THE INCIDENT

Last Thursday a friend who came to Lima for a concert, brought me from USA my expected copy of "The Incident", and the first word that comes to my mind is disappointment, from start it's clear that the 55 minutes track (Yes, it's a multi part epic, even when there's space between parts) is one of the most repetitive, boring and lack of imagination pieces I heard from this good band, I honestly don't know if Steve Wilson is any longer a Prog or an Indie/Alternative singer in the vein of Thom Yorke, with the difference that Yorke is original.

I'm not sure what is worst, if buying an album that is bad but you didn't expected anything or an anodyne release that has some good moments but offers only a handful of memorable instants after creating expectations in the fans, and honestly I expected much more from "PORCUPINE TREE" by this moment.

There's little to comment about Disk 1 "The Incident", because it's a long epic that flows with coherence but only a few interesting passages, but which IMO doesn't hold for almost one hour of music without boring the listener with one main idea not even completely developed and repetitive in excess.

Still the guitar is the instrument that carries the strength, being that Barbieri doesn't convince me in this album, except in the small solo on "The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train" and Gavin Harrison sounds absolutely predictable, who I must mention is Collin Edwind who always does a sober and competent job.

It's amazing that after several listens, nothing has got imprinted in my mind, but still can't say it was all negative, "The Seance" and "Circle of Manias" are strong and interesting, but that isn't enough for an extremely long track.

An epic is an adventure that a band should only embrace if they are ready to keep the listener at the edge of the seat from start to end, something that PORCUPINE TREE is not ready for, and that is self evident on the weak "I Drive the Hearse" that closes Disk 1 as we say in Perú "Sin Pena ni Gloria" (Without pity or glory).

Well, at last Disk 1 had ended and "The Flicker" is a new start, but it seems that the epic continues, the same tedious repetition of sounds between Alternative and Light Prog keeps invading us, if this song wasn't released by PORCUPINE TREE, nobody here would had even noticed it, at this point I don't necessarily ask for a masterpiece, just a sign of life from the band, but still can't receive it.

"Bonnie the Cat" at least makes a difference, the added noises and effects imply a preoccupation from the bad to prove they still breathe, the guitar and bass interplay is simply brilliant, at last a song to remember after the CD player is off.

When I expected that from this point things would be different, comes the deprecatingly boring "Black Dahlia", yes it's a cute tune with nice keyboards but they keep going over and over on the same idea without completely developing ever, beautiful basic idea but no depth.

The albums end with "Remember me Lover", even when never reaches altitude, I feel attitude in this track, the band tries to sound different, more aggressive and daring, with some good changes, but still not enough to save the album.

Despite I didn't liked "The Incident" it would be unfair to bash it", because there are skills, knowledge of music, good arrangements and pristine sound, but the music shouts average album, sadly we don't have 2.5 stars, so I will have to go with 2, being that rated much stronger albums with 3.

Hope they make it in the next release.