PORCUPINE TREE — Lightbulb Sun (review)

PORCUPINE TREE — Lightbulb Sun album cover

Album · 2000 · Non-Metal

5/5 · 2016-11-10
Unitron

Adorned with a solemn textless album cover, Porcupine Tree's Lightbulb Sun is one of the best alternative rock albums out there. It's an album that exudes depressive as well as bittersweet melodies and instrumentation, and has enough metal to give it an aggressive edge when needed. By this time, Porcupine Tree had just about completely discarded the wonky psychedelic rock of their first few albums and made a smooth transition into the alternative rock/metal sound they're known for today.

Comparisons to bands like Pink Floyd, Live, and Toad the Wet Sprocket would be fair, but the band does really have their own unique sound here. There are spacey remnants of their early albums, but they have now taken form as an atmospheric backdrop to a depressive yet bittersweet alternative rock sound, which really benefits the mood of the album. "Shesmovedon" is a perfect example of this, as the song switches from a melancholic plod to harmonious melody during the chorus. The epic track "Russia on Ice" lands mostly on the depressive end, but builds up to a colossal metal thrashing at the end with a spacey orchestral backdrop. I must give a mention to Chris Maitland's drumming at the end of this track, which is just through the roof. Why he's so overlooked when talking about greatest rock/metal drummers, I'll never understand.

Lightbulb Sun is a good album to listen to in whole, as the lengthy-titled "Last Chance to Evacuate Planet Earth Before It is Recycled" doesn't really stand on it's own very well. However, it works when in context with the entire album. As far as highlights go, excluding the ones previously mentioned, the dreary piano ballad "How is Your Life Today?" is certainly one. The fun snarky poke at the music industry "Four Chords that Made a Million" is as well, and is probably the only moment on the album that's not layered with feelings of loneliness and depression. The bass-heavy "Hatesong" and the nice heavy/serene contrast of the title cut are among my favorites as well.

With most of Porcupine Tree's output, you know what you're getting on the lyricism front. Most of the lyricism is made up of sadness, depression, loneliness, hate, drugs, and various other melancholy themes. The aforementioned "Four Chords that Made a Million" is the only song on the more lighthearted end, and provides some nice variation to an otherwise dreary album. Of course, when one shares the feelings expressed on albums like these, nothing hits harder in my experience.

On Lightbulb Sun, Porcupine Tree really focused their sound, and knew when and where to incorporate the different elements of their music. While I really like several of the band's albums, I think this is easily their most consistent and one that really resonates with me. One of my favorite albums, and an essential listen if you're looking for some melancholic alternative rock with a bit of a heavy edge. Hope you found this review helpful, feel free to comment!

more than 2 years ago
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siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Oddly enough i don't find many PT albums as masterpieces but i do like every single one a lot. Consistency is Steven Wilson's stronghold but something is always lacking to make me love any particular album above all others. I would say Sky Moves Sideways is the closest thing to a masterpiece and when i review it, it could even get 5 stars if i listen to it again and it has bumped up from the 4.5 :)

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

do*

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Thanks, what Porcupine Tree album to you find to be a masterpiece if any?

siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Great review. Personally i don't find this to be a masterpiece but it is my favorite album to listen to on a regular basis for some reason. It was a grower for me as well