VARIATIONS ON A DREAM

I was thinking it was time to write a new review for this album especially after I listened to some of their other records. I couldn't say that my opinion about the band turned much towards the positive but somehow I feel obliged to give them a fair rating and to write a bit more about the music presented here. Initially PT was more or less a hobby project by Bruce Soord whose original main band VULGAR UNICORN was rooted more in the traditional prog and for that reason I prefer it as well probably. As mentioned already by other reviewers strongest influences in PT's music are the Pumpkins (from their mellow side during "Mellow Collie"/"Adore" era), Radiohead ("Bends"/"OKC" era) and the other "PT band" (before "In Absentia"). But unlike with Porcupine Tree whose major input comes from Pink Floyd, the alternative elements are prevailing here. Once Upon a time I used to listen to those bands as well, but this was before I realized that there is as well good prog music nowadays and I discovered all these interesting new bands on this site here. Porcupine Tree was one of the first of these bands and since I was listening mainly alt. rock before, I was quite fascinated by them of course. Meanwhile after listening to hundreds of bands from various prog sub-genres I've to say that there are plenty of other ones who are matching more my taste. What I'm missing mainly in their music are features typical for prog like complexity, breaks and shifts in mood and rhythm and odd-timed bars. Sure they're using the Mellotron, but this is where the KC-influence mentioned in their biography ends IMHO and certainly there are plenty of beautiful, but also rather simplistic melodies and as well fairly good guitar solos here. But it's impossible for me to rate a prog album only by its beauty, it has to offer some interesting moments as well to me. So it's really difficult for me to give this album a fair assessment. Nevertheless I'll try it by going through the individual songs.

We Subside starts off rather minimalistic, almost in an avant-garde vein, but as soon vocals are setting in, one gets this special "Pumpkins-feeling". The song develops quite nicely in a highly lush symphonic one, not really exciting for an ol' Proghead but very beautiful. (5/10)

Though This Will Remain Unspoken is a rather nice song as well it sounds a bit boring and doesn't offer any interesting moments and any variability. More or less nice mellow alt rock for me. (4/10)

Vapour Trails is sounding again very adorable but as well dabbling and a bit too uniform for its length. Nice electronic effects and probably great for those fellows who are more into such stuff. (5/10)

Run Me Through is nice alt rock very much reminiscent of Pumkins or Radiohead but really nothing special in terms of prog.(4/10)

The Bitter Pill starts with a nice but simple piano tune, after vocals and guitar are entering it carries on its highly melancholic mood without almost any variation. (4/10)

The all instrumental Resident Alien combines rather simple keyboard tunes with some electronic effects. Quite nice for one spin but IMO it becomes easily boring after a few listenings. (4/10)

Sooner Or Later is pure alt rock and moreover a quite boring song. (3/10)

Next one Part Zero is for me the best song so far, initially very melancholic until the guitar riffing drops in. Although being not very much proggy (depending on how one defines it), it's a quite good song keeping a nice symphonic vein throughout and having a good guitar solo.(7/10)

Keep On Dreaming tries to keep a bit the same vein as the previous one having nice keyboards, including Mellotron but sounding on the whole less interesting. 5/10)

Remember Us is a rather good lengthy epic song without sounding too much longish, although not quite as good as some by other modern prog bands (i.e. The Amber Light). (6/10)

SUMMARY

Final rating is 47%. Nevertheless it's a very nice one to listen once or twice and maybe good for daydreaming, so please do not put this one into your car player. Still better than their previous one and I'd round it up to 2.5.

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