siLLy puPPy Ignoring the many EPs, live albums and archival releases, PORCUPINE TREE’s canon can basically be broken down into three phases. The first was essentially Steven Wilson’s solo projects that focused on modern sounding psychedelic space rock that took the sounds of Pink Floyd and German Krautrock into the modern era. He hired extra musicians but the band hadn’t quite gelled as a unit yet. From “Signify” to “Lightbulb Sun” PORCUPINE TREE became a true band that retained all the psych rock while incorporating sounds from the 90s alternative rock scene with more streamlined traditional songwriting that focused on lyrical content and accessible melodies without jettisoning the progressive rock characteristics that had gotten them that far. The final stage was when all these elements came to fruition and taken to extremes which resulted in the band’s peak performances from “In Absentia” to “Fear Of A Blank Planet” and included the less popular “The Incident.”

STUPID DREAM was the second album of the second phase and continued the style laid down on “Signify” which focused on accessible pop hooks while integrating grungy alternative rock heft into the psychedelic space rock elements primary delivered by the keyboards and guitar tones. On STUPID DREAM the emphasis was squarely placed on the lyrics which dealt with Wilson’s personal experience with the world at large telling him it’s a waste of time to pursue a musical career due to the fact it is already too crowded and that nobody would ever listen to his music no matter how hard he tried. Of course after PORCUPINE TREE’s rise in popularity manifested the album takes on a whole new meaning of “stick it up yer arse and stick to yer friggin dreams!” but at this point in time in 1999 when the album was originally released, it reflects his frustrations of choosing between his passion and a so-called more sensible avenue of what many of us would call selling out.

This album ratchets up the second phase of the PORCUPINE TREE experience. While “Signify” had debuted the alt rock vs psych, STUPID DREAM took it even further with more streamlined tracks that offered various melodic hooks either via the piano, the guitar or just Wilson’s singing style. This is a pretty cool album in the fact it’s one of the few examples i can cite as psychedelic grunge. While the rock parts are clearly from the contemporary grunge scene of the 1990s mixed with the psychedelic space rock from the first phase of PT, the album is chock full of many other influences ranging from Todd Rungren and Utopia to Jeff Buckley and even Crosby, Stills and Nash in the vocal harmonizing department. There are many aspects of folk music that come and go and several spoken word samples that add some cool intros, intermissions and song endings.

Really everything improved on this album from “Signify” although that was a strong album as well in its own right. The melodic hooks are even catchier here, the sense of dynamics is even more diverse and the production which became one of Wilson’s most sought after talents has resulted in sheer perfection by this point. The meticulous attention to detail would become PORCUPINE TREE’s strongest attribute at this point and STUPID DREAM pretty much signifies the moment when the band came of age. There was no way to go but up from here. Perhaps the strongest trait of all was how the band could alternate moods and musical styles between verses, choruses and bridges all the while adding extra motifs that somehow they manage to slip into the mix. There was also more attention paid to becoming more commercial which for better or worse worked out. The opening “Even Less” for example started out as a 17-minute track that got 10 minutes chopped off.

This is really the album where PORCUPINE TREE mastered the art of perfect transitions between stylistically disparate styles of songwriting much in the vein of Radiohead who itself found its unique mix of psychedelic space rock with catchy pop hooks that took a cue from earlier bands like This Mortal Coil, The Cocteau Twins and Slowdive. While PORCUPINE TREE developed its true style here it still needed a bit more work before it would start cranking out what many would deem masterpieces. Despite the more frequent appearances of grunge and alternative rock, this is still very much a psychedelic experience.

Although this is only the mid-phase of PORCUPINE TREE, it’s still a gratifying experience. Yeah, the metal heft hadn’t quite drifted into the scene until “In Absentia” but the nuts and bolts of the PT experience had truly gelled. What’s lacking here is consistency with a few tracks such as “Stranger By The Minute” not really standing out amongst the rest of the album and with an hour’s playing time, it would’ve behooved the band to nix a few weaker tracks. All in all an excellent album with a significant moral message being delivered but not quite perfect yet. The saxophone solos from guest musician Theo Travis for example sound woefully out of place but his flute performances are spot on. Still not a perfect album but if one lesson can come from this album, it’s that there is no STUPID DREAM to be had since despite all the naysayers, Steven Wilson had the last laugh as not only one progressive rock’s most endearing newbies to the modern prog scene but also as one of the most sought after producer’s in today’s complex digital reality. All in all, great album!

Warthur As Steven Wilson explains it in interviews, Stupid Dream (and its sister album Lightbulb Sun) saw him focusing more on composing traditional songs as opposed to the extended proggy soundscapes Porcupine Tree were more known for at this point. In many respects, it parallels the departure Marillion took at around this time with Radiation, with both bands writing more conventional songs influenced by the art rock approach of Radiohead and by more retro influences. (Here, I detected the influence of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young as opposed to the Beatles - particularly in the vocal harmonies.)

However, I think Porcupine Tree do a better job at taking on these influences and integrating them into their spacey sound so that the resultant album is something that's much easier for their existing fans to enjoy (as compared to Radiation, which many Marillion fans consider to be a rather weak effort). It helps that despite all the indie rock influence in evidence, the album leads off with the decidedly prog-oriented and rather Floydian Even Less, and regularly alternates between the more ethereal realms of prior Tree efforts and the indie-art rock territory the band were moving to explore. On the whole, this phase of Porcupine Tree would prove to be brief - encompassing just this album, Lightbulb Sun, and the Recordings compilation of off-cuts from both - but a very rewarding one nonetheless.

Necrotica Porcupine Tree have always been a bit of an oddity in the progressive rock world. Sure, they've experimented with many other genres to date, but not many bands in the musical style can lay claim to such an accessible and inviting sound in the process. Of course their 90s work is a bit more obscure and inaccessible because of Steven Wilson's psychedelic offerings, but with Signify, the band hit a turning point. A more band-oriented approach was taken, a more streamlined style was introduced (although still psychedelic, mind you), and the the switch in sounds was quite surprising to the fans of Porcupine Tree's more sprawling early work. And then if that wasn't enough, Stupid Dream was released.

Stupid Dream is basically Wilson's first foray into more commercial pop and alternative rock music, complete with shorter songs and much cleaner musical arrangements. The instrumental work is incredibly tight and crisp, but many of the songs are much more uplifting in tone (especially "Stranger by the Minute" and "Piano Lessons") despite some very depressing lyrical themes. Traces of the old Porcupine Tree sound are definitely present, especially in longer tracks such as "Tinto Brass" and "Don't Hate Me," but I really enjoy the balance presented here between alternative rock and hints of progressive rock; other than the band's next offering Lightbulb Sun, this mix can't really be heard as prominently as in other releases by the band. The lyrics also happen to be a strength of the record despite Wilson's unfortunate track record of having consistently weak lyrical work in other records, ranging from subjects such as survival ("A Smart Kid"), tragedy ("This is No Rehearsal"), complacency ("Stop Swimming"), and multiple other subjects throughout the experience. Interestingly enough, however, the atmosphere of the record usually remains pretty sunny and light, making the whole thing a comfortable entry for newcomers to progressive rock music in general. However, just as with most Porcupine Tree albums, there are still many complexities and inner-workings that serve to make Stupid Dream a compelling listen; Richard Barbieri in particular has wonderfully layered keyboard work that melds wonderfully with Wilson's melodic guitar lines. The production is also a strong reason for this, being exceptionally lush while highlighting every instrument perfectly; it's clean, but has enough edge during the heavier and more distorted moments.

The album is essentially split between what you would call the "singles" in structure and style, and the more sprawling progressive tracks such as the aforementioned "Don't Hate Me" and "Tinto Brass," much like Lightbulb Sun that came after it. "Piano Lessons" is pretty much the most accessible and fun track on here, with an incredibly poppy piano arrangement and Steven Wilson's melodic vocal work, while "Stranger by the Minute" and "This is No Rehearsal" follow suit (despite the depressing subject matter of the latter). On the more complex side, "Don't Hate Me" and "Even Less" are fantastic numbers with a ton of instrumental buildup to their melancholic songwriting. In fact, "Don't Hate Me" even has a killer saxophone solo and lots of jazz elements during the middle portion! "Tinto Brass," on the other hand, is less impressive; it basically sounds like meandering left-overs from the Signify album and doesn't fit the atmosphere of the album very well. "Baby Dream in Cellophane" is also quite weak, being one of the blander ballads in Porcupine Tree's catalog despite combining both depressing and uplifting moments pretty decently. Despite this, the thing that perhaps solidifies Stupid Dream as one of Porcupine Tree's stronger records is that, even with the catchy alternative portions, the album doesn't sound complacent or lazy when viewed as a successor to Signify... it merely comes off as a logical progression. "A Smart Kid" is probably the best way to view the evolution, as it is perhaps the most beautiful tune in Steven Wilson's entire discography; the acoustic portions are wonderfully minimalistic, and the catharsis reached by the more climactic chorus is truly a sound to behold because of the layered instrumentation and Wilson's emotive vocals.

Stupid Dream is pretty much the definition of a transitional record (along with Signify), but it's a damn good transitional record. The balance between emotion, accessibility and complexity, which is key to the Porcupine Tree formula, was pretty much in full effect by this point and the experience is quite satisfying as a result. I wouldn't say it reaches the heights of some of the band's subsequent releases such as Lightbulb Sun or In Absentia, but the leaps and bounds of Stupid Dream were pretty much instrumental in leading up to those albums, so I can't pick on it too much. Not when the music is this good, anyway.

(Originally published on Sputnikmusic)

AtomicCrimsonRush Opening with the brilliant Even Less, "Stupid Dream" is a genuine turning point for Porcupine Tree. Steven Wilson's slide guitar is joined by his sparkling clear voice and it sends the listener into a relaxing state of mind. Barbierie's incredible keyboard playing is always a delight, Maitland's drums and Edwin's bass are impeccable. The heavy distortion is mixed with moments of tranquil beauty. in fact the whole album drifts along on a wave of tranquility with only short outbursts of heavy rock to keep us awake.

This is an album packed full of mystical moments, enchanting effects, guitars that soar and lyrics that entrance. Piano Lessons has a jaunty tempo and some reflective lyrical poetry as only Wilson can deliver. Stupid Dream is a 28 second droning transition to the magic of Pure Narcotic. This track has a nice tempo and a ton of acoustic over piano. Slave Called Shiver has a killer bassline that drives headlong with loud drums and Wilson's breathy vox "I need you more than you could know and when I hurt myself its just for show". The dark lyrics are a taste of how introspective Wilson became on his solo albums such as the masterful "Grace For Drowning" and "Raven that Refused to Sing". The spacey wah wah lead break is amazing.

Don't Hate Me has appeared on many live albums or DVDs and has a catchy chorus, "Don't hate me, I'm not special like you". It is lengthy at 8:30 running time but its haunting soundscape is absolutely wonderful. The flute and bass instrumental break has an ethereal quality unsurpassed in previous albums. Then there is a great jazz fusion sax solo to indulge in and some reverberated flute warbles that are ghostly with their chilling icy breath. A landmark track and one of Porcupine Tree's triumphs.

This Is No Rehearsal reminds me of the upcoming Trains with its rhythmic patterns. Wilson uses his filtered vocal tone on this, a device that appears many times on the classic album "In Absentia", "Deadwing" and "Fear of a Blank Planet". A wah wah lead solo is simply the icing on the cake.

Baby Dream in Cellophane is a drifting hypnotic melody with acoustic rhythms and estranged keyboard pads, over Wilson's sleepy vocals. Stranger By The Minute has Wilson's vocals mixed to the front and a jumpy 4/4 beat with drum strikes, glazed over with scintillating harmonies in the chorus. A Smart Kid is overlaced with acoustic vibrations and a soundscape of multilayered synths. Wilson speaks of being "stranded here on planet earth, its not much but it could be worse."

Tinto Brass opens with Italian commentary of the Italian porn director Tinto Brass, then a massive drum beat kicks in and some flute trills over a fast bass pulse. This is on the more experimental level for the Tree. Stop Swimming returns to Wilson's dreamy vocals and very soft focus keyboards. It is a beautiful closing song to reflect on.

Overall this is one of the better PT albums leading to the big three. It is so well produced as has become the standard for Steven Wilson projects. "Stupid Dream" is a really wonderful album with consistent melodic fire and passion.