Porcupine Tree v. Glarung is a Lightbulb

[jammindude]

There’s very little from the incident that I revisit. Even Time Flies, which I loved at first, didn’t age very well. Steven has always paid some homage to his heroes, but Time Flies just came across as too derivative to me.

One thing I do like about the album though is that Gavin puts on a clinic! He is always fun to listen to. Especially on the title track.  From the main album, I do really enjoy Blind House, The Incident, and I Drive the Hearse. Not much else.  The 2nd disc is at least more consistent. Bonnie the Cat is a standout. But they are all pretty good. I put that 2nd disc on equal footing with the Nil Recurring EP.

[KevShmev]

I Drive the Hearse and Bonnie the Cat will both rank pretty high for me once we finally get around to doing the PT top songs countdown in 2025.

[ReaperKK]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

[Zantera]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

I don't know I feel like it's a pretty consistent 7/10 album throughout that flows pretty well as a song cycle but just lacks those individual standout tracks. FOABP mostly consists of bangers and nothing on The Incident comes close to Anesthetize for example. But The Incident is just kinda designed that way, I mean 8 out of the 14 songs on disc 1 are essentially building block/transitional tracks and you have a few fleshed out songs sprinkled in. The fleshed out songs aren't bad but a song like The Blind House just feels like a lesser Blackest Eyes to me.

[KevShmev]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

I don't know I feel like it's a pretty consistent 7/10 album throughout that flows pretty well as a song cycle but just lacks those individual standout tracks. FOABP mostly consists of bangers and nothing on The Incident comes close to Anesthetize for example. But The Incident is just kinda designed that way, I mean 8 out of the 14 songs on disc 1 are essentially building block/transitional tracks and you have a few fleshed out songs sprinkled in. The fleshed out songs aren't bad but a song like The Blind House just feels like a lesser Blackest Eyes to me.

I totally get this.  Like you said, the majority of the songs in the song cycle are interlude/transitional tracks, so if the fully fleshed songs are not ones that really grab you, it can feel underwhelming. 

Even though I defend it, I admittedly do not listen to it that much anymore.  There are songs I will revisit often, but as a whole, it doesn't get much play with me these days, which probably has more to do with SW's entire discography, as I feel in the mood for something SW-related, there are so many great albums from which to choose, so one that is merely very good for me, like The Incident, just doesn't get to the front of the line.

[Buddyhunter1]

Octane Twisted / The Seance / Circle Of Manias is underrated.

[KevShmev]

Octane Twisted / The Seance / Circle Of Manias is underrated.

Yep, I love that run of songs. Incidentally, I have all three combined as one track in my iTunes. 

[Buddyhunter1]

Octane Twisted / The Seance / Circle Of Manias is underrated.

Yep, I love that run of songs. Incidentally, I have all three combined as one track in my iTunes. 

Same.

[Nick]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

It's easily better than FOABP.

[Buddyhunter1]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

It's easily better than FOABP.

Now now, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

[Nick]

[Mladen]

Octane Twisted / The Seance / Circle Of Manias is underrated.

That might actually be my favorite part of the album. 

[Samsara]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

It's easily better than FOABP.

Negative, Ghostrider.

[axeman90210]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

It's easily better than FOABP.

Consider this a periodic reminder of the dangers of going full Nick.

[SoundscapeMN]

It's pretty crazy to me how people don't like The Incident. I immediately liked it more than FOABP.

It's easily better than FOABP.

I pretty much said this when The Incident came out in 2009, but almost by default I assumed it would be because how underwhelming FOABP was to me.

[jammindude]

What’s always been weird to me about PT, is that they are the only band in my top 5 all time where I like about 80% of most of their albums, but they don’t have a single “flawless” album.

Rush, Dream Theater, Haken, heck…even Pain of Salvation and Fates Warning have albums that (to me) are just absolutely perfect from start to finish. But PT just has 9 out of 11 albums that I consider to be amazing, but not quite perfect (OTSOL and TI are slightly more flawed and belong in the “pretty good I guess” category)

[ReaperKK]

That's actually a great point jammin. I think IA comes close but even then there are some clunkers.

[KevShmev]

I definitely do not agree, as I think the majority of their albums have nothing but songs I consider above average, with the majority or most being great.  And in the case of albums like Signify or The Sky Moves Sideways, the short interlude tracks are very nice in helping with the flow of the record.  But hey, Porcupine Tree is in my all-time top 3 for a reason. 

[Buddyhunter1]

FOABP is easily a top 10 of all time contender for me, if not being in the top 10 itself, so I couldn't really ask for more.

Despite it being my favorite I guess I could see why some don't like it as much as some their other albums from that era. Porcupine Tree is always quite cold and dreary and that's a big part of their appeal, but FOABP might be over the tipping point for some.

[KevShmev]

Yeah, Fear... is awesome.  Lightbulb Sun and Deadwing are pretty much locked in as my 1a and 1b for PT, but my number 3 album usually depends on what day it is, and more days than not, Fear... takes that slot for me. 

[Kwyjibo]

For me Stupid Dream, In Absentia and Deadwing are pretty much flawless albums.

[The Letter M]

https://www.loudersound.com/news/porcupine-tree-most-likely-over-after-2023-shows

Steven Wilson announces the reunion will probably end after summer shows in New Year's message

Steven Wilson appears to have called time on the current Porcupine Tree reunion, announcing that the bands upcoming outdoor shows will 'most likely' be the band's last.

In a New Year's message to fans on Instagram and Twitter earlier today (which you can see below), as well as discussing his upcoming solo album, which he refers to as 'totally pretentious', Wilson says 'Meanwhile the (likely final) PT shows will be a handful of festival appearances over the Summer'.

The full statement reads: "Happy new year to you all! First and foremost a big thank you to everyone that enjoyed the Porcupine Tree Closure/Continuation album / shows, and my book Limited Edition Of One during the past year.

"Coming in 2023 will be my new album, a 10 track 65 minute musical journey that’s kinda hard to describe, but suffice to say it’s different again, not to mention totally pretentious (in a good way!) It will be released by Virgin Music UK, more news soon. Meanwhile the (likely final) PT shows will be a handful of festival appearances over the Summer, check the band’s channels for more info.

"Lots more exciting stuff (at least to me) happening, but for now I’ll leave you with my very best wishes for the year ahead, I hope it will be a wonderful one for you."

Porcupine Tree announced they'd reformed after a 12-year hiatus in November last year. The band released Closure/Continuation in June and ended a tour of North America and Europe with a show at London's Wembley Arena in November.

The band are currently announcing outdoor shows for this year, and will play Manchester's Castlefield Bowl on June 29.

A short-lived reunion, but given SW's work on his upcoming solo album, this doesn't surprise me.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

Yikes, more clickbait from that site.

I saw Wilson's tweet about that yesterday, which could be construed as the final PT dates ever or the final PT dates of this touring cycle.  Nowhere in that article is he quoted as saying "Porcupine Tree is most likely over after the 2023 shows."

[ProfessorPeart]

This was SW from January. If what he says is true here, they are probably done for me either way.

I suspect it will be the last time we’ll tour. I think it’s quite possible we might make another record. In fact, I was speaking with Richard about it. We were in Germany a couple of weeks ago doing promo in Berlin, and somebody asked me that question. I thought, Well, you know what? I think there’s a way forward. A track like “Walk the Plank”—which is one of the last tracks we did—which doesn’t have any guitars on it at all, and kind of reflects the fact that I’ve moved more and more towards electronic music. I wondered about making a Porcupine Tree record where we just focused on keyboards, rather than guitars. It would have to be something different to justify doing it.

But I suspect we probably wouldn’t tour again. I think in my heart, I think this is probably the last round for sure.

[KevShmev]

Not that I think he'd do it just for money, but I suspect he is making a nice chunk of cash from C/C and the tour, and if he can see major dollar signs for another album and tour and he has ideas and songs in the bank that he feels with fit with their sound (and SW has made it clear at this point that PT does have a sound now which fans sorta expect), I think he'll go for it.  His mind changes every year on things anyway, so I'll bet these last run of dates this year is not the last we will see of Porcupine Tree.

[Mosh]

Saw his interview with Rick Beato (really interesting interview btw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03vThmG46A8&) and he had another sort of off hand comment about this being the final PT tour. He's "definitively" said Porcupine Tree is done before so I can definitely see the possibility that they go on tour again. Really glad I got them on this go around though, it was a fantastic show.

[Kwyjibo]

Regarding the last time the band "ended" and what happened in the meantime, I think, as long as SW is making music, there's always a possibility for another PT record and/or tour. How high that possibility is, remains to be seen.

[Kram]

Not that I think he'd do it just for money, but I suspect he is making a nice chunk of cash from C/C and the tour, and if he can see major dollar signs for another album and tour and he has ideas and songs in the bank that he feels with fit with their sound (and SW has made it clear at this point that PT does have a sound now which fans sorta expect), I think he'll go for it.  His mind changes every year on things anyway, so I'll bet these last run of dates this year is not the last we will see of Porcupine Tree.

I agree with this. Money + the fact he changes his mind often + the fact he admits he's not always 100% truthful in interviews = more PT in the future.

[KevShmev]

The new album is a good reminder of the big difference between SW's solo work and PT.  I remember thinking when To the Bone came out that both The Same Asylum As Before and People Who Eat Darkness sounded like songs that could have been on one of the Gavin Harrison-era PT albums, but while I like those songs, they are missing two major elements that made PT sound like PT: Barbieri's sounds and textures, and Harrison's drumming. 

[gazinwales]

Not that I think he'd do it just for money, but I suspect he is making a nice chunk of cash from C/C and the tour, and if he can see major dollar signs for another album and tour and he has ideas and songs in the bank that he feels with fit with their sound (and SW has made it clear at this point that PT does have a sound now which fans sorta expect), I think he'll go for it.  His mind changes every year on things anyway, so I'll bet these last run of dates this year is not the last we will see of Porcupine Tree.

I don't think he, PT or anyone of their stature is making anywhere near 'chunks' of cash from album sales and the massive cost of touring in 2022.

[axeman90210]

I'd love to get the occasional future album/touring cycle from PT in the future, but if nothing else I got a much better final album from them and a couple great shows.

[ReaperKK]

Not that I think he'd do it just for money, but I suspect he is making a nice chunk of cash from C/C and the tour, and if he can see major dollar signs for another album and tour and he has ideas and songs in the bank that he feels with fit with their sound (and SW has made it clear at this point that PT does have a sound now which fans sorta expect), I think he'll go for it.  His mind changes every year on things anyway, so I'll bet these last run of dates this year is not the last we will see of Porcupine Tree.

I don't think he, PT or anyone of their stature is making anywhere near 'chunks' of cash from album sales and the massive cost of touring in 2022.

Maybe not album sales but I would argue that PT is the most profitable from a touring perspective.

[Mosh]

I would say that while I enjoyed Closure/Continuation I can definitely see why SW has largely moved on. It didn't really feel like they were breaking any new ground with the album, compared to his solo albums which had quite a lot of stylistic variety.

[KevShmev]

I'd love to get the occasional future album/touring cycle from PT in the future, but if nothing else I got a much better final album from them and a couple great shows.

I could see that scenario. I don't see PT ever being a full time band again, but I could see the occasional album and tour going forward. 

I would say that while I enjoyed Closure/Continuation I can definitely see why SW has largely moved on. It didn't really feel like they were breaking any new ground with the album, compared to his solo albums which had quite a lot of stylistic variety.

Perhaps not, but it seemed like Wilson really liked working with his two bandmates again, so while his solo career will likely remain his number 1 priority for the foreseeable future, I get the sense that he'll want to work with Richard and Gavin again at some point.

[axeman90210]

Also, the new touring iteration with Randy and Nate rules, would almost be a shame to only get one round of shows with them.