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.

Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part IV

Signify – 1996

“At the age of 16 I grew out of hope. I regarded the cosmos through a circle of rope“

How do you top something as break taking as The Sky Moves Sideways? You don’t. You do something completely different. And thus we have Signify, Porcupine Tree’s swan song to their psychedelic roots. By this time, Steven and co. had matured into a confident four-some of musical talent. So it’s surprising to me to hear such a change of moods between records released just one year apart. Whereas TSMS was a calm and relaxing album, Signify is it’s polar opposite. Angry and dark instrumentals run throughout the record and give the listener a sense of overwhelming unease. But something that stands out about this record is its cover. Not since their first record has the band provided such a striking cover to visually showcase their music. I would also go as far as to say that Signify is a concept album about religion. Several song titles and lyrics reference religious practices and routines and come off as being rather critical of ideology. We see a woman held in the air by rope tied to all her limbs. I assume that’s a reference to being pulled at and tugged by invisible ideals that can run people’s lives. But that’s just my opinion… Anyway… The standout musician on here is drummer Chris Maitland. With Signify he show us how diverse a drummer he really is. It’s the drums that drive the music forward unlike all of Porcupine Tree’s previous records. But all of the music stand out as being a notch above what they were doing just one year before. Richards brooding keyboards add a thick fog-like atmosphere and gives the listener a sense of being lost at sea. This is the first record where both Steven’s guitar and Richard’s key’s flow so steadily with each other and give us a sound that is present in Porcupine Tree’s newer albums. We can never really tell where the album is taking us, but each unexpected tangent is welcome. Sound bites are once again littered throughout the record and provide the same fever dream like state that was present on On the Sunday of Life. But this time they aren’t as friendly. Each is a little bit of insanity thrown in to keep the listener guessing. They provide a key component to the dark and brooding atmosphere on here. Overall, Signify is Porcupine Tree’s darkest album and depending on what time of day you listen, it could calm you into an uneasy restlessness or scare the ever loving life out of you. One is almost reminded of a Lovecraftian story while experiencing this album. It’s a shame that this was to be the bands final psychedelic recording, but after hearing what was to come, I think they made the right decision.

Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part III

The Sky Moves Sideways – 1995

“We lost the skyline. We’ve stepped right off the map”

Before I begin, I would like to recall probably my favorite experience with this record. It was back in the spring of 2007 and I couldn’t sleep. It was sometime after midnight and I couldn’t calm down enough to fall asleep. So I decided to get in my hot tub. I grabbed a random disc off my spool of CD’s and went outside. It was a cloudless night and all the stars were out. I put the CD into the tubs player. Then I got in a relaxed. Needless to say, I had no idea that this combination of circumstances would lead to the trip that followed. Anyway… If I had to make a list of my favorite Porcupine Tree records, (like choosing between children), The Sky Moves Sideways would probably be at the number 2 spot. It’s defiantly my favorite of the bands psychedelic-ear recordings. It has a strange calmness to it that are absent in the bands previous two records. I think that’s why I enjoy it so much. The otherworldly sounds captured here are nothing short of breathtaking. As the title would suggest, this album has the same influences that have been present throughout the bands existence. The spacey keyboards, the trippy guitar loops, the haunting vocals. But there’s something different on here – three more band members. The Sky Moves Sideways was Porcupine Tree’s transitional album from a one-man-project to a full band. And as a result all the instruments sound much more flushed out sound wise. Everything has a fuller and more complete feel to it that couldn’t have existed if Steven had continued the band by himself. Thus we meet keyboardist Richard Barbieri, drummer Chris Maitland, and bassist Colin Edwin. I would say that the addition of Richard was the biggest change to the band because with Richard now on keyboards, Steven was now free to focus more energy on his guitar work. This is probably the biggest instrumental improvement I have ever heard from a musician, (and only two years after Up the Downstair!) But it’s the lyrics that really show us what Porcupine Tree can do. I wouldn’t label this record as a concept album per say, but it does, at least for me, have a reoccurring theme – the passage of time. One has a sense of drifting through a care-free universe. It’s like your mind is gently pulled away from your body by some higher power and takes you on a journey that seems to last a lifetime. Seasons pass before you and you care not. But as the album finally does come to an end, you are left feeling like you gained something from the experience. I felt wiser and strangely at peace after my little late-night hot tub run, and I have a feeling that this album will continue to be a major influence over me as a person in the years to come.

Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part II

Up the Downstair – 1993

“What you are listening to are musicians, making music under the influence of a mind-altering chemical called…”

There is something very special about nostalgia. That desire for something that only existed during a unique place and time that you were not a part of. Porcupine Tree’s second release, Up the Downstair, is the antithesis of nostalgia in all its forms because it sums up what it means to be a progressive musician. Apples to oranges, this record could be seen as the bands first “serious” album. Gone are the acid trip-esk voice overs from the 60’s, (well most of them), and what we are left with is a collection of tracks that ooze of a more civilized Porcupine Tree. Released just two years after the black sheep that was On the Sunday of Life, Up the Downstair seemingly picks up where the previous record left off. Or so it would seem… Beginning with the charismatic little pre-recorded intro, we get the feeling that this is going to be more of the same. But what immediately follows is a quick and dirty cutaway to an almost punkishly guitar and keyboard loop. And thus we begin down a road full of a mix-mash of genres and emotions. The long keyboard passages calm us into an attentive lull only to be awakened by extended guitar solos that could be from Pink Floyds Meddle. There are so many little sound bites scattered throughout Up the Downstair that if you blink you just might miss one. This is something I love about this release. The amount of attention required to fully appreciate this record. Most music I hear these days tend to over-simplify their sound to appeal to the unwashed masses. But not Porcupine Tree. During a time when Nirvana was leading fans away from progression, Steven Wilson could be found experimenting with a guitar in ways nobody at the time was. But Up the Downstair isn’t a predictable record by any means; it still has a groove interlaced in the songs that could almost be described as “dance music”. But don’t let that fool you. And while this record has its eccentric moments, almost nowhere in the recordings can be found any trace of the previous record. The chaos is much more controlled here and I for one appreciate that. The whole album flows with a more fluid contentiousness to it. Even the instruments sounds have improved. From Eloy-esk space influenced keyboards and Tangerine Dream guitar work, the sound has a much more memorable and frankly enjoyable vibe to it. Up the Downstair was the last Porcupine Tree made by Steven alone and it stands out as the most willing to throw aside previous ideas of music and create something entirely new.

Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part I

On the Sunday of Life - 1991

“Linton Samuel Dawson lives in outer space. He hangs around with a circus troupe outside the human race”

As far as debut records go, Porcupine Tree’s is probably the most misleading one I’ve ever heard. Honestly, I was not prepared for what this album contains. This was the second Porcupine Tree record I ever heard right after I had discovered them with their ’05 release Deadwing. What a mistake that was! If I had someone listen to both records back to back I doubt they would assume they were made by the same musician. So, from 1991, I give you On the Sunday of Life – the soundtrack to your fever dreams. We start with the first thing you will see on the record, the cover. A man diving into a sea of black. Not a lot there but when the music begins, that cover takes on a whole new meaning. That man in you and the black ocean is your mind. On the Sunday of Life is a trip, and a harsh one at that. I would hate to drop acid and have this record playing in the background. This album will smack you across the face if you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s a chaotic mix of psychedelic keyboard loops and guitar work in contrast to angry sounding drums and warped vocals. We begin with an eerie and foreboding instrumental and then immediately shifts to an acid influenced pop song. The lyrics are just as sporadic. Happy-go-lucky passages can transition to hellish apocalyptic warnings, (I’m not kidding – Listen to Space Transmission and try not to shiver). This album would fit in nicely with the experimental rock scene from the early 60’s. It has a positive Captain Beefheart and early Zappa vibe to it and relishes in it. I mean with song titles like Message from a Self-Destructive Turnip and No Luck with Rabbits, how could you take the music seriously? But like an old friend used to tell me, “It’s better to overshoot than undershoot”. On the Sunday of Life provided Mr. Wilson with the floor plans to what would become modern day Porcupine Tree. It’s by no means my favorite release by this band but this is THE eccentric little keystone in Porcupine Tree’s discography.