LIGHTBULB SUN

Man...seeing all the 4 and 5 star reviews here, I gotta agree. This record is a true classic, right up there with anything in the Rush catalog (for me to say that, I had to be mightily impressed.) Steven Wilson proves, time and again, what an artist he truly is, whether he's writing songs for Porcupine Tree (such as the gorgeous tracks here) or working with bands such as Opeth, as he did in 2002 and '03. "Lightbulb Sun" is tightly arranged, tightly-focused music, period. There's not much in the way of emotional variation here, as most of the tracks here are down in the mouth (Shesmovedon), sarcastic (Four Chords That Made A Million, Hatesong), or just outright lonely (How Is Your Life Today?) LIGHTBULB SUN is especially poignant in its unflinching portrayal of a sick little boy stuck in the house as he listens to his friends play outside (But sooner or later/The noise from the street/Is making me wish/I was back on my feet). I heard it one time, and started crying. That's how hard-hitting this track is. The aformentioned FOUR CHORDS is great due to its sarcastic lyric and hot guitar riff. Short, but effective. SHESMOVEDON grabs with a groovy wah-wah guitar in the verse, with a well placed acoustic breakdown before an emotional guitar solo wraps it up. All in all, a 5 star record. Only one more thing to say: Pick it up; do yourself a big favor.