a jam vibe to it, which it not a bad thing, but it lags on quite a bit too long. Besides some solid rhythm section work by Harrison and bassist Colin Edwin, there it very little I remember from this track.

Some strong stuff, while grouped with some not-as-strong stuff still make this EP worth listening. 3-stars!!