Over the years, trying to determine what is true "prog rock" and what is not has become an increasingly tricky proposition. In the early '70s, it was easy - any band that performed "suites" that extended across entire album sides and dressed in capes and/or cloaks was a dead giveaway. However, when the early '80s rolled around, most former prog rockers trimmed out the fat from their compositions (and exchanged their medieval wear and kimonos for what looked like sports coats). Ever since, there have been bands that have aligned themselves to either of the aforementioned prog rock approaches. But along came Porcupine Tree, who somehow have found a way to incorporate both into their 2009 effort, The Incident. Set up similarly to Rush's 1978 classic, Hemispheres, The Incident is comprised of a single long song - the title track - that features many different movements…
Deluxe limited edition 13 CD box set chronicling the evolution of Porcupine Tree, bringing together all of the band's recordings issued by the Delerium label between 1992-97.
Remastered in 2016 by Steven Wilson. Though Porcupine Tree's permanent lineup was in place by the time Sky Moves Sideways was complete, it was actually a combination of old and new, with a number of tracks once again done by Wilson on his own. Regardless of the provenance of one song or another, though, it was another fine release under the Porcupine Tree name, continuing the excellence of Up the Downstair while achieving a new liquid sense of drama and overall flow. Barbieri's keyboard skills alone made for a wonderful addition to the ranks, easily capturing the slow sense of unfolding atmosphere and elegance combined from earlier Porcupine Tree work while adding his own touches here and there, a touch of playfulness and improvisation…
Porcupine Tree were an English progressive rock band formed by musician Steven Wilson in 1987. The band began essentially as a solo project for Wilson, who created all of the band's music. By late 1993, however, he wanted to work in a band environment, bringing on frequent collaborators Richard Barbieri as keyboardist, Colin Edwin as bassist, and Chris Maitland as drummer to form the first permanent lineup…
Continuing in the growing commercial vein of their previous releases, Porcupine Tree's In Absentia may be the most accessible release to ever spew forth from the group. Rolling electronic percussion blends with simple and solid live drumming to provide an understated backbeat as perennial Tree leader Steven Wilson pastes his complicated pop over the proceedings…
Porcupine Tree - one of the UK’s most forward thinking, genre defying rock bands, return with their first new music in twelve years. Over a decade in the making, Closure/Continuation is released via Music For Nations / Sony.
Over the years, trying to determine what is true "prog rock" and what is not has become an increasingly tricky proposition. In the early '70s, it was easy – any band that performed "suites" that extended across entire album sides and dressed in capes and/or cloaks was a dead giveaway. However, when the early '80s rolled around, most former prog rockers trimmed out the fat from their compositions (and exchanged their medieval wear and kimonos for what looked like sports coats). Ever since, there have been bands that have aligned themselves to either of the aforementioned prog rock approaches. But along came Porcupine Tree, who somehow have found a way to incorporate both into their 2009 effort, The Incident…
Closure/Continuation. Live. Amsterdam 07/11/22 documents Porcupine Tree’s triumphant return to the stage perfectly. A live recording captured on 7th November 2022 at Amsterdam’s 17,000 capacity Ziggo Dome, it places the listener/viewer right at the heart of the stage for the duration of the show as psychotropic visuals explode behind the band as they play a superlative set of songs that features - to use Steven Wilson’s words - “no hits,” where each one is received like an anthem from an alternate universe.
Remastered in 2016 by Steven Wilson. Up the Downstair feels noticeably different in tone from On the Sunday of Life - the humor is nearly invisible, if present at all, and the focus is more explicitly up to date in keeping with Steven Wilson's long-stated belief that progressive music means incorporating the now instead of rehashing what progressive was. His singing is now more accomplished in turn - it sounds like he might have been taking a lesson or two from his No-Man partner Tim Bowness, but he has his own dreamy approach. His already accomplished studio work seems to have turned even more so with time, and the end result is a delicate, complex, and remarkable effort…