TIME FLIES

Posterity observes the recent release of a near-full-length "Time Flies" video on YouTube, and, returning to the original single edit, I find myself disagreeing markedly with the blanket picture of two-star reviews on this single. Therefore, in the interests of critical pluralism (particularly because the median RATING is, at the time of writing, four stars, far above the weighted mean):

First, I would contend that "Time Flies" is one of the greatest Porcupine Tree epics, the last great one they wrote, and the obvious highlight on sprawling near-masterpiece "The Incident". I'm willing to go further and declare it one of my favourite songs ever written by my favourite band. I would hold ANY version or edit of it in higher esteem than 90% of the work of the "Big Six", excluding Floyd.

Crucially, this edit keeps the lyrics intact, wistfully portraying the bittersweet cocktail of nostalgia and waste that age and memory brings. Not every line hits the spot, but the first verse is just perfect, and arguably Wilson at his most autobiographical ('67, a "suburb of heaven" and that comfortable ennui). The Floydian chords ("Dogs", anyone?) strike more at nostalgia than plagiarism, and Wilson, to his credit, fully acknowledged his inspirations. This song typifies Wilson's conception of prog rock; a means of telling stories, tragedies even, unbounded by the limitations of musical convention, and why comparisons to indie are misleading. As such, while this edit does dilute that extraordinary extended guitar solo that gradually erupts in the piece's middle act, the Geist of the composition is untainted; this is an idea, a feeling, sickening and joyous, not a sterile concoction.

In many ways, this is a post-FOABP reflection. Lasse Hoile's video captures this perfectly hazy, overwhelmed, trapped-in-a-free-world languor. Whereas "Fear?" dealt with the crushing teenage experience from the (ostensible) perspective of a teenager, this looks back at it with fresh and tragic perspective: more nuanced (life isn't utterly horrific, when you're comfortably off) and ultimately far sadder. I say this, indeed, as a teenager.

Secondly, as many have noted, this single offers a different mix and shorter edit, unavailable elsewhere. This categorically elevates it above the majority of Wilson's solo singles, which effectively present the song in its album form, sans additional rarity. Is it superior to the original? No, definitely not, and not just because it's "less prog". Does this make it superfluous? I'd argue less superfluous than a bonus disk of demos on a pointless reissue, far better value, and far more highly recommended. Nevertheless, while as a standalone song it is magnificent, even independent of the song cycle it anchors, I can't award it the full five stars in good faith, nor could I to any "single" of this nature.