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Summary: Where Floyd and Yes should have gone.
Comment: Having recently heard P.T.(thanks to Pandora)I discovered to my delight that there is a vast and credible Progressive movement in existance.Yes and Pink Floyd could/should have taken their music in this direction instead of selling out to the pop genre. This is an excellant CD for anyone who has not heard P.T. before. Progressive rock is still alive and todays artists rival the great ones that started it all back in the day.
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Summary: Porcupine Tree - Sometimes I Feel Like A Fist......
Comment: This is the album that first introduced me to Porcupine Tree. Back in the mid-90's I used to subscribe to a Pink Floyd fanzine called Echoes. In several of the issues there was an ad for this band I had never heard of called Porcupine Tree. The description aroused my curiosity and I finally decided to give the disc a try. I have been a huge fan ever since. This album is by far the most Pink Floyd influenced of all of the band's albums. Similar to "Wish You Were Here" by Floyd, the album opens and closes with the two part epic title track. The whole thing clocks in at over 30 minutes of music. In between are 3 shorter songs and another long 17 minute track. For progressive rock fans this album is by far has the most in common with classic prog from the 70's. After this disc the band would move in a direction featuring shorter songs and a somewhat more commercial sound. This album is also the first one where Porcupine Tree was truly a band and not just a Stephen Wilson project. Richard Beriberi, Colin Edwin, and Chris Maitland all share in the music here and even are involved in some of the writing. This was yet another transitional album for the band, and they would never make another album like this one (at least so far), but if you are a fan of the band or enjoy Pink Floyd influenced music, this album is a must own.
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Summary: Essential PT...better than I remember
Comment: I was first turned on to PT by a friend back in '98 with 'Signify', and man, this is the good stuff of 'retro-feel/modern-sound' prog rock! I was blown away; I had no idea that these guys could take the old Floyd sound and make something of their own that is completely theirs - spacey, psychedelic, atmospheric rock.
I then found 'Coma Divine' in a local record store and immediately fell in love with the live version of 'The Sky Moves Sideways' albeit slightly different from the studio version, but nonetheless rocked hardcore...Richard Barbieri's synth talents cannot be overestimated; the guy can make ANY sound come to life out of his boards...Chris Maitland's drumwork thunders out precision at every corner and Colin Edwins' basslines establish him as the sonic anchor irreplaceable in the lineup...and then there's Steve Wilson - the man who brought this whole thing to light...musically and lyrically the moodiest, trippiest musician in the modern British scene today; mix old-school musical approach with new-school technology, and that's what you've got...unbelievable!
This album along with 'Signify', 'Stupid Dream', and 'Coma Divine' are absolutely essential '90's-era PT to have and to hold. Do yourself a flavor with these; you will not regret it...
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Summary: Wonderful start as a new band!
Comment: Back in 1996 I stumbled with this cd in a Cheapo Store in Minneapolis. It was a used cd, and it was cheap (US$2.99), and I liked the cover: I guessed it was either some metallic or psychodelic stuff. What a good surprise was this cd at first hearing. Being as I still am a huge fan of Pink Floyd, I was first taken by the wonderful sonic atmosphere of the long songs, reminding me of such masterworks as Shine on you Crazy Diamond and Animals. But also of The Dark Side of the Moon. However, it was not at all a derivative album of the kind you say inmmediatly things like: "this passage is taken from that particular passage in that famous album". No, absolutely no, Porcupine Tree was already also an original, in spite of owing so much to Pink Floyd. As a reaction to those that insist so much in this issue of "imitation", wouldn't you say that Tool owes a lot to Metallica and King Crimson? However, Tool is a very original band. It is in those terms that I think of Porcupine Tree and this album in particular, that had the virtue of turning me into a faithful fan of Porcupine Tree to this day. Being as it is the first albim in which Steven Wilson made some pieces (not all of them) with a real band, because Porcupine Tree was himself alone before Sky moves sideways, this is an excellent album, a terrific discovery. It still lifts my spirit everytime I listen to it.
No wonder it was so joyful to have a new version of the album with bonus tracks. As you know, the American version was different from the British version, as it used to happen with the Beatles or the Rolling Stones and others.
This remastered version contains essentially what the British version was, plus alternate takes, the most impressive of which is the title track, Sky moves sideways, which has some interesting variations in relation to the original version. As an advantage, this alternate take is not divided in two halves, as it was in the original album, it runs freely as a single piece. I am tempted to say that I like it better than the original!!!
In few words, this is an excellent album for a band that is beginning its career, although it is composed of already veteran musicians. It is progressive rock at its best. I thought, and I continue thinking, that Porcupine Tree is the true succesor of Pink Floyd in current times.
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Summary: You really need this reissue
Comment: Contrary to popular belief, In Absentia was not PT's first American release, it was indeed The Sky Moves Sideways on the small C&S label. Back in 1997 I bought the C&S CD, not realizing it wasn't exactly the same as the UK original on the Delerium label. I later found out the British version never had "Stars Die". This ended up on an EP called Moonloop, in which the American version was called Stars Die (not to be confused with the compilation CD currently making the rounds, which only the U.S. version included "Always Never" off Up the Downstair). The British version of The Sky Movies Sideways had a short guitar interlude called "Prepare Yourself", and the two title tracks weren't divided in suites.
For those new to the album, it was originally released in 1995, was their third proper album (they had a couple of early cassettes at the end of the '80s/beginning of the '90s, a lot of it ended on their proper debut album, On the Sunday of Life anyways). Up until this point, it was entirely a Steven Wilson project, and in the middle of recording The Sky Moves Sideways, he assembled a band, with ex-Japan keyboardist Richard Barbieri, bassist Colin Edwin, and drummer Chris Maitland. The title track (both parts) and "Moonloop" were full band interaction, while "Dislocated Day", "The Moon Touches Your Shoulders", and "Prepare Yourself" was all Steven Wilson (drum tracks were drum machines, which got replaced by real drums on the current reissue, which you won't notice much difference).
I have since acquired the Snapper reissue, which I'm ever glad I did (since I never acquired the Delerium original). First disc contains the original British album, but ommitting "Moonloop" (the original LP never had this cut, only the CD, due to time constraint), but with new drummer Gavin Harrison providing drums on "Dislocated Day" and "The Moon Touches Your Shoulders" (which you'll hardly notice the difference if you owned the original). The band wanted this album to be one 50 minute piece, but apparently didn't have enough good ideas to warrant such, so instead, they pull a Wish You Were Here by sandwiching four songs in between (although only three on this reissue, after all, "Moonloop" is now on the bonus disc). The title track is divided in two, which varies from Pink Floyd-like pieces to Ozric-like techno experiments to nice spacy ambient sections. The end part of "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 2" includes a bunch of themes revisited, plus some played in reverse. The other songs? Well, "Dislocated Day" is a more aggressive number, while "The Moon Touches Your Shoulders" is a nice acoustic piece with some nice Mellotron backdrops. "Prepare Yourself" is a rather atmospheric guitar-oriented piece that pretty much "prepares yourself" for the last piece on the album, the closing title track.
Now for the second disc. First off, you get a 34 minute alternate take of the title track. You get yourself some extra lyrics not found on the version we're all familiar with. Some of the material is arranged differently, plus some familiar sounding stuff. I can see why they didn't make it the full 50 minutes, this version does seem to end without knowing how to end. But I found some of these arrangements superior, while others you can see why it didn't make the cut. Plus I love how Suzanne Barbieri gets to have her voice a second time on this version, which I thought was great! The rest is the complete Moonloop EP. "Stars Die" is exactly the same as the old American version, but you'll quickly learn that "Moonloop" was abridged, and here you get the complete version. I was even more blown away by this full version! Since I have not heard the original Delerium CD, I can't say if there's any difference with that version of "Moonloop" over the EP version.
While many people like to think Porcupine Tree's best starts with Stupid Dream, I prefer the stuff before it, and I really think this is one of their best. This is truly one of the greats from the 90s, as far as I'm concerned.
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