Porcupine Tree v. Glarung is a Lightbulb

[KevShmev]

I caught it the first time, but noticed it even more the second time, how that riff near the end of Chimera's Wreck is basically the Fear of a Blank Planet riff slightly tweaked.

[faizoff]

You can buy the deluxe version in digital format (MP3/FLAC) w/ pdf booklet
https://porcupinetree.tmstor.es/

That site has the 3-disc version for $76. I went to Amazon UK (US version didn’t carry it) and paid $82 which included rush shipping…so I guess that was a pretty good price. It’s supposed to arrive by next Friday.

Guess I should have pre ordered

Strangely enough I did see Amazon US list it for $62 prior to Friday. I thought of switching to it from my Laser's Edge order but decided against it as I like the folks on LE. Plus it was just $10 less than LE when I placed my pre-order.

[faizoff]

Heard the album a few times today along with the extra 3 tracks. Chimera's Wreck is an early favorite right now. The ending of that track kicks ass, got a lot of Rush vibes to it.

On first few impressions, the album as a whole has a lot of traditional PT vibes, some even solo Steven Wilson bits here and there. Overall it's a very enjoyable listen. Eagerly awaiting my BR to listen to the Hi res versions.

[nobloodyname]

I know we're fashionably unconcerned but MP has declared it his album of the year: https://twitter.com/MikePortnoy/status/1540590038093889537

[KevShmev]

Dignity is really standing out to me after several listens.  Album is getting better and better with each listen. This is the exciting time. 

[ErHaO]

I wasn't a big fan of Steven's falsetto on his latest solo records, but he applied it here very well.

[Kwyjibo]

I feel a little bit cheated. I buy the regular cd for a regular price and get no bonus tracks. But on spotify and other streaming services, which SW has condemned for a long time, I get those bonus tracks for free. So why should I buy a physical copy, if I get less for more money? That's the ultimate troll move, imo.

[faizoff]

Now for a limited time (June 30th) PT are offering the Deluxe Edition digital download for $6.99 and that includes a PDF of the artbook.


Here's the tweet

To celebrate the release of Closure / Continuation we have put together a special download version of the album, available for £4.99. This includes the album tracks, bonus material and the exclusive artwork booklet from the 2xCD, blu-ray deluxe package.

https://porcupinetree.lnk.to/PTCC/townsend

Though for US users to get it you have to set the Store to 'Worldwide' instead of 'US', that's when you'll see the link to the digital download.

[SwedishGoose]

Now for a limited time (June 30th) PT are offering the Deluxe Edition digital download for $6.99 and that includes a PDF of the artbook.


Here's the tweet

To celebrate the release of Closure / Continuation we have put together a special download version of the album, available for £4.99. This includes the album tracks, bonus material and the exclusive artwork booklet from the 2xCD, blu-ray deluxe package.

https://porcupinetree.lnk.to/PTCC/townsend

Though for US users to get it you have to set the Store to 'Worldwide' instead of 'US', that's when you'll see the link to the digital download.

If you have bought the regular CD from them you should have got a mail with a personal discount code as well.

[nobloodyname]

Now for a limited time (June 30th) PT are offering the Deluxe Edition digital download for $6.99 and that includes a PDF of the artbook.


Here's the tweet

To celebrate the release of Closure / Continuation we have put together a special download version of the album, available for £4.99. This includes the album tracks, bonus material and the exclusive artwork booklet from the 2xCD, blu-ray deluxe package.

https://porcupinetree.lnk.to/PTCC/townsend

Though for US users to get it you have to set the Store to 'Worldwide' instead of 'US', that's when you'll see the link to the digital download.

If you have bought the regular CD from them you should have got a mail with a personal discount code as well.

And let's be frank: it's disgusting they're offering people the opportunity to purchase a download when a physical product has already been purchased.

[KevShmev]

I wasn't a big fan of Steven's falsetto on his latest solo records, but he applied it here very well.

His falsetto never bothers me, but he has definitely gained a lot more confidence in his voice.  He has used a lot less effects on them in recent years.  I do think he often used them for effect, but there were definitely times where his inability to belt out a chorus that needed it resulted in him using an effect which could then give it more more oomph than his naked voice would.  Cheating the Polygraph is a good example.

[Kram]

I feel a little bit cheated. I buy the regular cd for a regular price and get no bonus tracks. But on spotify and other streaming services, which SW has condemned for a long time, I get those bonus tracks for free. So why should I buy a physical copy, if I get less for more money? That's the ultimate troll move, imo.

LOL, quite ironic isn't it?  I bought the iTunes version for $9.99 and has all 10 songs.  Sadly, I think my days of buying physical media are just about over.

[Kram]

Dignity is really standing out to me after several listens.  Album is getting better and better with each listen. This is the exciting time. 

Yes, Dignity is my early favorite too along with Chimera's Wreck.  Three listens in and really digging the whole album.  As much as I love SW's solo career - this is something different and it's nice to get new music like this once again.

[Buddyhunter1]

One thing I just noticed: I bought the album on iTunes and the volume of every song is super low. Like, not just in a "high dynamic range" way, I mean the loudest parts in Harridan only reach -0.7642 dB (according to Audacity). It's super quiet compared to everything else in my library.

Has anyone else noticed this issue?

I could amplify all the tracks myself and re-export them but I really don't want to have to do that...

EDIT: I went through each of the tracks and it actually looks like Harridan and Of The New Day are the only ones that peak that low - everything else goes up to around 0dB like one would expect. Weird...

Well, I'm sure the high dynamic range will be a plus for some people. The album does sound very good, volume aside...

[ErHaO]

Got the clear vinyl box thing, it is beautiful and very well made.

With a coupon I also bought it for close to a regular vinyl price, which was nice 

[Kram]

One thing I just noticed: I bought the album on iTunes and the volume of every song is super low. Like, not just in a "high dynamic range" way, I mean the loudest parts in Harridan only reach -0.7642 dB (according to Audacity). It's super quiet compared to everything else in my library.

Has anyone else noticed this issue?

I could amplify all the tracks myself and re-export them but I really don't want to have to do that...

EDIT: I went through each of the tracks and it actually looks like Harridan and Of The New Day are the only ones that peak that low - everything else goes up to around 0dB like one would expect. Weird...

Well, I'm sure the high dynamic range will be a plus for some people. The album does sound very good, volume aside...

Delete those two songs and then re-download them, see if that fixes it.  iTunes can do some strange things at times - it's worth a shot.

[gazinwales]

There's your mistake d/l from iTunes, the quality is terrible.
The album is very dynamic and sounds amazing in lossless.

[ErHaO]

There's your mistake d/l from iTunes, the quality is terrible.
The album is very dynamic and sounds amazing in lossless.

Apple streaming is HD and well beyond the bitrate of a CD, surely Itunes is also these days? That said, unless there is some fuckup or different version, the difference should really not be that big. This seems like a glitch.

Anyways, I use Qobus for streaming (due to my dad having a family plan for it).

[gazinwales]

No idea as I'd rather not listen to anything iTunes and lossy.
Sounds like AM radio to my fussy ears 

[frogprog]

Thanks for the link to the digital download!  I was having a hell of a time getting it to work but finally saw that you must be on a computer. No android or I phone and as mentioned US peeps need to change to "global" store. Im guessing the colored vinyls are sold out, as those links didn't work for me.

[El Barto]

The name stays

Holy shit.

[El Barto]

Wilson's and Edwin's different approaches to playing bass makes a massive difference here. That's the biggest surprise for me after one listen. Not that they're different, but how significant it is to the final product. It'll take a few listens to fully digest, but that was my first impression. A completely different energy due to the more frenetic bass work.

[Skeever]

Fantastic album, I've only listened to twice but I think it's up there with any of them.

[ProfessorPeart]

Still waiting on my deluxe pre-order from Laser's Edge. Checked Amazon and they aren't selling anything but the vinyl. Everything else is sold out and going for stupid high resale already. Might grab that cheap digital offer to tide me over.

[KevShmev]

There's your mistake d/l from iTunes, the quality is terrible.
The album is very dynamic and sounds amazing in lossless.

Apple streaming is HD and well beyond the bitrate of a CD, surely Itunes is also these days? That said, unless there is some fuckup or different version, the difference should really not be that big. This seems like a glitch.

Anyways, I use Qobus for streaming (due to my dad having a family plan for it).

Yep, the iTunes version, which I got, sounds great.  Clear as day and great sonic quality. 

As for the volume issue, I did a check on the new album vs the loudest songs from the last three albums, and the new album is just a shade quieter than Deadwing, Fear and The Incident, but not noticeably different.

[goo-goo]

Still waiting on my deluxe pre-order from Laser's Edge. Checked Amazon and they aren't selling anything but the vinyl. Everything else is sold out and going for stupid high resale already. Might grab that cheap digital offer to tide me over.

They are waiting for the product from their distributor. Townsend Music also had delays in receiving their stock and their update said they will start shipping June 27th

[Nick]

Alright, I've now spun the new album a half dozen times at least. I have to say, I think the 13 year wait and anticipation that came along with this release got to me, I was very tentative on my first spin, but from there on it's just grown on me and I'm loving it.

Favorites thus far have been Dignity, Herd Culling, and Chimera's Wreck.

Only song that I don't at least really like is Walk the Plank.

And although I didn't list them in my favorites, I have to say the final three songs come together to really close out a PT album in a very PT way.

I wouldn't put it best SW and Co. to play this album in its entirety, or close to it, despite having a huge back catalog that hasn't been touched by the band in years, and if that's the case I won't complain.

[El Barto]

After checking out the bonus tracks and re-listening to Dignity and Herd Culling, I think this is a fine fucking album. I wasn't sold on the modern approach, but the bonus tracks are traditional enough to hold it all together. I understand why he wanted them separate, and I think it works.

Favorites thus far have been Dignity, Herd Culling, and Chimera's Wreck.

Dignity is exactly the sort of song I want to hate, and yet it's wonderful. And leading up to Herd Culling I think it's as good a 15 minutes of Porcupine Tree as you can hope for.

[nobloodyname]

Okay. I am now ready to admit this album is bloody marvellous. But the so-called bonus tracks should never have been bonus tracks.

[Zantera]

Okay. I am now ready to admit this album is bloody marvellous. But the so-called bonus tracks should never have been bonus tracks.

I agree. Maybe hearing it with the bonus tracks from the start was a mistake but now I almost feel a bit underwhelmed with the CD/Vinyl not even having the last 3 songs.

[KevShmev]

I am still not sure if I like Harridan, but the rest is sounding pretty great.  I am starting to think that the the Fear riff being used at the end of Chimera's Wreck was intentional, as if this is their last album, having the last song on their last album featuring a callback to a song from what the band and many considered one of their best albums would be a nice touch.

The three bonus songs all sound good, but I am trying to listen to them not as much thus far, as I want to get used to the proper album first before diving too much into the bonus songs.  Plus, since the bonus songs are not part of the regular album, I want to get a feel for the flow and vibe of the proper album before I start integrating them into the mix.

[ReaperKK]

Dignity is really standing out to me after several listens.  Album is getting better and better with each listen. This is the exciting time. 

Dignity is probably my initial favorite off the new album. I love it.

[Mladen]

I've always wondered what the thread title meant. It's been bugging me for years.  Now it makes more sense, though not completely. I do love how a comeback of a forum member gets discussed as much the Porcupine Tree comeback. 

EDIT: Sorry, I had missed an entire page of comments. The people have moved on in the meantime. 

[Buddyhunter1]

Dignity reminds me of Christenings from Blackfield II a lot, both in its vibe and its lyrical themes. I like Dignity more though.

[KevShmev]

As I sense myself listening to a lot of PT this summer with the new album, and my likely pattern to keep up of revisiting a lot of the old stuff after a favorite releases a new record, they are very likely to be the next countdown thread I do once Iron Maiden is finished in 2-3 weeks.

I assume we have plenty here who would be down for a top 50 or 75? 

The bitch of course will be remembering every song since they have so many non-album tracks.