Porcupine Tree v. Glarung is a Lightbulb

[Zantera]

I think Kscope delivers. I have nothing but good things to say about their Digibooks for example, that's about as beautiful as CD-packaging gets.

[Ben_Jamin]

Also, it's really disappointing that you can only get the DVD if you purchase the CDs, and more importantly if you buy the version available through K-Scope.

Maybe those songs are meant to be remembered by memory only.

[The King in Crimson]

I think Kscope delivers. I have nothing but good things to say about their Digibooks for example, that's about as beautiful as CD-packaging gets.

Yeah, I'm always impressed with Kscope's digibooks.

I even like their sper jewel cases too.  Very sturdy, very nice.

[Nick]

Firstly, fuck nearly all Digibooks. Their super jewel cases are fantastic however, and whether I buy from them or from Amazon or elsewhere I always enjoy getting their releases in those cases.

[The King in Crimson]

Yeah, yeah we know you hate digibooks/digipaks. 

I have no problem with the heavier, sturdier ones, like the ones PT's back catalogue is issued in.  Those are fairly hefty and are hard to damage.

The flimsier ones that RR likes to use?  Yeah, I could see those being a problem regarding damage.

[Ħ]

I have the lightbulb sun digibook and the quality is fantastic. It's very sturdy, not flimsy at all.

[Nick]

Don't get me wrong, their cardboard crap is much better than most of the cardboard crap out there, but at the end of the day it's still horrible compared to jewel cases, especially if you factor in that they could use their awesome super jewel cases.

[Ħ]

I disagree on jewel cases being better than the sturdy digibooks. Jewel cases are very easily broken, and I am not a fan at all of the stabled-together booklet that takes ages to pry out of the cover.

[Nick]

Jewel cases are very easily broken

And replaced just as easily. I also take care of my stuff and break cases very rarely.

As for the booklet, if you're used to it it takes about .001 seconds.

Edit: And if you're not it takes about 1 second.

[Ħ]

What about the back cover that's engrained into the case?

[Nick]

The actual artwork? I've never broken a case in a manner in which is damaged the back art.

[Pockets17red]

Here is a post by BurningShed on their Facebook page about the missing tracks from the RAH show.

"There were some (boring) technical reasons why the whole of the RAH show wasn't included. Hopefully it's not too much of a disappointment..."

[The King in Crimson]

Sturdy digibooks are the closest CD's are going to get in replicating the 'experience' and art of vinyl so yeah, I'm a fan.

I get broken jewel cases in the mail and from stores very regularly.  Sure they're easy to replace, but there's a certain cheap 'I don't give a fuck' nature to them as well.

I don't think I've ever broken a digibook or received one broken and I used to treat my CD's like shit.

[Nick]

Here is a post by BurningShed on their Facebook page about the missing tracks from the RAH show.

"There were some (boring) technical reasons why the whole of the RAH show wasn't included. Hopefully it's not too much of a disappointment..."

Oh yeah, that show was nothing important, no big deal.

 

[Nick]

Tonight I'm watching the Radio City show while clutching a jewel case in both hands.

[Ħ]

Yeah, jewel cases definitely have an IDGAF nature to them.

[Nick]

Guys, help. I'm watching the RCMH show and I want to touch myself, but I have both my hands full, what do?

(For the purpose of this joke I'm posting via voice command)

[Zantera]

With this live album coming out, I can't help but wonder about the future of PT. We've talked about it before, and while pretty much everyone in the band has said "we'll get back together eventually", everything else seems to contradict it.
For starters, how involved is Steven Wilson in this live album? Normally he holds everything together and does the hard work because he does it so good, and he likes being in charge. He's currently working on his third solo album, and while he might have done some work on the side with the live-album, it feels more like a "its time to release something under the PT-name" more than anything else. To me, the fact that they added 3 songs from the anniversary gig as a bonus at the end just feels sorta like "here you have it", so that IF the band wouldn't release something more, then hey - at least we got this last live album.

Most of us were surprised when SW said that he would do his third solo album, because at that time, most of us expected him to go back and make more PT-music. With SW3 and touring next year, the earliest date we could see a realistic new PT album would be in 2014, and what says that SW won't enjoy this experience so much that he rather wants to do SW4? Even though PT is a bigger name by now, he will never have the freedom that he has with his solo-stuff, and I haven't seen him enjoying making music as much as he is now.. ever. Sure he seemed very excited about The Incident when that came out, but I think this is on a different level.

Personally it wouldn't bother me that much IF PT broke up. They are still among my favorites and I'd love lots of new albums, but I'm really enjoying Steven Wilson's solo stuff as well. Grace For Drowning and Insurgentes are two of the best albums he has done IMO, and if SW3 is as good as they are, it's almost starting to feel like it's too good to "just" be a side-thing. So either way it goes, (PT making new music, or PT splitting and SW doing more solo albums) I'll pretty much be happy with it either way.

Still, the feeling I get from this live-release is that it isn't nearly as "serious" (and by that I don't mean bad) as Anesthetize was for example.

[glaurung]

It's been a long time since these concerts were recorded so unless I hear otherwise, I'm going to assume that Seven has had plenty of time to do whatever he wanted with these recordings. I do agree that this release does feel like they're just releasing something for the hell of it.

[Bongasti]

Wasn't Grace for Drowning about how he doesn't care anymore what people think, that he just wants to do what feels right or something like that? That's why I can't see him getting together with PT just because the fans want him to. As for this new release, it could be a sign of them possibly disbanding, but then again it could be PT wanting people to not forget about them, to show that they are still active in a way. But who knows really...

[faemir]

I think that he was surprised at the reaction from GfD, judging from his interviews etc. after it's releases, and he found that he still had a lot of creative energy to channel into more solo work.

I don't see why this means he'd drop Porcupine Tree.

[KevShmev]

After watching just a few of the songs on the new Steven Wilson Blu-Ray/DVD, I can see that people meant when they said he looked more happy and free playing with his solo band than with PT.  There was more camaraderie on stage for sure.  This doesn't mean I want PT to end - quite the contrary - but I can see why he'd rather keep doing his solo stuff for now.  Factor in that he is more free to do anything with his music in that scenario (vs. PT, where he has said he feels he can no longer stray too far from what has become their core sound), and it becomes even more evident.

[Zantera]

Another factor to consider is the question "where would PT go next?". They've shown us before that they can maintain a certain sound but still make fresh and exciting albums, however they have found their "sound". While I personally didn't think that The Incident wasn't among the very best PT albums, it's certainly one of the definite PT albums, because it sums up pretty much everything in their sound, in a good way. How would they go on after an album like that? That leaves us with the question of "can they do it better?" and while they have shown us that in the past, eventually it can reach a point where you would be doing the same thing possibly slightly worse (though still good), and that's really not PT's style since they've always tried to move forward.

So in that sense it's easier for Steven to work with his solo stuff. He can do pretty much whatever he wants when it comes to exploring new genres, but in PT there are certain limits. Not just by what fans are expecting (or in some cases even demanding), but he has said that the other members aren't as open to exploring certain genres. And yeah like I said before, how do you move on from an album like The Incident which was pretty much THE album that displays how the band sounds? 

[Ħ]

Honestly PT was Steven's avenue to being a presence in the prog rock world, which allows him to do what he's doing today. It would be great to see another PT record. But if I was him, I would keep pressing onward with bigger and better things through his solo record.

[glaurung]

I don't know, if I had to pick one album that really sums up their sound it would be IA.

[Big Hath]

bump because i need to know where to go next.

So i have Deadwig, In Absentia, Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun.. what album should i jump to next. Deadwig i think is my favorite album. fallowed by stupid dream then in absentia then lightbulb sun... so i need to figure out what album i would enjoy. Any help?

If Deadwing is your favorite of those I would definitely get Fear of a Blank Planet next.

[faemir]

Another factor to consider is the question "where would PT go next?". They've shown us before that they can maintain a certain sound but still make fresh and exciting albums, however they have found their "sound". While I personally didn't think that The Incident wasn't among the very best PT albums, it's certainly one of the definite PT albums, because it sums up pretty much everything in their sound, in a good way. How would they go on after an album like that? That leaves us with the question of "can they do it better?" and while they have shown us that in the past, eventually it can reach a point where you would be doing the same thing possibly slightly worse (though still good), and that's really not PT's style since they've always tried to move forward.

You're saying this as if they've not changed their sound at all over their 10 records - their sound has shifted gradually through various phases, and to say that it can't continue to is just not logical - they've done it several times before, why would the current sound have to be the 'final' one?

[Zantera]

I actually did say that they have changed their sound gradually over the years. What I meant regarding The Incident is that it pretty much sums up the best of their different eras on one album, which is why I think it's one of THE PT-albums in terms of sound, because it captures the best parts of how they sounded on various albums, there's parts that sound a bit more like Up the Downstair/Signify, but parts that sound more like Deadwing/Fear of a Blank Planet. So while I don't think it's their best album, it's certainly very representative in terms of sound.

Regarding a new PT album, yeah.. they can make a new one. It's not impossible. As it feels now, everything they've done has been leading up to The Incident, and if we look back at the last 4 albums, the major ingredient has been the metal-aspect that appeared on In Absentia (or Russia on Ice already) and has slowly been built on and perfected up until The Incident. Seeing as the band themselves have said that they're a bit tired of the Metal-aspect, a new album would mean a bigger change then the changes that have been before.

So yeah, PT might make a new album, or not. I think the huge difference is Steven Wilson and his focus, as well as the success of his solo albums. It's just very obvious right now that Steven is enjoying his solo stuff more, because otherwise he wouldn't be doing album number 3 before the next PT-album. If the new solo album goes well and gets good reviews as well, I think it would be hard for SW to put that whole project aside for 1 ½ year to make a new PT-album and tour for it.

[jammindude]

I think Zantera is right on...

The Incident "covered all the bases" so to speak...unfortunately, it wasn't a very "inspired" record.   Some of it just felt like "PT-by the numbers"...

Time Flies is a cool song, but didn't really hold up under repeated listens.   The title track IMO was the most different thing PT had done in awhile.   The rest was just kinda....I liked it, but it didn't WOW me.   

It *feels* like the band (or maybe just SW) was bored.   And as has been pointed out, I think he's just having more fun doing solo stuff now. 

[?]

The Incident "covered all the bases" so to speak...unfortunately, it wasn't a very "inspired" record.   Some of it just felt like "PT-by the numbers"...

Agreed.

Steven did say in some recent interview that he wants to get PT together again at some point, but I hope he's not feeling that just out of obligation to the fans, the record label or anyone else. If PT did another album, I think they might expand on the electronic influence heard on songs like Sleep Together and The Incident, but after a 3- or 4-year break they might just come up with something radically different and completely new, since the slate should be clean by that point.

[Zantera]

I think that answering "I want to get PT together at some point" is the easiest thing to do. No matter what his feelings are or what intentions he has, that answer doesn't upset fans, and the "at some point" still leaves it fairly open for himself, it could be in 1 year or in 5 years.
If he were to say like: "My solo stuff is my main project now", shit would be hitting the fan everywhere. 

[Mladen]

I really like The Incident, except for the second disc. I wish they hadn't released it as a part of the album, it should have just been a bonus disc or a separate EP. This way, it's a part of the album that includes four more songs that have absolutely nothing to do with the concept of the first disc. And they aren't too great neither.

Great tracks: Drawing the line, title track and everything on disc one after Time flies

[glaurung]

I really like The Incident, except for the second disc. I wish they hadn't released it as a part of the album, it should have just been a bonus disc or a separate EP. This way, it's a part of the album that includes four more songs that have absolutely nothing to do with the concept of the first disc. And they aren't too great neither.

Uhh, that's why it's on a separate disc in the first place.

[Ħ]

Still a dumb idea to include it on the album in the first place.

[glaurung]

I wish every artist ever just wouldn't include songs that I don't like.

What a bunch of jerks.