Porcupine Tree Lists-thread - Currently rocking you: mikemangioy

[seasonsinthesky]

going by the tracklist, is that the original US master you listened to? the expanded 2CD remaster is far better (except for the lack of headroom). i doubt it'd change your opinion now – especially since "Moonloop" runs over 20 minutes – but if you come back in the future, it may be a better option for you.

(also, "Off the Map" is that last section of TSMS Phase 2 that returns to "I Find That I'm Not There." the first section is called "IS...NOT")

[?]

I lovelovelove this album (except Moonloop)

[mikemangioy]

going by the tracklist, is that the original US master you listened to? the expanded 2CD remaster is far better (except for the lack of headroom). i doubt it'd change your opinion now – especially since "Moonloop" runs over 20 minutes – but if you come back in the future, it may be a better option for you.

(also, "Off the Map" is that last section of TSMS Phase 2 that returns to "I Find That I'm Not There." the first section is called "IS...NOT")

I listened to kind of a personal mix that includes all the song, Moonloop with the original length (17 min) and Stars Die included. Oops for that section 

[BRGM]

Both The Sky Moves Sideways and Moonloop are amazing on Coma Divine, the album versions do drag a little though.

[Zantera]

Both The Sky Moves Sideways and Moonloop are amazing on Coma Divine, the album versions do drag a little though.

I'd probably agree with this. The live version of The Sky Moves Sideways on Coma Divine is incredible.

[jammindude]

I think the flow of the re-release of the album works MUCH better.   

Part 1
Dislocated Day
The Moon Touches Your Shoulder
Prepare Yourself
Part 2

Of course, if you think TSMS (as a song) drags, then this probably won't help.    I love Moonloop and Stars Die...but having them on disc 2 just works better for me.   As much as I love them, they do feel more like B-Sides to me, and I like them better as "bonus tracks".     The 2004 re-release feels more like a classic vinyl album...and the obvious homage to Wish You Were Here comes into better focus. 

[RoeDent]

Time to catch up a bit:

Up the Downstair: Synesthesia was the first PT song I heard, with Gavin Harrison's drumming. Completely fell in love with it instantly! The segue from What You Are Listening To is one of my favourite album intros ever! "...a mind altering chemical called" *snare drum* and we're underway!

The rest of Up the Downstair is also very good! The way each "side" is continuous music is very much like Dark Side of the Moon. Also, the recurrence of the Small Fish guitar solo 8 minutes into Burning Sky lends the album more unity. Fadeaway is a beautiful closer.

----

The Sky Moves Sideways: If UTD is DSOTM, then this is WYWH. Going by the reissue, it's two parts of an epic bookending the album, flanked by three shorter songs in the middle. The entire 34 minutes of TSMS only includes 4 minutes of actual sung lyrics, and the segue from I Find That I'm Not There to Wire the Drum is great and, the first time you hear it, unexpected. Wire the Drum is my favourite section on TSMS. Awesome mid-tempo techno section with a great drum line for the main part, and some cool basslines, especially in the breakdown.

Of the other songs, Dislocated Day is one of the heavier songs of PT's early output, and Prepare Yourself is an interesting interlude that prepares ourselves (no pun intended) for the return of the epic. I must admit the first 5 minutes of TSMS Phase 2 tends to drag for me. I prefer this section in the alternate version on Disc 2 of the reissue. There's a bit more to it than just ambient noodling about. But once the bassline kicks in, the rest of Phase 2 is great!

[mikemangioy]

Time for update numbah 4. Sorry for the delay guys, I was pretty busy.

SIGNIFY

Signify. The last album of the rather strange psychedelic era of P3. And what I consider to be the REAL first P3 album, because it is the first being written as a band. This album is a bit strange itself: there are 3 full fledged instrumental tracks, 1 intro, 2 interludes (and one is over 4 minutes long) and  the remaining 6 sung tracks are forshadowing the more radio-friendly future of the band, with even bits from the metal part of their carreer and psychedelic craziness from the beginnings. And the album is supposed to be the musical rapresentation of an electro-shock therapy. What.

So, the album opens up with BornLiveDie, which is a really creepy intro, ironically placed afterwards a pretty peaceful advice. The female voice is very disturbing. And it slams directly into...

SIGNIFY
Music by Steven Wilson - 3:26

BAM. Some metal for you. Not kidding, this is very reminiscent of what's about to come in 2002. Signify is a badass 3 minute long instrumental and it opens the album really really well. All the riffs are superb and the rest of the band backing Steven do a great job. Superb.
VOTE: 8.5

THE SLEEP OF NO DREAMING
Music and lyrics by Wilson - 5:24

The next track is a kind of ballad.. kinda. The Sleep Of No Dreaming uses beautiful instrumentations and a great shuffle-ish beat combined with cryptic lyrics. My only problem with this song is how sudden the chorus is.. there should've been some kind of build up to it, but nontheless, it is a great and emotional chorus. I always sing along to it. Infact
THE SLEEP OF NO FEELIIIIIIIING
THE SLEEP OF NO DREAMIIIIIIIING

The lyrics are the most interasting thing about this song, other than the chorus. I can interpret them in 3 ways. 1: A guy grows out of hope and kills himself, putting himself in a "Sleep Of No Dreaming". 2: A guy becomes atheists and believes that there is no Afterlife and thus, death is a "Sleep Of No Dreaming". A guy accepts that life is hard and he faces it feeling sad and WITHOUT FEELIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINGS. But anyway, this is a pretty good song.
VOTE: 8

So, the album segues into its first interlude, Pagan. Which is 1 minute and 35 seconds of a creepy keyboard riff sooo, not ranking that. Instead

WAITING
Music and lyrics by Wilson, 10:39 (Phase One is 4:24, Phase 2 is 6:15)

So, Waiting. It's the first single by the band (not counting Voyage 34) and you can understand why. It's damn catchy and groovy 
Waiting is divided in two phases: the first phase is the actual song, the second phase is an experimental thing going on along with the tasty bassline from phase one. With lyrics dealing about someone who waits for life rather than building it by himself, Waiting is a good song, but definetly not the best one from this album.
VOTE: 7.5

SEVER
Music and lyrics by Wilson, 5:30

Time to look once more for the last time at senseless lyrics! Sever is a pretty evil sounding song. It's fucking scary, especially with all the samplings going on. The song is obsessive with a tasty bassline and a really catchy verse and a more melodic chorus. One of the best songs from this record. And the last psychedelic sung one too, say goodbye to an era!
VOTE: 8

IDIOT PRAYER
Music by Wilson and Colin Edwin, 7:38

Instrumental time!
Idiot Prayer is a great instrumental track. It's in the veins of OTSOL and of TSMS, because it's a dancy-bassdrum song. The song is basically a build up, riff, build up, riff. And it's done greatly and it doesn't drag on. The bass line is awesomely oriental-ish and it sounds great. Courtesy of Colin Edwin. Good God the guy can come up with great stuff. And DAT moment at 6min mark. Great great great instrumental.
VOTE: 8 -

EVERY HOME IS WIRED
Music and lyrics by Wilson, 5:09

This song is OK. I mean, it has great moments like the chorus, which is performed vocally in a great great way. When I said that this album forshadows stuff, I wasn't kidding. Here you have a little preview of a 2007 album called Fear Of A Blank Planet. Yes, the lyrics talk about how Internet is slowly eating away us all, and this song was written in 1996/1997, so Steven was right. He sounds kinda in pain and nostalgic. So, great song but not the greatest. The instrumental bit at the end though IMO is pretty useless.
VOTE: 7-

INTERMEDIATE JESUS
Music by Porcupine Tree, 7:29

Well, I hate to say this but.. two songs written by the entire band in a row are the worst from each album. Intermediate Jesus is 7 minutes of a soundtrack in 6/8 to what I think is a priest, preaching against the devil. And even if it has some interasting instrumentations, this song left me nothing.
VOTE: 6 =

Okay, now there's an interasting song. It's an ambient/drone song written by Chris Maitland. This is the only time in the whole P3 discovery in which Steven isn't part of a writing process. Not gonna rank it because it's 4 minutes of very low and creepy choirs with a bass drum thrown in occasionally.

But here we go.

DARK MATTER
Music and lyrics by Wilson, 8:59

Ok, where to start with this. This song right here.. it is a statement. It's a statement for what a song can do to you. It can make you feel like shit, it can make you feel strange and deranged, it can make you feel happy.. this song is everything combined. Literally. Dark Matter is a masterpiece of music. Its characteristic 7/8 groove and bassline, its beautiful lyrics (which explain the album title: the quest of making your life significant, whether it be through suicide or through being famous as a criminal or as a musician.) and the chorus.. oh my god.

Crushed like a rose
   In the river flow...
   Iiii am I know

The sudden bursts of electricity. It's not heavy, it's electric, you can feel the volts in this song.
And then of course, there's the solo. The solo is 
It's one of those build up-intense solos that just grab you and take you on a journey. By the time you reach the final riff you feel you are in heaven and when it all breaks down you just wake up from this.. dream. And I like the change of the bassline at the end, nice touch.

Dark Matter may be one of the best, if not THE best song that P3 ever wrote.

Say goodbye to the psychedelic era everyone.

VOTE: 9.5

---------

So, all in all, this is the first actual Porcupine Tree record. And it's amazing. Sure it has its ups and downs, but what album doesn't? Scenes From A Memory
Signify is great, and will always be rememberd for its strange atmosphere and the absolute masterpiece of a song that it has at the end.

OVERALL VOTE: 7/8


Next up: Imma criticize the music industry by writing radio-friendly songs! Fuck yeah!






All those childhood traumas, magically wiped away. Along with most of your personality. 

[Tomislav95]

Great writeups
I never get into Signify except few songs and I don't remember if I listened to first 3 at all (doesn't really like psychedelic music but I'll try them once). Now it's time for 5 perfect albums run, looking forward to your writeups

[mikemangioy]

Great writeups
I never get into Signify except few songs and I don't remember if I listened to first 3 at all (doesn't really like psychedelic music but I'll try them once). Now it's time for 5 perfect albums run, looking forward to your writeups

Dem 5 albums 

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Signify is a real good example of an album where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The album has a great flow to it. And totally agreed on Dark Matter. Masterpiece of a song.

[Zantera]

Dark Matter is their best song IMO.

[BRGM]

One of their most special albums for me, love it from start to finnish, especially The Sleep of No Dreaming, Sever and Dark Matter.

[?]

I don't care much for most of the instrumentals on Signify, but it's a good album nevertheless. To echo what others have said, Dark Matter is amazing

THE SLEEP OF NO DREAMING
Music and lyrics by Wilson - 5:24

The lyrics are the most interasting thing about this song, other than the chorus. I can interpret them in 3 ways. 1: A guy grows out of hope and kills himself, putting himself in a "Sleep Of No Dreaming". 2: A guy becomes atheists and believes that there is no Afterlife and thus, death is a "Sleep Of No Dreaming". A guy accepts that life is hard and he faces it feeling sad and WITHOUT FEELIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINGS.

I've always interpreted it as 2, as the guy couldn't have married a girl if he had killed himself at 16. It also fits in with the religious references in other songs, such as the titles of Pagan and Intermediate Jesus, and the sample at the end of Sever. I have no idea what the second and third verse deal with, though Steven has said most of the songs on Signify are about people trying to find ways to be significant (Dark Matter being the best example), but I can also see some religious themes on the album.

[ReaperKK]

Just caught up on this list.

Apart from Stars Die and Moon Touches Your Shoulder sky moves sideways is a huge snooze fest.

[mikemangioy]

Welcome to the "Positively-Speaking Radio Friendly Era"

STUPID DREAM

OK, so, first album in the second era of Porcupine Tree, the most commercial one, the alternative rock one. And that's no bad thing.
It's the shortest era for PT, considering it included only two albums: this one and Lightbulb Sun.

Stupid Dream is incredibly ironic. Various songs in the album tend to criticize the music business, but good god each song is incredibly catchy and poppy.
Let's dive in, shall we?

EVEN LESS
Music and lyrics by Steven Wilson, Stupid Dream version 7:11 - Original version 14:08

You can tell. You can tell this isn't an ordinary album just by the first song. Even Less opens with a slide guitar solo that builds up until the main riff kicks in and then 
One of the best riffs from P3. Even Less is a beautiful song, in the true sense of the word. The lyrics talk about Steven and his conflict with society. The chorus is amazing

And I may just waste away
   for doing nothing
   but you're a martyr
   for even less, for even less
   for even less
BAM - The riff again.

Then, second verse, chorus, riff again with some "FOR EVEN LEEEEEEESS"  thrown in wich are breathtaking.
The song transitions then in a djenty mood (yeah, I went there) and shortly after the song finishes. Or does it?
Even Less on this album is not complete. It misses 7 minutes of its glory, so for the ranking of this song, you'll have to wait the Recordings review, which I'll do after Lightbulb Sun.
Sorry 

PIANO LESSONS
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 4:22

What's this? A happy Porcupine Tree song? It can't be D:

BUT, it is. We are in front of a rare beast.
Piano Lessons is an extremely upbeat song, with lyrics criticizing the music industry, as I said in the introduction, very ironic considering the radio-friendly factor of the album.
The "piano riff" reminds me a lot of Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers, it's the same kind of rythmic I guess.

The chorus is very anthemic, very good for sing-alongs, like the whole song. My only problem with it it's that it could go longer, adding an actual solo wouldn't be a bad idea, but it cuts directly in the pre-chorus. Oh well, still, this song is amazing.

VOTE: 8/9

STUPID DREAM

Best song ever.

VOTE: 42

PURE NARCOTIC
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 5:03

It's pop time! One of the catchiest songs by the band and I think the most poppy one in the album. The lyrics are a very typical look at a guy that likes a girl but the girl doesn't and he is hopeful at first.
The chorus is beautiful and now let me talk about a thing that bothers me.

WHY THE FUCK ARE P3 NOT MAINSTREAM POPULAR?! That makes no sense, this album could go platinum - in this period they could've easily had a lot of commercial success, but somehow in my area (and I think in the rest of the world too) they're one of the most unknown bands, one that mostly just musicians know.

Back to the song, I love the bridge, it reminds my a lot of The Beatles. Great track.

VOTE: 8 +

SLAVE CALLED SHIVER
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 4:41

Some In Absentia preview for you. This song would fit like a glove in that album, given that it's about the same guy from Pure Narcotic that turned into a crazy and pervert person. Isn't that In Absential? Yeah, new adjective right there.

The song is driven by a tasty bassline, and the chorus uses a very creepy distortion effect on some lines
MOTHER I NEED HER

The outro is nice with the guitar playing the bassline, which is a great one, BTW. And the final MOTHER I NEED HER is the creepiest one of all.
Great song. And the lyrics are great too:

I'll have more followers
   than Jesus Christ

VOTE: 8

DON'T HATE ME
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 8:31

This is the third phase of "The guy from Pure Narcotic trilogy". In this one he just feels depressed. The lyrics are not that great though in this one. But the way they are delivered makes up for that.

A light snow.. is falling on Lon-doooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
                                                                                               all sign of the living has gone

Amazing technique. The song atmosphere is dark, not in the sense of an In Absential dark, dark in a more depressive way. Steven sounds absolutely hopeless in the chorus.

After the second chorus Colin decides to feed us with some tasty bassline, which is followed by a flute solo and a sax solo too. After the solo, though, there's like one minute and a half of just the main riff after it goes back into the chorus once again. A bit useless, IMO. But still, great great atmospheric song.

VOTE: 8.5

THIS IS NO REHEARSAL
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 3:27

Time for one of my favorites on the album. This Is No Rehearsal is a happy song with creepy lyrics. Yes, they are from the point of view of a parent who loses his/her child in a shopping mall. It's inspired by an actual fact, in which some 10 year old kids kidnapped a 2 year old boy and killed him. Wow.

The music is awesome, I like the beat of it and the chorus, oh my god.

This is no.. rehearsal
    Play it back and throw things at the screen
    This is no.. rehearsal
    Somebody interpret this
    FOR ME
And then it slams into a hard rock riff with some tasty bass fills. And that works great. Don't even get me started on the funky-ish bridge, good God.

VOTE: 9-

BABY DREAM IN CELLOPHANE
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 3:16

Next up we have one of the most interasting song in the band's catalogue. Baby Dream In Cellophane is written by the point of view of a not-yet-born baby; the baby tells us that he has surreal thoughts, but he cannot tell us since he can't talk. Cool concept.

The whole song is acoustic, with some electric guitar thrown in at times. In this song too the vocal delivery is amazing.
I am.. in my pram
    Look you.. I'm so neewewewewewew
So cool.

But the greatest thing is the chorus, which might be my favorite P3 chorus, I don't know honestly.
It's vocals packed and I really can't describe it that much, you have to hear it.
Amazing little song.

VOTE: 9

STRANGER BY THE MINUTE
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 4:30

This next song is a throwback to the psychedelic era, especially lyrically. It's nice, it's catchy, it's dreamy, but IMO compared to the rest of the record, nope.
Just nope.

VOTE: 6/7

A SMART KID
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 5:22

This song right here. Considered to be the masterpiece of this record, A Smart Kid broke our hearts since 1999 (well, since last year, in my case  ) with an emotional story about a kid, who is apparently quite smart since he survived freaking armageddon. The boy is alone, and he feels sad, but a spaceship comes to pick him up.

Even though science fiction stories are hit and miss for me, this one is definetly a hit. The music helps to express the feelings of our smart kid, which are sadness, lonliness but also hope.
And that chorus it's just majestic.

AND I WILL WAIT FOR YOOU
   UNTIL THE SKYYY IS BLUEEE
   AND I WILL WAIT FOR YOOU
   WHAT ELSE CAN III DOOO

Classic P3 track. Good job.
VOTE: 8.5

TINTO BRASS
Music by Porcupine Tree, 6:17

Ok, the songs written by the entire band up to this point sucked for me. But Tinto Brass is a turning point. Remember when I said that I like structured instrumentals, and not drone-y ones? Well, read what Steven said.

"...the earlier years were characterized for me by this idea of the extended composition that was largely based on jamming or textures or drones or space rock or whatever you want to call it. I felt I could draw towards learning more about song craft and the construction of songs and actually creating hooks and choruses and using vocals in a more kind of solid way. So...when I came back later on to making the longer form of composition, it wasn’t in the same way that I’d been doing in the early years. They were much more structured and they had that kind of songwriter’s discipline that I guess I explored and learned on the earlier albums like Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun. So it was certainly an important step..."

Indeed, Steven.

So, Tinto Brass begins in a creepy mood with some japanese woman (who was actually Steven's girlfriend) tells us stuff about this italian director Tinto Brass. If you try searching Tinto Brass' material , make sure you don't have children or your boss around.

The song is driven by a pounding drum beat, later joined by some Colin Edwin goodness and some flute, performed by Theo Travis. The song builds up until it explodes in a rather evil riff at about 3:30. It then shifts in a tasty bassline. Chris Maitland goes insane on the drums for a bit and the song explodes again. And it finishes this way.

Tinto Brass is a perfect example of what I mean with structured instrumentals, and it's filled with great bass (like every P3 song), awesome drums and some quite heavy guitars. I like it.

VOTE: 8+

STOP SWIMMING
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 6:53

The last song from Stupid Dream is sad, very sad. Stop Swimming is a song about giving up, not wanting to live your life anymore. And in the context of the album, Steven said that this song is about those tempations to go with the flow. Powerful message right there, but there will be a song that does it better than this one, quite shortly too.

The music is quite touching, and the drum beat is interasting, but the lyrics take the cake. Just read this final line from the song.

And I know that the lift can be painfully slow
   So I think I'll leave by the window

Ouch.

VOTE: 7.5

---------------------------------

This is where it begins. Porcupine Tree from now one will begin to release masterpiece after masterpiece after masterpiece after masterpiece, and they won't stop. At least until 2010.
This album is a bomb.

OVERALL VOTE: 8/9

[Zantera]

One of my favorite PT albums for sure. After hearing the 14 minute Even Less version, the album version doesn't quite do it anymore for me though. The full version is in my top10 PT songs probably.

[Tomislav95]

I love this album And also, I'd give Stranger by Minute more than you but it's your opinion

[Sacul]

First listened to SD yesterday - was blown away by how good it was!. Even Less, Piano Lessons and Stranger by the minute are glorious.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

We have pretty similar opinions on this album. It's a great one. Glad someone else loves Baby Dream in Cellophane and This is No Rehearsal as much as I do.

[ColdFireYYZ]

Stupid Dream is a top 3 PT album for me.

[Tom Bombadil]

I love this album And also, I'd give Stranger by Minute more than you but it's your opinion

Agreed, it's actually my favorite on the album probably. Great write up though.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Stranger By The Minute is probably my favorite from Stupid Dream.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

It was my favourite at first but eventually became my least favourite.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Stupid Dream is still at the bottom portion of the PT albums for me. I love it, but I still don't think it has fully clicked with me yet. Songs like A Smart Kid and Stop Swimming haven't really hit me yet.

[?]

Stupid Dream is one of my top 4 PT albums and it's full of classics: Even Less, Slave Called Shiver, Don't Hate Me, A Smart Kid... The only song I don't like that much is Stranger by the Minute.

[TioJorge]

Oh man... I LOVE Stranger By The Minute. DEM HARMONIES!

[RoeDent]

Stupid Dream is one of my favourite PT albums! For a while, Baby Dream in Cellophane was my absolute favourite PT song of them all! I could not stop listening to it. That chorus is just so... 

Another little point: Having heard the full version of Even Less on the Recordings album, I think it would've been kinda cool if the album ended with Even Less, Pt. 2. The machine sound at the end of Stop Swimming could segue into the ambient bit on Even Less, before the drum machines come in. Also, I think the lyrics of that part would make a great summing-up of the album: "I had a stupid dream, that I could change things...". As in, all the themes from the album was his Stupid Dream.

[Zantera]

That could have been cool actually.

[?]

That could have been cool actually.

Indeed, but given that at the time Steven was doing everything he could to distance himself from the Pink Floyd comparisons, I doubt he would've even considered it.

[Tomislav95]

A Smart Kid is one of my P3 all time favourite songs

[KevShmev]

Stupid Dream is easily a top 3 PT album.  It's perfect from start to finish.

[mikemangioy]

Enter the 00's

LIGHTBULB SUN

Lightbulb Sun. Along with Signify, this is another album that sums up the band sound. You got the catchiness (basically the first half of the album), the psychedelic space-rock ish stuff (Russia On Ice) and the heavy riffs, too (still in Russia On Ice and Four Chords That Made A Million).

Lightbulb Sun
Music and lyrics by Steven Wilson, 5:33

Who could have guessed that a song about childhood home-sickness would be such a masterpiece. Lightbulb Sun almost recreates the childhood atmosphere with the music and the lyrics. The chord progression and the vocal line are amazing but what do the job for me is the chorus and the riff. The riff is very much in my style, I tend to write riffs like that all the time and the chorus, my god.. especially the last one with the backing vocals.. one word: goosebumps.
VOTE: 9 -

How Is Your Life Today?
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 2:48

The second song on Lightbulb Sun is the shortest actual song in P3's catalogue (not counting The Incident's transitions pieces) and good god is it amazing.
The piece is basically just piano and Steven, and it's pretty creepy actually. Based on a Queen-like piano riff, Steven sings the lyrics from the point of view of a (what I think is at least) dead guy, who is aware he's dead this time, and he observes his neighbours finding out that he's gone. I don't know actually if this is the right interpretation, but I think I'm close. I mean

And the neighbours have guessed
   'cause I've cancelled the milk
   and they don't hear your voice through the walls
   anymore

what could that possibly mean if my theory's not right?

Anyway, lyrics apart, the vocals make this song awesome. The vocal line is haunting, and the chorus with dem layers 

Awesome song.

VOTE: 8/9

Four Chords That Made A Million
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 3:38

Next up we have the obligatory music business song, and this time it's very energetic. Piano Lessons was upbeat, but there was a more melodic edge to it, this one is just angry. Steven is pissed with the music industry and you can tell. The song is based off a psychedelic riff with a tasty bassline and pounding drums. The lyrics are great.

And then a moron with a cheque book
   will take you out to lunch, who knows?
   He will tell you you're a saviour
   and then he'll drop you like a stone

The chorus is catchy and the bridge with the sitar is very trippy, reminiscent of Dislocated Day. And I love that build up

But in the eeeeeend
   I can't defeeeeeend
   Yoooooou
   ...

  FOUR CHORDS THAT MADE A MILLION
BAM! Into the riff again. Plain awesome.

VOTE: 8.5

Shesmovedon
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 5:15

Time for a classic, every P3 fan or casual fan knows this song. What can I say about Shesmovedon? It has a great use of acoustic guitars and of vocal layers in the chorus (which is great, BTW) and lyrically it's the first song of many on the album that deal with relationships.

 After the second chorus the song switches from acoustic to electric, and I mean really electric, the same type of electricity found in Dark Matter, as an extremely distorted Steven cries:

SO FOR A WHILE
   EVERYTHING SEEMED NEEEW
   DID WE CONNECT?
   OR WAS IT ALL JUST BIDING TIME FOR YOU?
Powerful verse, that is.

The songs ends with a nice long wah guitar solo, and the song transitions directly into the next track, with a great effect.

VOTE: 7.5

Last Chance To Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 4:48

This song reminds me a lot of Trains, it has the same kind of atmosphere, the same kind of lyrics, both songs even have a banjo section! But this song is more than a simple pop song, it's specifically divided in two sections:

The first one is "Trains: the prequel", and it's very sweet. Like actual sweet, the lyrics are so warm and they almost make you feel like a child in love during summertime again.
The second section is basically a piano solo/improvisation with several samplings from the Heaven's Gate cult "boss", who explain what are they going to do when the Halley Comet passes. Go read that if you don't know it.

Overall, it's a pretty diverse song and I absolutely love the atmosphere of it.

VOTE: 8+

The Rest Will Flow
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 3:25

*Pop intensifies*

Yeah, this song is beautiful. The vocal track is absolutely lovely and it just screams "joy" all over it. The lyrics are more pop than ever, but the song still maintains its elegance. The strings are a great touch, too. Awesome.

VOTE: 8/9

Hatesong
Music by Steven Wilson and Colin Edwin, lyrics by S.Wilson, 8:26

This song. I feel that Hatesong is one of those songs that on the album are  , but live are 

Yeah, with Gavin on the drums this song just breathes new lives, but the studio version is also great. The bassline is great, the lyrics are great, the chorus is powerful with Steven being really pissed and I like the riff after the first chorus. But, once again, this song is ten thousand times better live, specifically the Arriving Somewhere version, that blew my mind.

VOTE: 8 -
(but it would be 9.5 if it was live)

Where We Would Be
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 4:12

This reminded me of Oasis in the first part, and the song didn't do that much for me

UNTIL

ONE DAY I STOPPED CARING
oops wrong band

the solo. It made everything better. God bless this solo.

VOTE: 9 -

Russia On Ice
Music by Porcupine Tree, lyrics by S.Wilson, 13:04

This song is one big ball of greatness.

Russia On Ice deals with alcoholism, a topic not new to us DTers.

This song, again, is divided in two distinct sections.

The first section is really slow and dark, and it's sung too. The riff is very funereal, and Steven singing is very sad. Until the chorus hits.

AND THE CHORUS IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED

I SEE THE WHOLE THING COME DOWN
I BURN IT TO THE GROOUND
WELL, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY?
YOU SAID YOU HATE ME THIS WAY
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIIIIIIIIIIME

It's plain epic, and goosebumping.

The second verse is affected by the chorus as it is more dramatic and the build up... good God, that build up with the strings 

The first section of this song is one of the best things Steven came up with.

But in the distance we hear a bassline and some distortion going on... what could it be?

I'll tell you what it is.. it's the metal taking possession of Steven.. the transformation has begun.
The second section is basically the prelude of the next album, In Absentia.

You can even hear the same keyboard effect of Wedding Nails and soon after

BOOM
SHIT GOES DOWN

And Richard does his usual techno stuff under heavy riffs... it's just happening. The song ends with creepy bells that freak me out every time.. they sound extremely tragic.

What a song, man. What a song.

VOTE: 9/10

Feel So Low
Music and lyrics by S.Wilson, 5:19

The album ends on a sad note, with this depressing song. It's just sad, and it's the kind of sad that Steven taught us to like.. and it's beautiful, especially the strings at the end.
I don't get that "thanks" though.

VOTE: 8

------------------------------------------

I feel like this album is stronger on certain aspects than Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun is a better collection of songs, but nothing beats the flow of Stupid Dream... for fairness I give them an equal vote

OVERALL VOTE: 8/9

Next up: DUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUDND nope. Recordings.

[KevShmev]

The "thanks" near the end of Feel So Low is one of the best PT moments ever.

Like Stupid Dream, this album is nothing short of perfect. As much I love Wilson's ability to change up the sound of his projects on a regular basis, I would have loved another album or two in the style of these two (not counting Recordings, which is songs that didn't make those two). 

[seasonsinthesky]

the "thanks" is ironic, i.e. "thanks for making me feel so low. you did it really well."

also, i highly doubt "How is Your Life Today?" is beyond the usual relationship topic or require a dead narrator – she left him with a 'cold kiss' before she got in the taxi and he's so depressed he cancelled the milk delivery and doesn't pick up his mail. typical 16 year old emotionally stunted reaction to a breakup 

i love the "Winding Shot" part of LCTEPEBIIR (love that acronym!), but i never realized it's basically "Trains." you're right!

"Russia on Ice" > "Feel So Low" has to be one of the best and most depressing 20-minute bits in the entire PT catalog. the transition between the two is especially cold and empty.