[Thaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl Wham!

Uh oh...do you have another update coming?

 

[Patu]

I'm just listening to Lightbulb Sun for a second time.

First time was like "Naah, this is nothing special. I like In Absentia and Stupipd Dream better." but now... This is sooo great album. I wasn't on a right mood first time. Now this hits me loud and hard. Strongly recommended for all the Porcupine Tree fans!

 

[Floodedstatue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patu I'm just listening to Lightbulb Sun for a second time. First time was like "Naah, this is nothing special. I like In Absentia and Stupipd Dream better." but now... This is sooo great album. I wasn't on a right mood first time. Now this hits me loud and hard. Strongly recommended for all the Porcupine Tree fans!

What you fail to consider or take into account when recommending 'Stupid Dream' and 'Lightbulb Sun' is that they are both currently out of print and not widely available. So as good as they are, they are only really available through downloading or for extortionate sums of money on ebay (unless you're lucky and happen to stumble across one in a record store). The good news is that they are due for re-issue very soon so hopefully the record company will get their finger out and get these in store and to the attention of the wider audience they deserve.

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floodedstatue The good news is that they are due for re-issue very soon so hopefully the record company will get their finger out and get these in store and to the attention of the wider audience they deserve.

Reissued, remastered and, in the case of Stupid Dream, in DTS and DVD-A.

 

[markl]

Quote:

The good news is that they are due for re-issue very soon

How soon?

 

[Patu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floodedstatue What you fail to consider or take into account when recommending 'Stupid Dream' and 'Lightbulb Sun' is that they are both currently out of print and not widely available. So as good as they are, they are only really available through downloading or for extortionate sums of money on ebay (unless you're lucky and happen to stumble across one in a record store). The good news is that they are due for re-issue very soon so hopefully the record company will get their finger out and get these in store and to the attention of the wider audience they deserve.

Yes you're right. I didn't even know about that.

Well you can always borrow them from library and give them a try so you'll know do you even have to buy them. At least that is possible here in Finland.

 

[Bleeding Spark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl How soon?

Stupid Dream is being reissued sometime in "early 2006" according to the official porcupine tree website. Initially it will only be available from the Porcupine Tree online store (burning shed) as a redbook CD/DVD-A combo. High resolution stereo and 5.1 mixes, the extended version of "Even Less" from the Recordings album, and a video for the song "Piano Lessons"

The CD alone will be issued later in record stores. There's a similar plan for "Lightbulb Sun", but that won't happen until later this year. Steven Wilson is a busy man these days. He's in Tel Aviv right now preparing for some concerts with his excellent project "Blackfield". The new Blackfield album will be recorded early this year. Also in the pipeline is the mixing of the new Porcupine Tree DVD, filmed over two nights in Chicago during the Deadwing tour.

 

[markl]

Got In Absentia, it's a very good album, but a bit same-y to me, not as strong as Deadwing...

 

[Bleeding Spark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl Got In Absentia, it's a very good album, but a bit same-y to me, not as strong as Deadwing...

"In Absentia" really hit me on about the fifth listen. I was hooked on the song "Prodigal" and didn't give the rest of the album much of a chance. "Trains" was my least favorite song on that album for months, but now it's in my top five Porcupine Tree songs (and that's saying something).

I can't decide if I prefer "Deadwing" over "In Absentia" these days. Both are phenomenal albums, I suspect audiences will be discovering them for years to come.

 

[markl]

Finally got my hands on Stupid Dream. Someone somewhere mentioned forthcoming re-releases of several Porc Tree albums including this one. Any updates on these? Are they remastered or same mastering?

Anyway, this may be my favorite Tree album so far, it's right up there with Deadwing for me. It's amazing that a band of this quality (yeah, OK I didn't like the early stuff), can fly so low under the radar for as long as they've been making records as good as Stupid Dream. It's probably as good as anything Radiohead's done. Man, does this guy know how to produce, record and mix an album. He's a master. Separate from the music and the obvious musicianship, as pure pieces of audio, they're just fantastic.

Lightbulb Sun is next.

 

[kwitel]

I finally picked up "Lightbulb Sun" and I must say I am not as impressed with it as I was when first hearing In Absentia and Deadwing.
Some of it sounds a little corny to me, I guess I prefer their darker side?
Also, im not finding the songs to be as layered as their other material. The standouts for me are "Russia on Ice" and "Hatesong" mainly due to their complexity. However, most of the other songs are just basically good pop songs. They are good and catchy, but IMO nothing like anything on Deadwing.
Oddly enough, I remember talking about this with another poster from another thread who felt that the last two albums lacked variety and production wise were sub-par!?!
Amazing how everyone has a diffenerent take on their music...
Which of their albums are the spaciest/complex/layered and most progressive in structure?

 

[catscratch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel Oddly enough, I remember talking about this with another poster from another thread who felt that the last two albums lacked variety and production wise were sub-par!?! Amazing how everyone has a diffenerent take on their music... Which of their albums are the spaciest/complex/layered and most progressive in structure?

You can call me by name, it's ok

I never did claim that they were sub-par in terms of production. They're actually the best produced thus far. But, I do think they're sub-par in terms of songwriting.

Yes, everyone will hear PT differently, and this is only more praise for the band. Their portfolio has been incredibly diverse thus far. I hope that for the next disk they do something different still, and not make In Absentia Pt 3.

In terms of what is spaciest and most layered: Up The Downstair. It's also my favorite PT disk. Meaning you won't like it

but it is their darkest, spaciest, and most layered. Their most complex/progressive material is Sky Moves Sideways. It's very Pink Floyd influenced, more so than any other PT, but it's still a masterful disk. My second favorite, meaning you won't like it either, though you'll probably like it a bit more than Up The Downstair

Both have been reissued and remastered. For UTD, this was a good thing, especially the reissue of the impossibly rare Staircase Infinities disk that ships with it. But, I prefer the original Sky Moves Sideways release to the re-issue, since Wilson messed with the track order on the original disk and interrupted the flow. Sadly, the original is out of print, so go ahead and get the reissue.

Voyage 34 is also very dark and very spacey, but it's a bit of a mixed bag in terms of songwriting. It does, however, have some absolutely drop-dead gorgeous guitar soloing on it. Recommended, but get the first 2 before this.

P.S. Let Lightbulb Sun grow on you. It takes a while, as it's more subtle than the latest disks and has far less of a "wow" factor. But, in the end, the stronger songwriting makes the day, at least it does for me.

 

[kwitel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch You can call me by name, it's ok I never did claim that they were sub-par in terms of production. They're actually the best produced thus far. But, I do think they're sub-par in terms of songwriting. Yes, everyone will hear PT differently, and this is only more praise for the band. Their portfolio has been incredibly diverse thus far. I hope that for the next disk they do something different still, and not make In Absentia Pt 3. In terms of what is spaciest and most layered: Up The Downstair. It's also my favorite PT disk. Meaning you won't like it but it is their darkest, spaciest, and most layered. Their most complex/progressive material is Sky Moves Sideways. It's very Pink Floyd influenced, more so than any other PT, but it's still a masterful disk. My second favorite, meaning you won't like it either, though you'll probably like it a bit more than Up The Downstair Both have been reissued and remastered. For UTD, this was a good thing, especially the reissue of the impossibly rare Staircase Infinities disk that ships with it. But, I prefer the original Sky Moves Sideways release to the re-issue, since Wilson messed with the track order on the original disk and interrupted the flow. Sadly, the original is out of print, so go ahead and get the reissue. Voyage 34 is also very dark and very spacey, but it's a bit of a mixed bag in terms of songwriting. It does, however, have some absolutely drop-dead gorgeous guitar soloing on it. Recommended, but get the first 2 before this. P.S. Let Lightbulb Sun grow on you. It takes a while, as it's more subtle than the latest disks and has far less of a "wow" factor. But, in the end, the stronger songwriting makes the day, at least it does for me.

LOL.
I knew youd pop out of the woodworks to answer my above post

Yeah, LS is growing on me already.
However, im not sure what is, but there is something about it that is rubbing me the wrong way. Its a minor detail, and im being extremely critical here-but its probably as a result of the lack of "wow" as you mentioned above.
I absolutely adore "Shesmovedon"...but again, I feel like Wilson couldve done more with that song.

 

[raisin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl Finally got my hands on Stupid Dream. Someone somewhere mentioned forthcoming re-releases of several Porc Tree albums including this one. Any updates on these? Are they remastered or same mastering?

You can sign up on their website for email notification and ordering info when it becomes available. Last I heard, late next month.

 

[Pangaea]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I picked up the Album that started this thread... Stars Die and love it. I have quite a bit of PT, and despite this being a compilation find it an engaging listen from beginning to end. Does anyone like it, or am I the only one?