Philip Meyer
2007-03-30, 12:36
Only 15 days to go until the official release date for the new Porcupine Tree album, called "Fear of a Blank Planet".
I know a few people on this mailing list are PT supporters, and also there are some Rush fans in here too. The new album includes guest performances from Alex Lifeson (Rush) and Robert Fripp (King Crimson).
This album should be good. It sounds like it will be a progression from Deadwing to a heavier sound, and they have moved away from shorter radio-friendly "singles".
http://www.fearofablankplanet.com/
Here's a review from a guy who's heard the the UK preview:
>So I heard the album twice earlier today, and it is fantastic. To my ears
>it lies somewhere in between The Sky Moves Sideways and In Absentia, and is
>in my opinion that this is their best album since TSMS. It is one
>continuous 50 minute piece, and is structured and pieced together like the
>extended version of TSMS that appeared on the bonus disc of the reissue. It
>is also the heaviest PT album to date, in a similar sort of way to how In
>Absentia was heavy. Unlike the New York listening we were given the track
>titles, but I won't spill the beans here until PT themselves have put it on
>their site.
>It all kicks off with a dark brooding riff on acoustic guitar which fairly
>quickly explodes onto electric, backed with a driving beat from Gavin. The
>lyrics are rapid-fire, and have a few effects to make them seem distant and
>down a phone line. This track hasn't changed markedly from the live
>version, but I think the earlier riffs are not quite so heavy - the really
>heavy parts don't kick in until about two-thirds of the way through Track 1.
>It all slows down for the next track, being more acoustic and laid back.
>Harmonies drench the chorus, creating a more epic setting than is usually
>shown by PT. This quickly moves into "The Beast". A dark, brooding,
>minimal riff drifts in, backed by typical RB synths before low drawn out
>lyrics emerge. It slowly begins to build, and Alex Lifeson's solo tears
>through the speakers - a very technical, shifting solo, sounds great but I'm
>not convinced on it totally fitting the mood of the song at that time.
>Things then start getting really heavy, with full on double bass drum, palm
>muted riffs, thumping bass - headbangers to the ready! Long instrumental
>passages ensure, punctuated with probably my favourite PT chorus ever -
>hugely tuneful and catchy, and more glorious harmonies, all over heavy
>guitars. It all slows down for the outro, bringing back the mood of track
>2, with vocals similar to the intro to this track.
>Track 4 is my favourite track after these 2 listens. It is a beautiful,
>lush track that is full of clean crisp guitars, more of those harmonies
>choruses and a wonderfully catchy little riff that runs through most of the
>track, and such a huge improvement over the live version of 4 months ago.
>Track 5 is the one track that wasn't aired on the October tour. Starting
>off dark and unsettling, it is built around a stuttering guitar riff on top
>of some soundscapes courtesy of Robert Fripp. After a couple of verses it
>literally explodes into a monumental slab of heavy guitars and drums, which
>although it disappears just as quickly, somehow fits.
>A more industrial beat opens the final track, one that builds and builds,
>becoming lush with guitars and strings that morph into a hypnotic, epic,
>huge outro with so many hooks in it that it hurts, fantastic :)
>Sorry if this is a bit vague, but only having two listens to such a vast and
>complex album, it's going to be a long three months...
I know a few people on this mailing list are PT supporters, and also there are some Rush fans in here too. The new album includes guest performances from Alex Lifeson (Rush) and Robert Fripp (King Crimson).
This album should be good. It sounds like it will be a progression from Deadwing to a heavier sound, and they have moved away from shorter radio-friendly "singles".
http://www.fearofablankplanet.com/
Here's a review from a guy who's heard the the UK preview:
>So I heard the album twice earlier today, and it is fantastic. To my ears
>it lies somewhere in between The Sky Moves Sideways and In Absentia, and is
>in my opinion that this is their best album since TSMS. It is one
>continuous 50 minute piece, and is structured and pieced together like the
>extended version of TSMS that appeared on the bonus disc of the reissue. It
>is also the heaviest PT album to date, in a similar sort of way to how In
>Absentia was heavy. Unlike the New York listening we were given the track
>titles, but I won't spill the beans here until PT themselves have put it on
>their site.
>It all kicks off with a dark brooding riff on acoustic guitar which fairly
>quickly explodes onto electric, backed with a driving beat from Gavin. The
>lyrics are rapid-fire, and have a few effects to make them seem distant and
>down a phone line. This track hasn't changed markedly from the live
>version, but I think the earlier riffs are not quite so heavy - the really
>heavy parts don't kick in until about two-thirds of the way through Track 1.
>It all slows down for the next track, being more acoustic and laid back.
>Harmonies drench the chorus, creating a more epic setting than is usually
>shown by PT. This quickly moves into "The Beast". A dark, brooding,
>minimal riff drifts in, backed by typical RB synths before low drawn out
>lyrics emerge. It slowly begins to build, and Alex Lifeson's solo tears
>through the speakers - a very technical, shifting solo, sounds great but I'm
>not convinced on it totally fitting the mood of the song at that time.
>Things then start getting really heavy, with full on double bass drum, palm
>muted riffs, thumping bass - headbangers to the ready! Long instrumental
>passages ensure, punctuated with probably my favourite PT chorus ever -
>hugely tuneful and catchy, and more glorious harmonies, all over heavy
>guitars. It all slows down for the outro, bringing back the mood of track
>2, with vocals similar to the intro to this track.
>Track 4 is my favourite track after these 2 listens. It is a beautiful,
>lush track that is full of clean crisp guitars, more of those harmonies
>choruses and a wonderfully catchy little riff that runs through most of the
>track, and such a huge improvement over the live version of 4 months ago.
>Track 5 is the one track that wasn't aired on the October tour. Starting
>off dark and unsettling, it is built around a stuttering guitar riff on top
>of some soundscapes courtesy of Robert Fripp. After a couple of verses it
>literally explodes into a monumental slab of heavy guitars and drums, which
>although it disappears just as quickly, somehow fits.
>A more industrial beat opens the final track, one that builds and builds,
>becoming lush with guitars and strings that morph into a hypnotic, epic,
>huge outro with so many hooks in it that it hurts, fantastic :)
>Sorry if this is a bit vague, but only having two listens to such a vast and
>complex album, it's going to be a long three months...