Porcupine Tree

[liesabath]

Porcupine Tree is an English band, strong influenced by Pink Floyd. In Absentia is their latest and most beautiful album. Got a review from Amazon.UK

Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

In Absentia, their Lava Records debut, is the latest fruit of Porcupine Tree mainstay Steven Wilson's obsession with progressive rock, a mania that dates to the late-1980s when the "band" was little more than a fantasy, though one with a remarkably imaginative--if entirely fictional--history and bio. But that pipedream eventually became a real "alt prog" cult fave, with these dozen ambitious songs finding a focus that occasionally eluded the band on half-hour soundscapes such as "Voyage 34". Tracks such as "Gravity Eyelids" have a retro-psychedelic feel that would have done the XTC alter ego Dukes of Stratosphear proud, with Wilson's pure melodic tenor pushing it beyond the merely baroque.

In Absentia is also a strong statement of another crucial Wilson/Porcupine retro-sensibility: the album has a unified musical statement. "Lips of Ashes" and "Prodigal" serve up the sort of impressionistic, harmony-rich musings that Pink Floyd have rarely managed since Wish You Were Here, while "The Creator Has a Master Tape" punctuates the rich harmonies of tracks such as "Heart Attack in a Layby" with King Crimson-esque metallic thrash and processed vocals. While the band's instrumental prowess sometimes slums its way into the free-form jazz noodling of past efforts, the album remains one of Porcupine Tree's fullest achievements. --Jerry McCulley

[Kooperman]

Even a stuck-in-time guy like myself can appreciate them. I got a couple of their albums in the Prog rock group on AG. Very good.

[method77]

I like them a lot. I saw them live some time ago.

[rickio]

Yeah way cool band.

Has anyone heard of ozryc tentacles. Not sure i spelled that right. I came accross them when searching for prog bands and I think they are cool.

Is there a prog rock thread? I am kinda just surfing the site and not sure if I missed it?

[DudeAsInCool]

We had an alternative rock section for a moment..but the nomenclature gets confusing between that and progressive. So we lumped it all under rock. I figure you can name the album, and then put metal, progrssive, etc underneath. Feel free to start a progressive rock thread and define it. Im still not sure what the difference is between alternative and progressive lol

[CTC Command]

Yeah way cool band.

Has anyone heard of ozryc tentacles. Not sure i spelled that right. I came accross them when searching for prog bands and I think they are cool.

Is there a prog rock thread? I am kinda just surfing the site and not sure if I missed it?

Ozzy's Testicles er, I mean Ozric Tentacles freakin' shred Rickio! I would love to catch them live if they are indeed still an active entity.

Dude, Alternative, imho, true alternative, is akin to college radio--pop/garage/emo inspired stuff, whereas whatever progressive is seems to carry the torch began by jazz fusion and art rock from the early 70's. That's just what my brain tells me...

And getting around to the point of this thread eventually here, Porcupine Tree...Think Tree was this band about 10 years, really cool...They did a song about porcupines...ah, it's lost. If you can find any of their stuff though check them out. Maybe I'll get ambitious and put together a thread on Think Tree later. Or maybe I'll go to bed...hmmmmmm. WHat will I do? Stay tuned!