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Porcupine Tree — Start of Something Beautiful
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stevendejong
Posted: Jun 02, 2013 - 08:18
 
This is one of those songs where patience is rewarded. Reaching the most beautiful part requires five minutes of listening. Incidentally, this part also demonstrates how important Richard Barbieri's atmospherics are for the sound of this band. And the groovy 9/8 riff was composed by drummer Gavin Harrison. Truly a band effort.

Funnily enough, the aforementioned Richard Barbieri is the one preventing Steven Wilson from bringing his current-day jazz fusion sound over to Porcupine Tree. And thankfully so -- I can enjoy the slower music Wilson's making as a solo artist, but if I want endless jazzy doodling with 16th notes, and abrupt changes in tempo, key signature, and volume, I'll listen to 70s Genesis.

What mostly annoys me with Wilson in his recent interviews is his repeated statement that he could write The Raven... only because he now has such a capable band behind him. Hello? What about Porcupine Tree? (He might be referring specifically to his skills on the guitar, but this was not clear from the interviews.)

Almost equally annoying is the pretentious statement that, unlike the music of most 70s prog bands, his compositions are completely thematically coherent. If that is so, can anyone tell me, for example, why the (excellent) first 10 minutes of The Watchmaker are coherently followed up by a 1-minute cacophony? I'm overly reminded of Dan Brown's explicit statement at the beginning of each book that everything described is factual, while in fact, following his factual roadmap through Paris would make you end up at the bottom of the Seine. If it ain't so, just don't say it is.

Anyhow, I'm pretty certain PT is not going to release any new material anymore... Pity. 

unclehud
(now 50 feet above the planet in Boston)
Posted: May 31, 2013 - 12:54
 
Lyrics are pretty damning, and the orchestration reflects that well.  I like a lot of this band's stuff.

helgigermany
(Germany)
Posted: May 26, 2013 - 00:22
 
Nice song!

DJ_BellsEye
Posted: May 22, 2013 - 12:32
 
i <3 porcupine tree! and you rarely hear them on the radio- way to go RP.  keep it up, up up!

FlatCat
(Chicago)
Posted: May 22, 2013 - 12:29
 
 stevendejong wrote:
9/8 and 5/4.
 
Very cool. I'm into odd rhythms and yet didn't notice this before.

stevendejong
Posted: May 08, 2013 - 01:00
 
 maxmox wrote:
Time signature on this anyone? Fine clean drumming.

 
9/8 and 5/4.

jgriffin56
Posted: Apr 29, 2013 - 17:46
 
 westslope wrote:

Oh no!  Another Steven Wilson solo CD?  So, is it good?

 



 
It is excellent.  Well worth getting.  His US tour is now, and is an evening well spent.

westslope
(BC coast)
Posted: Apr 29, 2013 - 17:46
 
It took a few listens, well a lot of listens but I gotta say the raven that refused to sing is Steve Wilson's finest solo production ever.

ghoffman
(Plano, TX)
Posted: Apr 24, 2013 - 15:53
 
Definitely a 10 for me!

michaelc
(Walnut Creek, CA)
Posted: Apr 24, 2013 - 15:51
 
I like there stuff after hearing it here to buy several albums.
but it get in the rotation a lot. 

Carl
(The Summit City)
Posted: Apr 18, 2013 - 19:44
 
 Deadwing wrote:
This is pretty close to a perfect song for me.
{#Cheers}
 
What Deadwing said.

maxmox
(Broome, Western Australia)
Posted: Apr 18, 2013 - 19:44
 
 westslope wrote:

Oh no!  Another Steven Wilson solo CD?  So, is it good?

 

I love the reference to the west coast aboriginal mystical world.



 
You won't have to reference anything if you visit the North West coast of Western Australia where Aboriginal people live yesterday/today/tomorrow every day. Practical mysticism.

maxmox
(Broome, Western Australia)
Posted: Apr 18, 2013 - 19:41
 
Time signature on this anyone? Fine clean drumming.

dkgillett
(Canada)
Posted: Apr 05, 2013 - 10:57
 
 Beastie wrote:
 Tamster wrote:
{#Drummer}

About every instrument is played with fury. Love them.
 
Such elegant fury! (sigh)

Beastie
(Harrison, NY)
Posted: Mar 29, 2013 - 15:35
 
 Tamster wrote:
{#Drummer}

About every instrument is played with fury. Love them.



Tamster
(Thousand Islands Canada)
Posted: Mar 22, 2013 - 19:26
 
{#Drummer}

westslope
(BC coast)
Posted: Mar 20, 2013 - 17:48
 
 Gaggsy wrote:

Oh, and a new SW solo album out on Feb 25th https://www.burningshed.com/store/stevenwilson/
 

Oh no!  Another Steven Wilson solo CD?  So, is it good?

 

I love the reference to the west coast aboriginal mystical world.



anisbet
(Sacramento)
Posted: Mar 18, 2013 - 08:26
 
I never get tired of this...especially cranked up to 11

helgigermany
(Germany)
Posted: Feb 27, 2013 - 22:53
 
 Limpopoking wrote:

Who are you and what have you done with Stingray?
 
Ha! Very good comment!

helgigermany
(Germany)
Posted: Feb 27, 2013 - 22:50
 
Touches me deeply...

unclehud
(now 50 feet above the planet in Boston)
Posted: Feb 20, 2013 - 17:52
 
"Simple like a child you are..."

Lyrics by Yoda. 

Gaggsy
Posted: Feb 17, 2013 - 08:24
 
 Gaggsy wrote:

Not to mention the Noman project and remixes of Jethro Tull etc etc
 
Oh, and a new SW solo album out on Feb 25th https://www.burningshed.com/store/stevenwilson/



Gaggsy
Posted: Feb 17, 2013 - 08:18
 
 Relayer wrote:
It was 10 years ago that RP introduced me to Porcupine Tree with In Absentia, and since that time, PT remains my absolute favorite current band, and in my top 5 favorite bands of all time.

On that note, it has been 4 years since the last PT album.  Come on Steve Wilson, you've released 2 solo records, 1 Blackfield record, and one Storm Corrosion record in the last 4 years. Enough of the side projects, get PT back in the studio!
 
Not to mention the Noman project and remixes of Jethro Tull etc etc

Limpopoking
(The Parish of St. Alfonzo)
Posted: Feb 10, 2013 - 22:46
 
 Stingray wrote:
I remember how I trashed PT some years ago, when I heard them on RP for the first time,
asking Bill if he was serious!

Amazing to realize how stupid I can be at times!
It's a great band indeed,
and this is possibly their Opus Magnum!

10 for the Porcupine!

 
Who are you and what have you done with Stingray?

Limpopoking
(The Parish of St. Alfonzo)
Posted: Feb 10, 2013 - 22:43
 
 horstman wrote:
So I just added the Radio Paradise widget to my tablet and the first song to play was this. I feel blessed.
 
Your tablet will have a good life

BBoyes
(Salt Lake City Utah)
Posted: Feb 01, 2013 - 15:37
 
Wow - I didn't recognize this as Porcupine Tree, and I have this album! Doh! Love the complex/syncopated drumming and the overall moody/brooding feel of this.

DJ_BellsEye
Posted: Feb 01, 2013 - 15:36
 
I LOVE PORCUPINE TREE!  And you never hear them on the radio.  RP rocks.

horstman
(Syracuse, New York)
Posted: Jan 27, 2013 - 15:57
 
So I just added the Radio Paradise widget to my tablet and the first song to play was this. I feel blessed.

Redline
Posted: Jan 25, 2013 - 21:19
 
Up to 11.

peterblair
(London)
Posted: Jan 17, 2013 - 00:48
 
Stunning. Clever and enjoyable at the same time. A tricky feat to pull off. Great album.

clwguy
Posted: Jan 14, 2013 - 15:50
 
I'm in complete agreement 

MojoJojo wrote:
If I could only have one album for the rest of my life, this would be it.  
 



kaybee
(Lost in the Wilds of Toronto)
Posted: Jan 14, 2013 - 15:48
 
What a great segue from Spilt Needles, Bill!

jocelynsart
Posted: Jan 14, 2013 - 15:45
 
my boyfriend introduced me to this fabulous band - love them!

bnlkuhns
(The Pacific NW)
Posted: Jan 10, 2013 - 14:30
 
A truly AMAZING song!  Even better live!  WOW!  I can't say it's my favorite song from Deadwing because almost all of the tunes are my favorite...seriously! 

clwguy
Posted: Jan 10, 2013 - 14:29
 
i second that


stevendejong wrote:
Yes, yes, and yes.
 


stevendejong
Posted: Jan 10, 2013 - 14:22
 
Yes, yes, and yes.

Toke
(Bournemouth UK)
Posted: Dec 25, 2012 - 13:09
 
Info copied from AMG........I'm confused {#Question}

Active1980s - 2010s

Formed 1991 in London, England



Dinges,_the_Dude
(below sea-level, N52°37', E4°88')
Posted: Dec 14, 2012 - 06:46
 
PT is my new find: more PT please!!!

Deadwing
(Cincinnati OH)
Posted: Nov 30, 2012 - 22:47
 
This is pretty close to a perfect song for me.
{#Cheers}

cShaggy
(..in the general vicinity..)
Posted: Nov 24, 2012 - 04:40
 
..ear-perking from the get-go..then it only gets better..


stevendejong
Posted: Nov 24, 2012 - 04:38
 
 mandolin wrote:


...to be fair, it's only been three years since the incident was released:  by peter gabriel or roger waters standards, that's only a brief moment's respite...
 
Let us hope PT does not switch to the Peter Gabriel schedule. They'll release one album with depressing orchestral reworks of Lightbulb Sun ten years from now.

Having said that, I am definitely getting tickets for Peter's European tour next year... 

stevendejong
Posted: Nov 24, 2012 - 04:36
 
 MojoJojo wrote:
If I could only have one album for the rest of my life, this would be it.  
 
If I could have only one radio channel for the rest of my life, RP would be it. {#Yes}
First Younger Brother with Train, now my favorite Porcupine Tree song.

RP, I love you.

MojoJojo
(Indianapolis, IN USA)
Posted: Nov 15, 2012 - 06:47
 
If I could only have one album for the rest of my life, this would be it.  

old_shep
(Iowa)
Posted: Oct 30, 2012 - 14:36
 
Either I'm high or this song becomes more and more powerful with each listen.

You decide.

rdo
(DC)
Posted: Oct 30, 2012 - 14:33
 
 Stingray wrote:
I remember how I trashed PT some years ago, when I heard them on RP for the first time,
asking Bill if he was serious!

Amazing to realize how stupid I can be at times!
It's a great band indeed,
and this is possibly their Opus Magnum!

10 for the Porcupine!

 

You had harsh words for a band???  I don't believe it!    {#Wink}

RedGuitar
(Iowa, USA)
Posted: Oct 25, 2012 - 13:55
 
 clwguy wrote:
There is no way this song can have an average rating of 7.7. I demand a recount.
 
Jeez, I would think all their songs would have an average rating of 10.0!  {#Stupid}

robotbass
(Boston Area)
Posted: Oct 25, 2012 - 13:54
 
Never heard them before, a pleasant surprise. Kind of Tooly,

mandolin
(...drifting...)
Posted: Oct 25, 2012 - 13:53
 
 Relayer wrote:
On that note, it has been 4 years since the last PT album.  Come on Steve Wilson, you've released 2 solo records, 1 Blackfield record, and one Storm Corrosion record in the last 4 years. Enough of the side projects, get PT back in the studio!
 

...to be fair, it's only been three years since the incident was released:  by peter gabriel or roger waters standards, that's only a brief moment's respite...

westslope
(BC coast)
Posted: Oct 25, 2012 - 13:51
 

 

Relayer:

 

I say hear! hear!  

 

Quit slackin' and crank out another PT CD Steven.  

 

i don't understand why this only gets an average score of 7.7.    8.4 I would understand....9  too. 



Relayer
(Gainesville, FL)
Posted: Oct 08, 2012 - 11:54
 
It was 10 years ago that RP introduced me to Porcupine Tree with In Absentia, and since that time, PT remains my absolute favorite current band, and in my top 5 favorite bands of all time.

On that note, it has been 4 years since the last PT album.  Come on Steve Wilson, you've released 2 solo records, 1 Blackfield record, and one Storm Corrosion record in the last 4 years. Enough of the side projects, get PT back in the studio!