CD Review: Porcupine Tree, Deadwing

There are two camps in the British progressive rock scene. In one corner are those unashamedly retro bands that seek to recreate the sounds of the halcyon days of the early 70s before the dark ages of punk. In the other corner stand those bands who combine the spirit of that era with a more streamlined, modern sound. Steve Wilson's Porcupine Tree are definitely in the latter camp.

I read a review of Deadwing in The Times that described Porcupine Tree as 'now sounding like a regular indie band', which made me fear the worst, as the last thing Britain needs is yet another generic indie band. But my fears proved unfounded; this album is far more metal than indie. Deadwing's predecessor, "In Absentia" was notably heavier than earlier PT albums, and this one takes things still further in that direction. Wilson's work with Scandinavian death-metallers Opeth has rubbed off; indeed, Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt contributes some guitar, as does King Crimson's Adrian Belew. But it's not all thrashing guitar riffs; there are also some decidedly non-metal ballads and plenty of Floydian textures to offset the heavier parts.

The nine-minute opening title track starts as the band mean to go on, with it's powerful guitar riff and driving bass line, and the instrumental breaks contrast Wilson's liquid guitar solo with guest player Adrian Belew's distinctive angular style. The production is clean and crisp, as you'd expect from Steven Wilson. High spot of the album is the kaleidoscopic twelve-minute epic 'Arriving Somewhere (but not here)', which manages to go through all the musical styles of the album in a single track; spacey atmospheric intro, gentle ballad building to the fluid guitar solo, then a thrashing death-metal segment, before it all drops away for an acoustic flamenco solo. Heaviest track is the US single, 'Shallow', with it's Zeppelin-style riff. The most indie-sounding songs are probably the excellent bass-driven 'Halo', the UK single, the piano-led ballad 'Lazarus', which doesn't do a lot for me, although Coldplay fans will probably love it, and "Start of Something Beautiful", with the beautiful piano solo towards the end.

Overall, this album reminds me very much of the last couple of Marillion albums; if you liked "Anoraknophobia" and "Marbles", or indeed, Porcupine Tree's own "In Absentia", I can definitely recommend "Deadwing".

(This review also appears on Blogcritics)

Posted by TimHall at April 12, 2005 10:11 PM | TrackBack

Comments

Top album from one of my favourite bands in the history of the known universe. The only slightly unusual thing is that it sounds a bit 'In Absentia 2' - not a crit as that's a mind-blowing album. But I had got used to a slightly different direction with each PT outing.

The Times review seems like a classic example of why I've not read a music review for many, many years. Who wrote it, Chris Leigh?

Posted by: Steve Jones on April 13, 2005 08:35 AM

After having written a couple of prog-rock reviews, I'm beginning to understand why progressive albums get such short shrift from the mainsteam scribblers.

I probably listened to Deadwing a dozen times before I felt I could write a review that did it justice, since it takes many listens to really get into an album like this. Mainstream reviewers are always working to deadlines; they have to judge something on one or two listens, which is why they tend to favour lightweight frothy stuff with no substance.

Not that this is really an excuse, just an explaination as to why mainstream reviews of prog albums are a waste of space.

Posted by: Tim Hall on April 13, 2005 10:07 PM

After listening to this release for a couple dozen times now, I am hooked!

Now regarding the growing division between the two Porcupine Tree fan bases that started with the release of �In Absentia��

PT�s �Deadwing� and preceding �In Absentia� may be heavier than earlier releases, but what is wrong with that? It is also and often very soft. The contrast of the two makes it interesting. A heavy or scary sound is just one more tool for the composer to express a feeling or an ambiance, similarly to what we hear in a movie score. PT always makes extensive use of sound effects to attain this goal as well as demonstrated in Deadwing. Steven Wilson himself suggests that you should listen to a PT album like you watch a movie.

It is interesting to note that the same kind of division happened among Genesis fans, years ago. There was the Gabriel era fan base and the after Gabriel fan base: 2 different bands. What difference does it make now? No band is eternal and sooner or later, bands and fans alike have to move on. What SW has done in the past and is doing now is building his legacy. We, listeners, are just the witnesses. We have no right to demand that he satisfies our wants. PT�s sound is unique and appealing because its creators like what they do and they do what they like, not what others like. It is also unique because Steven Wilson is in charge; thank God for that. If Mr. �Everybody� was in charge, PT would sound like everybody and become just another band. MTV presents those daily; these bands reach some level of success, and then most disappear after just a few years, without leaving a trace. PT has already left a trace and they are not done�

History has shown time and time again that important and influential bands are the ones that hold their ground. They are led from the inside by strong willed individuals. Think of Jimmy Page, Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, Jimi Hendrix, Sting, to name a few. Yes, most of them are dead or, let�s say, mature. We will see in a few years what the younger generation has to offer, but it is safe to affirm that Steven Wilson will be on that list.

A band that is led from the outside by a strong willed producer or record company typically does not last very long. Music industry nowadays strives to take advantage of such a band�s potential commercial success for quick profit; this is achieved by re-using a proven production recipe� Well, fortunately art is not about formulas, it is about creation� Thanks go to Steven Wilson for reminding us that via all PT albums.

Listen to �Deadwing�, �In Absentia� or any previous PT albums with an open mind... You will discover rich harmonies and textures, interesting rhythmic structures more commonly found in jazz such as 7/4 (In Absentia � �The Sound of Musak�), 9/8 (Deadwing � �Start of something beautiful�) This music will surprise you and make you visit places...

Posted by: JF on May 6, 2005 07:25 PM

Another rhythmically interesting track on Deadwing is "Halo". I'm suprised not to have seen it mentioned in a review yet. The instrumental section in 17, subdivided 5,4,5,3 with syncopated backbeats by the drummer. They make it sound so natural I guess people don't pick up on how tricky it is. A band like Dream Theater would noodle all over it, but PT's more minimalist approach reminds me a bit of King's X.

Posted by: Eric on May 11, 2005 07:05 PM


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I read a review of Deadwing in The Times that described Porcupine Tree as 'now sounding like a regular indie band', which made me fear the worst, as the last thing Britain needs is yet another generic indie band. But my fears proved unfounded; this album is far more metal than indie. Deadwing's predecessor, "In Absentia" was notably heavier than earlier PT albums, and this one takes things still further in that direction. Wilson's work with Scandinavian death-metallers Opeth has rubbed off; indeed, Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt contributes some guitar, as does King Crimson's Adrian Belew. But it's not all thrashing guitar riffs; there are also some decidedly non-metal ballads and plenty of Floydian textures to offset the heavier parts. The nine-minute opening title track starts as the band mean to go on, with it's powerful guitar riff and driving bass line, and the instrumental breaks contrast Wilson's liquid guitar solo with guest player Adrian Belew's distinctive angular style. The production is clean and crisp, as you'd expect from Steven Wilson. High spot of the album is the kaleidoscopic twelve-minute epic 'Arriving Somewhere (but not here)', which manages to go through all the musical styles of the album in a single track; spacey atmospheric intro, gentle ballad building to the fluid guitar solo, then a thrashing death-metal segment, before it all drops away for an acoustic flamenco solo. Heaviest track is the US single, 'Shallow', with it's Zeppelin-style riff. The most indie-sounding songs are probably the excellent bass-driven 'Halo', the UK single, the piano-led ballad 'Lazarus', which doesn't do a lot for me, although Coldplay fans will probably love it, and "Start of Something Beautiful", with the beautiful piano solo towards the end. Overall, this album reminds me very much of the last couple of Marillion albums; if you liked "Anoraknophobia" and "Marbles", or indeed, Porcupine Tree's own "In Absentia", I can definitely recommend "Deadwing". (This review also appears on Blogcritics) Posted by TimHall at April 12, 2005 10:11 PM \| TrackBack Comments Top album from one of my favourite bands in the history of the known universe. The only slightly unusual thing is that it sounds a bit 'In Absentia 2' - not a crit as that's a mind-blowing album. But I had got used to a slightly different direction with each PT outing. The Times review seems like a classic example of why I've not read a music review for many, many years. Who wrote it, Chris Leigh? Posted by: Steve Jones on April 13, 2005 08:35 AM After having written a couple of prog-rock reviews, I'm beginning to understand why progressive albums get such short shrift from the mainsteam scribblers. I probably listened to Deadwing a dozen times before I felt I could write a review that did it justice, since it takes many listens to really get into an album like this. Mainstream reviewers are always working to deadlines; they have to judge something on one or two listens, which is why they tend to favour lightweight frothy stuff with no substance. Not that this is really an excuse, just an explaination as to why mainstream reviews of prog albums are a waste of space. Posted by: Tim Hall on April 13, 2005 10:07 PM After listening to this release for a couple dozen times now, I am hooked! Now regarding the growing division between the two Porcupine Tree fan bases that started with the release of �In Absentia�� PT�s �Deadwing� and preceding �In Absentia� may be heavier than earlier releases, but what is wrong with that? It is also and often very soft. The contrast of the two makes it interesting. A heavy or scary sound is just one more tool for the composer to express a feeling or an ambiance, similarly to what we hear in a movie score. PT always makes extensive use of sound effects to attain this goal as well as demonstrated in Deadwing. Steven Wilson himself suggests that you should listen to a PT album like you watch a movie. It is interesting to note that the same kind of division happened among Genesis fans, years ago. There was the Gabriel era fan base and the after Gabriel fan base: 2 different bands. What difference does it make now? No band is eternal and sooner or later, bands and fans alike have to move on. What SW has done in the past and is doing now is building his legacy. We, listeners, are just the witnesses. We have no right to demand that he satisfies our wants. PT�s sound is unique and appealing because its creators like what they do and they do what they like, not what others like. It is also unique because Steven Wilson is in charge; thank God for that. If Mr. �Everybody� was in charge, PT would sound like everybody and become just another band. MTV presents those daily; these bands reach some level of success, and then most disappear after just a few years, without leaving a trace. PT has already left a trace and they are not done� History has shown time and time again that important and influential bands are the ones that hold their ground. They are led from the inside by strong willed individuals. Think of Jimmy Page, Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, Jimi Hendrix, Sting, to name a few. Yes, most of them are dead or, let�s say, mature. We will see in a few years what the younger generation has to offer, but it is safe to affirm that Steven Wilson will be on that list. A band that is led from the outside by a strong willed producer or record company typically does not last very long. Music industry nowadays strives to take advantage of such a band�s potential commercial success for quick profit; this is achieved by re-using a proven production recipe� Well, fortunately art is not about formulas, it is about creation� Thanks go to Steven Wilson for reminding us that via all PT albums. Listen to �Deadwing�, �In Absentia� or any previous PT albums with an open mind... You will discover rich harmonies and textures, interesting rhythmic structures more commonly found in jazz such as 7/4 (In Absentia � �The Sound of Musak�), 9/8 (Deadwing � �Start of something beautiful�) This music will surprise you and make you visit places... Posted by: JF on May 6, 2005 07:25 PM Another rhythmically interesting track on Deadwing is "Halo". I'm suprised not to have seen it mentioned in a review yet. The instrumental section in 17, subdivided 5,4,5,3 with syncopated backbeats by the drummer. They make it sound so natural I guess people don't pick up on how tricky it is. A band like Dream Theater would noodle all over it, but PT's more minimalist approach reminds me a bit of King's X. Posted by: Eric on May 11, 2005 07:05 PM Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Comments: Remember info?	Links of the day 10 Most Overrated Albums From BBC 6 Music. Coldplay! The Smiths! Oasis! Pete Knobhead Docherty! Who am I to disagree? 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