Porcupine Tree v. Glarung is a Lightbulb

[Buddyhunter1]

It's got some good songs like Always Never, Burning Sky and Fadeaway, but out of all the PT albums I've listened to (which is all of them except for the first one), it's definitely my least favorite.

[Phoenix87x]

I don't know why, but I find Up The Downstair to be easily the most listenable Porcupine Tree album. It's not too long of an album and so it's easy just to put it on and chill. There's nothing else quite like it in Porcupine Tree's discography and while it may not be my favorite album by them, I find myself listening to it a helluva lot more than the rest of their material.

That's all I've been listening to the past few days. Some shit went down and it really chilled me out, which it exceeds at doing. And I've got the version with the bonus disk Staircase Infinities, which I absolutely love.

I also find myself listening to it more than any other PT record. Very trippy and dream-like.

[orcus116]

UTD is by far my favorite Porcupine Tree album.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Does anyone know if Steven has ever mentioned being a fan of Tom Waits? I was listening to Rain Dogs a few days ago, and caught this lyric, "Over the side to anyone who'll listen, And I've seen it all through the yellow windows of the evening train."

Just wondering if it was an intentional nod on Steven's part, or just a coincidence.

[bout to crash]

I have no idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a nod. He makes a lot of random nods in his song titles.

[Buddyhunter1]

It contained the word "train" so he had to use it.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Actually, Tom Waits writes a lot about trains too.... CONSPIRACY?!?!11!?

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Are they the same person?

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

.....












Steven Wilson's next project, a collaboration with Tom Waits. The project name will be "Trains".

[bout to crash]

And the cover will be this:

[?]

[seasonsinthesky]

UTD is by far my favorite Porcupine Tree album.

have you already posted thoughts about the re-mix with Gavin playing drums? i'm interested on your perspective, i guess mostly because i am also a huge fan of UTD and thought the new drums took more away than they added. it worked out really well when they redid The Sky Moves Sideways, but not for UTD, imo.

[orcus116]

How new is the remix?

[jammindude]

How new is the remix?

Not new at all.   2005

[KevShmev]

Yeah, I have said since its release that the Up the Downstair remaster is a travesty.  Taking away the fake drums took away part of the charm of the album (as well as some great fills that Harrison did not play the same way), and Wilson re-recording some guitar parts was a huge mistake.  He sucked all of the life out of Burning Sky by redoing that big guitar riff.

[orcus116]

I guess I've only heard that version then and I love it.

[jammindude]

I'm glad I've heard both.   I will admit that some of the rest of the re-recording is not quite as nice as the original....but at the end of the day, I always despised that drum machine.   I thought Gavin's re-record was a phenomenal improvement.

[?]

I've only heard the reissue in full, but I've listened to a few songs in their original form and none of them (except maybe Synesthesia) sound as good without real drums IMO.

[The King in Crimson]

I don't think I've ever heard anything but the 2005 remix. Maybe Steven should've offered the original version on a bonus disc with the remix or something. Seems like a fair compromise.

[PolarizeMe]

I have both the 2005 remix and the original mix. I like both versions, but I usually listen to the 2005 remix more.

[seasonsinthesky]

Yeah, I have said since its release that the Up the Downstair remaster is a travesty.  Taking away the fake drums took away part of the charm of the album (as well as some great fills that Harrison did not play the same way), and Wilson re-recording some guitar parts was a huge mistake.  He sucked all of the life out of Burning Sky by redoing that big guitar riff.

looks like we're in the minority, unfortunately (at least on DTF). totally agreed about "Burning Sky" getting wrecked. i think what bugs me most about Gavin's drums is actually the mix — if it had a proper amount of reverb to fit with the rest of the mix, they wouldn't stick out so horribly compared to the original programming. i would like to think the reason SW didn't get him to play real drums for "The Sky Moves Sideways" title track is because nothing would fit better than the original ones (rather than a technical limitation of the old tapes), so it bugs me that he didn't recognize the same for UTD.

i also prefer the extended "Synesthesia" from Stars Die: The Delerium Years to the original and real drums versions. it needs the relaxing repetition and creepy intro.

[ReaperKK]

I used to hate the original mix of UTD especially since I listed to the remix UtD first. Over the years I hold the remix on par with the original, some songs like Fadeaway seemed to get an entirely new feel IMO however both versions are great. I love Gavin's little fills.

[TioJorge]

I'm obviously in that minority as well, considering that OTSOL is still probably my favorite PT release. I don't mind technical and so-called 'fake' instruments. It is what it is meant to be. I really couldn't give a shit less that certain products of the album are of...a digital body faking to be real. The original release, to me, is superior in every way. REAL DRUMS! I don't give a shit...you like what you like. I don't fault anyone for liking the remaster more because quite frankly that's what it was created for; the people that care more about actual instruments than the sound itself and/or liking that sound more. I myself like the sound of the machine and I really couldn't give a fuck less what anyone else's opinion is of it.

It means fuck all to me that someone can play the exact same track that a machine does, but the fact that the sound itself has changed is the big difference to me. I heard the original first, and I will logically identify with that sound more than the remaster. Those that heard the remaster first will more than likely think it sounds 'better' or 'superior' to the original. Fucking great. It's still a useless little opinion; meaningful only to yourself. There's no better or worse in any case, especially in this one. It's so amazing that people will still debate over something SO fucking introverted. It's just sound...what sounds better to you might sound like shit to another. It's no different than anything else but because it's AN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT...for some reason that makes a difference to most.

Either way...they're both great, but I prefer the original, as I said, because I identify with it more, because I heard that one first and while I've heard the remaster, I still think that that original sounds better, to my own ear vaginas. Fuck anyone else's opinion that argues that point. Wooty. Fucking. Patooty. God damn humans... always arguing...always debating... over the most useless shit possible. Instead of simply accepting. Accept that another person thinks that one sound is better to THEMSELVES. Not that I'm arguing this point with anyone in particular HERE... but for the most part...the human populace...popupolice....

[FlyingBIZKIT]

TioJorge, tell us about your love for The Incident

[TioJorge]

 
 

I actually really, really love I Drive The Hearse...but that's it.

[jammindude]

I thought The Incident was really good at first...but time has not really been kind to it.

I'm not as down on the "meh" stuff from it as TJ is...but I do agree that I Drive the Hearse is the greatest moment on the album.     I also love the title track...

[FlyingBIZKIT]

I'd probably say The Incident is my 4th favorite PT album.

[TioJorge]

I also need to reiterate my love for Chloroform.


Chloroform, this is a song that I love very much.


There. It's reiterated.


I'm still drunk....urrrrrgh tomorrow is gonna SUUUUUUUUCK.

[TioJorge]

Colourflow In Mind is also a forgotten favorite...oh man, so dreamy. I really love this song. PT's back catalog and unreleased and/or b-sides are so awesomely awesome.

 

[ReaperKK]

I also need to reiterate my love for Chloroform.


Chloroform, this is a song that I love very much.


There. It's reiterated.


I'm still drunk....urrrrrgh tomorrow is gonna SUUUUUUUUCK.

I love Chloroform! One of my favorite PT songs. The drums remind me of Reflection by Tool.

[TioJorge]

Most definitely! Also my favorite Tool song by far...well, the duo of Disposition/Reflection.

But yeah it's just as, if not more relaxing and entrancing.

[Nekov]

I'm joining the Chloroform party, such a beautiful song.

[JayOctavarium]

I never noticed how amazing Russia On Ice was until now.

[Nick]

I'm obviously in that minority as well, considering that OTSOL is still probably my favorite PT release. I don't mind technical and so-called 'fake' instruments. It is what it is meant to be. I really couldn't give a shit less that certain products of the album are of...a digital body faking to be real. The original release, to me, is superior in every way. REAL DRUMS! I don't give a shit...you like what you like. I don't fault anyone for liking the remaster more because quite frankly that's what it was created for; the people that care more about actual instruments than the sound itself and/or liking that sound more. I myself like the sound of the machine and I really couldn't give a fuck less what anyone else's opinion is of it.

It means fuck all to me that someone can play the exact same track that a machine does, but the fact that the sound itself has changed is the big difference to me. I heard the original first, and I will logically identify with that sound more than the remaster. Those that heard the remaster first will more than likely think it sounds 'better' or 'superior' to the original. Fucking great. It's still a useless little opinion; meaningful only to yourself. There's no better or worse in any case, especially in this one. It's so amazing that people will still debate over something SO fucking introverted. It's just sound...what sounds better to you might sound like shit to another. It's no different than anything else but because it's AN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT...for some reason that makes a difference to most.

Either way...they're both great, but I prefer the original, as I said, because I identify with it more, because I heard that one first and while I've heard the remaster, I still think that that original sounds better, to my own ear vaginas. Fuck anyone else's opinion that argues that point. Wooty. Fucking. Patooty. God damn humans... always arguing...always debating... over the most useless shit possible. Instead of simply accepting. Accept that another person thinks that one sound is better to THEMSELVES. Not that I'm arguing this point with anyone in particular HERE... but for the most part...the human populace...popupolice....

What you're missing is, real instruments, fake instruments, new version, old version, the debut sucks compared to the rest of PT's material.

[Scorpion]

Most of you know that I'm not the biggest PT fan, but I'm listening to Signify right now, and it's perfect. Sadly, no other PT album comes close, but Signify is completely amazing, start to finish. Dark Matter