siLLy puPPy PORCUPINE TREE is one of those rare acts that can literally mesmerize you and make you have a transcendental experience once you’ve fallen under its spell. This was a band that took me a while to appreciate mostly due to the slick overproduced style of modern prog that doesn’t always work for me. The band’s works are irresistible though for revisiting and each subsequent listening experience yields subtle elements that one can’t simply pick up in one go. Yep, the melodies are ear wormy candy and the mix of psychedelia with heavier alternative rock and metal showcases the band’s uncanny talent of walking the musical tightrope. Since this band has become quite popular it seems everyone has a favorite PORCUPINE TREE album and it’s taken me many years to go through the band’s many albums and EPs to determine which one stands above the rest. My conclusion is that the band’s top dog of its canon is DEADWING.

This eighth album came out three years after the band’s breakthrough release “In Absentia” which was the first to be released on a major label. DEADWING is the second of three albums that are considered the band’s absolute pinnacle of musical mastery. While many cite the previous or the following “Fear Of A Blank Planet” as their crowning achievement, DEADWING just hits me in the right way with everything the band had evolved into coming into full fruition on this release. Initially this was supposed to be the soundtrack to a film that never came to be. The screenplay was written by Steven Wilson and Mike Bennion and was essentially a ghost story but the funding failed to materialize and Wilson decided to take the best tracks and put them on a new PORCUPINE TREE album instead. The tracks "Deadwing", "Lazarus", "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here", "Open Car", and "Mellotron Scratch” were written for the soundtrack and the remaining were written later but designed to keep the overarching concept.

DEADWING basically takes all the elements of the already outstanding “In Absentia” and takes it all to the next level. The melodic hooks became even hookier and the progressiveness got even more proggy. The metal got more metallic and the psychedelia got even trippier. The production was flawless and the album really captures the essence of the concept like a ghostly apparition. The album features guitar solos from King Crimson’s Adrian Belew and even Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth joins in on guitar and vocal harmonies. Despite half the album intended for another project and various tracks essentially Steven Wilson solo material, the album delivers a consistency unmatched in my opinion even though the albums that bookmark DEADWING are near perfect prog classics. From the very first oscillating electronic sounds that usher in the opening title track, the second lengthiest on the album, the band mastered the art of a rotisserie of diverse dynamics that allow various melodies to act as the skeletal system.

“Shallow” follows the ethereal title track with heavy alternative metal guitar riffs with slightly off-kilter rhythmic cadences and those by then well established changes of musical motifs from heavy guitar heft to piano rolls with symphonic overdubs. The album produced the two singles “Lazurus” and “Arriving Somewhere But Not Here,” the former a short psychedelic ballad based on an arpeggiated piano riff and the latter an intricately designed masterpiece of melody, harmony and display of dynamic shifts from one mood to another with a flawless execution of an evolving flow from space rock to quickened prog rock and then finally a climaxing heavy metal fury. PORCUPINE TREE showcases its impeccable ability to transition from one idea to another without missing a beat in a logical organic warmth that really once fully comprehended sends chills down your spine.

Although its difficult to pick an absolute favorite, i have to say that the combo effect of “Mellotron Scratch” and “Open Car” are two tracks that prog dreams are made of. Infectious melodies and the perfect mastery of building up tension, releasing and then upping the ante, “Mellotron Scratch” opens with a twanging simple guitar lick that provides the recurring melodic hook throughout the track with Wilson finding creative ways to harmonize his vocals around. The track ends with one of the most beautiful displays of harmonizing vocals in classic Gentle Giant fashion after a brilliant series of connecting notes separating it from the primary musical motif. “Open Car” likewise opens with an oddly timed guitar riff and then alternates with heavier metal guitar riffs followed by a pre-chorus and a eerily beautiful symphonic chorus. The album refuses to let up with another brilliant track in the form of “The Start of Something Beautiful” and the closing psychedelic treat “Glass Arm Shattering.”

For those luckily enough to have the American edition we are treated to a re-recording of “Shesmovedon” taken from the “Lightbulb Sun” album. Other editions also add some bonus tracks but all feature the original nine tracks that collectively reach the status of musical masterpiece. This is really one of my favorite albums of all time but didn’t start out that way. This was just another PORCUPINE TREE album for many spins and then somehow really got under my skin and even found the rare honor in my world of MANY repeated spins. This is literally one of those albums i can just push re-play and never tire of. Everything that PORCUPINE TREE had been working up to had reached sheer magnanimous perfection on DEADWING. To my ears, this is the absolute perfect balancing act of PT’s psychedelic 90s, heavy prog mid-years and the peak of its progressive rock compositional creative. Sure “Fear Of A Blank Planet” isn’t far behind but what it really boils down on this one is the vocals, melodies and harmonies offered. This band had an uncanny knack for nurturing simple pop hooks into a never-ending series of variations, contrasting dynamics and brilliant instrumentation all topped off with some of the best modern production and mixing in the music industry. All without losing the main focus of the melodic processions. Masterpiece!

Necrotica Porcupine Tree have certainly gone through an interesting stylistic evolution over the years, but what's always been fascinating is that each shift is more like an extension of their previous eras. Think about it: Their first era was almost entirely built on psychedelic rock, albums like Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun are primarily alternative rock but contain elements of psychedelic rock, and everything after that has been progressive metal with elements of alternative rock and psychedelic rock. While Porcupine Tree are on hiatus right now, it would be interesting to see what they come up with next to add to their current range of genres if they do come back. But, like many fans of the band, I believe that the 2000s (barring The Incident) is the decade that holds their best work and their most natural evolution: the aforementioned shift to progressive metal. We still have the layered and beautiful soundscapes in abundance, but the band's songwriting got a lot tighter and gained a lot more direction... along with some wonderfully heavy and crunchy riffs to boot. So, with frontman Steven Wilson hard at work with his solo career at the moment, I think now is a good time to revisit the first Porcupine Tree album that hit the Billboard charts and reached a larger audience: Deadwing.

A lot of the songwriting elements that made In Absentia such a fan favorite are still here in spades, but there's a bit more emphasis on metal here than on their previous records. "Shallow," "Halo," and "Open Car" are all songs that one could imagine getting airplay on alternative metal radio stations; hell, "Shallow" actually made its way into the action movie Four Brothers! But despite the presence of intense and almost grungy riffing, the same old Porcupine Tree we all know and love is still on this record. Even the heavier songs have softer and more atmospheric portions to even them out, such as the beautiful piano-driven pre-choruses of "Shallow" or the drumless outro of "Open Car" which features some nice harmonized vocals from Wilson. Speaking of "piano-driven," Richard Barbieri was really given the chance to shine on Deadwing. He was always widely regarded as a great keyboardist, especially when he was in the new wave band Japan, but he was often reduced to just providing background atmosphere with his layered effects and sampling. But here, there's much more of a balance as tracks such as "Lazarus" and "Start of Something Beautiful" (mainly the second half of the latter) showcase much more traditional piano playing in which Barbieri displays his virtuosity a bit more. Bassist Colin Edwin and drummer Gavin Harrison are fantastic as usual, providing a very solid and proficient rhythm section for Wilson to work with.

But, as always, the compositions are what makes it all come together. This might not be the best Porcupine Tree album ever, but it might just have the best balance in terms of dynamics and track placement. What makes Deadwing so accessible and fun to listen to is just the sheer range of song lengths and ideas flying around. It may seem weird mentioning the song lengths, but to go from the shorter, punchier, (presumably) religion-bashing and tongue-in-cheek alternative metal of "Halo" to such a powerful and emotional epic like "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here" is just a taste of what makes Deadwing work so well. The way the more hard-hitting and the more emotionally resonant pieces come together makes this both a thrillingly energetic experience and an intriguing one. The title track and "Shallow" work in very much the same way, with a more long-winded and dramatic song rife with progressive passages paving the way for possibly the most distorted and brutal song Porcupine Tree have ever released. But the quality also lies in the songwriting of the individual tracks too, of course. Despite the seemingly simplistic nature of the music compared to other contemporary (or even classic, for that matter) progressive rock bands, there are a lot of little intricacies that drive each song. Songs like "Glass Arm Shattering" and "Start of Something Beautiful" don't feature ridiculous amounts of instrumental virtuosity, but instead use the band members' talents for a more layered experience featuring a heavy amount of atmosphere and dynamic subtlety. The same goes for "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here," whose strength is how well it builds up to its very heavy metal-oriented payoff with beautiful space rock-esque soundscapes and one of Wilson's strongest and most emotional vocal performances.

Balance is what makes Deadwing so complete and fulfilling. It's both highly accessible and moderately challenging, technically proficient but also economical in its instrumentation, as well as soft and delicate while also tending to be crushingly heavy at moments. if it weren't for the slightly boring and uneventful ballad "Mellotron Scratch," this would most certainly be the strongest record in the Porcupine Tree discography, even edging out albums such as Signify and Lightbulb Sun. But it's still fantastic, and between the varied songwriting and consistently well-executed instrumental work, it stands as one of Porcupine Tree's finest hours.

Recommended Tracks ---------------------------------------------- Arriving Somewhere but Not Here, Shallow, Deadwing, Start of Something Beautiful

(Originally published on Sputnikmusic)

Warthur Prog critics raved about Deadwing when it came out, and I can't blame them - it's a really tight album which carries forward the advances in Porcupine Tree's sound first put forth on In Absentia. But I don't think it's quite the five-star classic it's sometimes made out to be; the pacing of the album flags a little for me in the second half, though it's made up a bit by the last two songs (The Start of Something Beautiful and Glass Arm Shattering), which are excellent and blow most of the preceding songs out of the water. I suppose that's why people are very generous to the album - even if it does meander a little at points, it has a really excellent conclusion and leaves you feeling very positive about it.

AtomicCrimsonRush Haunting, Sensual, Terrifyingly Beautiful. My introduction to Porcupine Tree began here and I was overwhlemed by the blend of heavy crunching guitar riffing and mellotrone ambience. I believe I was hooked from the moment I heard 'Shallow' which remains my favourite PT track even after getting hold of their last few albums and DVD. One of the greatest example of neo-progressive heavy rock by arguably the best in the business. Wilson's voice is mesmirizing on every track. Barbieri's keyboards are a beautiful touch that permeate the album from beginning to end. It is a masterfully produced work that deserves all the attention it has garnered. Streets ahead of previous Porcupine Tree material and a real turning point after 'In Absentia' which was also masterfully produced, though not up to this standard.

The melodies remain in your head well after the CD has ended in particular 'Mellotron Scratch', 'Start of Something Beautiful' and 'Lazarus'. The production and art work are worthy of note too, a juxtaposition of sound, visual images and symbolism to paint a picture that is powerful enough to remember. The album artwork seems to point to a disaster in a car crash resulting in the ghostly apparition of one of the deceased. I am not entirely sure but the enigma and mystique is evident and quite compelling.

One reason to get hold of this album is the wonderful mini epic 'Arriving Somewhere...' that has some innovative melodies and an incredible instrumental section featuring great guitar riffs and relaxing keyboards. The time signature shifts are classic prog rock. The Pink Floyd and Yes influences are evident. There are undoubtedly huge influences from classic prog bands in this music. The entrancing and mesmirising atmospheric slow moving tracks at the end of the album use techniques of minimalism and a huge wall of sound builds up to a crescendo. 'Open Car' for instance is simply hypnotising. The ghost track is an old favourite but well executed here and a pleasant surprise when you are not expecting it.

All the tracks are unique, inspired and demonstrate the musical complexity that is essentially Porcupine Tree. Many tracks appear on the live DVD 'Arriving Somewhere...' but the studio versions presented on this album are the best versions. I have no hesitation in awarding this incredible album 5 stars. The musical dexterity exceeded my expectations and I systematically was compelled to get hold of everything else the band has done. Porcupine Tree are keeping the neo heavy prog dream well and truly alive and are hailed today as masters of the genre!