LIGHTBULB SUN

The perfect bridge between Modern Rock and Prog, a sort of safe way to introduce prog to someone who may not like the term "prog" because of association to the dinosaurs of the past, (you know who they are :-)) Recent day Porcupine Tree seems to have embraced metal, and this one has none of that, "Russia On Ice" being the exception with a bit of metal riffing at the 3/4 mark. "Lightbulb Sun" is more Beatles structure with Beach Boys harmony. Steve Wilson definately has a 'Brian' Wilson fetish at times, (see "How Is Your Life?") There are some tracks echoing the past, ("Last Chance to Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled" for example). And the Pink Floydish sound is still evident in said song and the beginning of "Russia On Ice". This review is for the 2-disc version with three bonus tracks and a video. My favorite bonus is the live version of "Tintro Brass", (I really miss the psychiness of their early work). And that's pretty much why I rate this less than five-stars. Less prog, more mainstream but done extremely well.