New Porcupine Tree Album

progkidjoel wrote: Mr ProgFreak wrote: I think that the metal element provides a really nice counterpoint to the calmer parts ... the problem is how to integrate these elements organically, and IMO this was nicely done on The Incident. I agree, but I'd like to add that this album seemed to have alot less focus - Most other PT albums focus on one area of music... Lightbulb Sun is mostly acoustic, Fear Of A Blank Planet carried the same lyrical (and musical) style the whole way through, but The Incident seems undecided on its stylistic content and flow...

Mr ProgFreak wrote: progkidjoel wrote: Mr ProgFreak wrote: I think that the metal element provides a really nice counterpoint to the calmer parts ... the problem is how to integrate these elements organically, and IMO this was nicely done on The Incident. I agree, but I'd like to add that this album seemed to have alot less focus - Most other PT albums focus on one area of music... Lightbulb Sun is mostly acoustic, Fear Of A Blank Planet carried the same lyrical (and musical) style the whole way through, but The Incident seems undecided on its stylistic content and flow... To me it's not undecided at all ... there's simply a high stylistical bandwidth on the album. But that's something that PT have often done ... consider Stupid Dream and In Absentia for example. The latter features a different style for each song ...

...But the lyrics all follow the same central theme!

Is the new album as good as Deadwing or In Absentia? (which were perfect albums IMHO.)

^ there's that word "uninspired" again ... why/how were these tracks uninspired, was it a tempo thing or what?

Filler songs? I couldn't name any, they all have an interesting topic and none of them could be taken out of the cycle easily.

Any Colour You Like wrote: The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train is a pointless song at the end of the day, that is all I'm trying to say. It does nothing really to enhance the album.

When I were a lad, these new-fangled 'song cycles' were called 'concept albums' and most every concept album I've ever heard has those quiet, noodly, self-indulgent moments that break up all the noisy bits. Years down the line you realise the importance of these 'pointless songs' *

I remember people looking at me gone out when I used to say that one of my favourite tracks off of The Lamb Lies Down was Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats. It's filler, as are many of the little squiddly instrumentals that fill concept albums - Yes were great at it.

If you trawl back to PT's early days you'll see tracks like The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train all over the place, especially on the earliest albums.

I think The Incident has achieved something rare. It appears to be an album that appeals more to the die-hard PT traditionalist than it does to the new legion of misinformed metalists and that rarely happens, especially when a band grows older in years.


* Also, they want to play this piece live and The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train allows members of the band to take a two minute break!

Any Colour You Like wrote: squonkuk wrote: Any Colour You Like wrote: The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train is a pointless song at the end of the day, that is all I'm trying to say. It does nothing really to enhance the album. When I were a lad, these new-fangled 'song cycles' were called 'concept albums' and most every concept album I've ever heard has those quiet, noodly, self-indulgent moments that break up all the noisy bits. Years down the line you realise the importance of these 'pointless songs' * I remember people looking at me gone out when I used to say that one of my favourite tracks off of The Lamb Lies Down was Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats. It's filler, as are many of the little squiddly instrumentals that fill concept albums - Yes were great at it. If you trawl back to PT's early days you'll see tracks like The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train all over the place, especially on the earliest albums. I think The Incident has achieved something rare. It appears to be an album that appeals more to the die-hard PT traditionalist than it does to the new legion of misinformed metalists and that rarely happens, especially when a band grows older in years. * Also, they want to play this piece live and The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train allows members of the band to take a two minute break! There is a difference between thinking a filler is pointless and the susbsequent enjoyment of it. If you check my signature, you will see that two of the albums are early-PT... and thus contain several short, often minimalist songs or movements, of which I very much enjoy. Now, regarding The Incident, the example I made was a generic response to what I percived to be a wasted opportunity to add something more to the album. Doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the 'concept', but neither adds anything of real value. And for the record, I'm a die-hard PT fan.

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: Is the new album as good as Deadwing or In Absentia? (which were perfect albums IMHO.)

Not even close.

Epignosis wrote: For those who missed it, here are my thoughts: http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=242023

Hmmm. In spite of a review that hardly shouts out to purchase from one of the most respected contributors to the forum, it is still my intention to buy the album via download tonight. It's fair to say that it is becoming one of the most divisive releases in terms of fan satisfaction for quite some time.

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: Is the new album as good as Deadwing or In Absentia? (which were perfect albums IMHO.)

It's almost as good as In Absentia and definitely better than Deadwing. Although you'll surely get a lot of different opinion on that question ... some also like In Absentia much more than Deadwing, or vice versa.

IMO the best indicator for the quality of an album is whether it sparks discussions like this one ... :-)