Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part VII

In Absentia – 2002

“It’s so erotic when you’re makeup runs…”

After the spit-fire release of Lightbulb Sun, several key things happened to the Porcupine Tree camp. One: Drummer Chris Maitland leaves the band, Two: New drummer Gavin Harrison joins as a session drummer, Three: Steven Wilson produces Opeth’s Blackwater Park in 2001. And in 2002 all these events combined to create the masterwork that is In Absentia. From start to finish, every composition is flawless. It also appears to be a fan favorite judging from the reviews all over the internet. This is the album that introduced the world to Porcupine Tree and helped make them the successes they are today. But enough fanboy-ism, down to the nitty-gritty… In 2001 Mr. Wilson got a taste for metal when he worked with Opeth. So it shouldn’t be surprising when some of his work with Opeth transferred into Porcupine Tree’s next album. In Absentia is a damn heavy record. Right away the listener is greeted with a jaw-dropingly monstrous riff that can be heard on no other PT release. It’s like the last 10 years of the band never happened and this new group has immerged seemingly out of nowhere with this incredible debut. Everything previous to In Absentia sounds like it came from a completely different band. But we are still talking about Porcupine Tree here. There are still the soundscapes provided by Richard and Gavin’s style of drumming fits in surprisingly well with the bands new sound. This is a dark and sensual album. The casual listener is quickly warned off by the albums cover provided by Dutch photographer Lasse Hoile, (it’s his face too), and would be the beginning of a partnership that continues to this day. For those that weren’t scared off, they are rewarded with some of the best songwriting I have ever heard. Mr. Wilson has really outdone himself this time. Each song is a little slice of horror leading to a rather unhappy ending. It may be hard to believe but this album tells a story. A dark little small-town style secret that most people simply pretend isn’t there. But there are moments of beauty on In Absentia. The second song Trains has become the bands signature song and is a loving rendition of the nostalgia of days long past. It’s defiantly one of the brighter moments of the album. It should also be noted that this is the first appearance of singer-songwriter John Wesly who provides his soulful voice and guitar work to the album, (another collaboration that continues.) So it seems that the new century brought a whole new sound to Porcupine Tree. This marks the beginning of the bands third era and it has a very sunny outlook, (actually its more overcast.) With In Absentia, the band created a monument to modern music that will probably end up becoming their essential album. This is hands down my favorite Porcupine Tree record and I can’t see myself getting tired of this album anytime soon.

Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part VI

Lightbulb Sun – 2000

“And how you would paint while I wrote my songs”

I don’t know why but whenever I list out Porcupine Tree’s albums in my head I always manage to skip this one. I quickly realize my mistake but Lightbulb Sun occupies a weird place in my mind. Essentially it’s a continuation of the ideas that the band started exploring on Stupid Dream but it’s as if those ideas have been collapsed into even smaller bits. Released less then a year after the last record, Lightbulb Sun takes the process started on Stupid Dream and pushes them to the absolute limits. The bite-sized songs collected here are probably the closest thing fans will ever get to a full on Porcupine Tree acoustic album, (2008’s We Lost the Skyline doesn’t count – it’s a live album.) While the lack of any complex instrumentation may turn away some fans, I find the album to be rather relaxing. Often I listen to Lightbulb Sun as I’m falling asleep. It’s has a whimsical atmosphere and has an uncanny ability to calm my mind into slumber. Honestly, this is probably one of my least favorite Porcupine Tree records. There’s not a whole lot to say here. As always the musicianship is top notch. Lightbulb Sun is a prime example of how these musicians can strip away all the complexity of the previous releases and still maintain those magical feelings that have been ever present since On the Sunday of Life. Despite the simplicity, this album still manages to provide a full and satisfying listen. I think this speaks volumes about the member’s commitment to the band. They are willing to abandon all the tried and true formulas that have elevated the band to the status among fans they have achieved. They threw caution to the wind and created the album they wanted to create. This is why Porcupine Tree has my respect. In an age where sales rule musician’s lives, Wilson and company have distanced themselves from all those ideals and work as a kind-of independent unit. They manage to create beautiful music in a rather oppressive environment and at the end of the day that’s what people will remember you for. But Porcupine Tree isn’t known for sticking with formulas. This is why their next release would be their biggest, (and most successful), release in the bands career.

Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part V

Stupid Dream – 1999

“Maybe it’s time to stop swimming”

After a three year gap Porcupine Tree return with a completely different sound. While this may not be surprising to long time fans of the band, Stupid Dream was the start of a new calmer style of music from the quartet. What we have here is Porcupine Tree in its barest form – dare I say, radio-friendly? This is quite the controversial record. Any hints of the previous four albums have been ditched in favor of a more acoustic and lyrically driven record. Sort of a Nick Drake influenced sound. Very singer-songwriter sounding. And while the music is the foremost subject on my mind, I find I’m focusing quite a bit of thought on the albums cover(s). The original cover is taken in what I assume is a CD printing factory. This is a delightful little bit of foreshadowing of what is to come on the record. That feeling of cold cynicism of music companies and the ideals at the industries very core. Quantity vs quality. Cashing in on the next big names that will disappear in a month. And while the 2006 reissue still features the man and the CD, something of that original emotionless environment is lost to us. Needless to say I much prefer the original cover art to the reissue.
As I stated earlier, this is a different kind of Porcupine Tree. For one, all the songs are surprisingly short and succinct. One never feels that overwhelming feeling that can be felt on all their other records. But I don’t view this as a band thing. I predominantly listen to Stupid Dream when I’m doing any kind of school work. It manages to capture my attention while still allowing me to concentrate on what I’m doing, (something I would never try with The Sky Moves Sideways.) Nothing is overdone and everything has a much more rehearsed and less improvisational feel to it. Again, not necessarily a bad thing. This is the sound of a band evolving and branching out and exploring new sounds. Too often musicians create albums that sound like a copy of another band in hopes of “widening their fan base”. Porcupine Tree manages, amazingly, to avoid that bullet and incorporate much more of their influences into the music without it becoming insignificant. This album is also interesting because it spawned the bands first music video. And it’s just a weird as I would expect from Wilson and co. I’m not sure how much air-time the music on Stupid dream received in 1999 but I think it introduced the band to a whole new audience, (and re-introduced the musicians to their existing fans.) This for all intensive purposes could be Porcupine Tree's most accessibly recording. I have introduced several of my friends to the band through this record. It’s by far the easiest album to wrap your head around and does so without making its listener feel in the presence of something greater then you can comprehend. After all, these people are only human.