Customer Rating:  
Summary: as good as any
Comment: This EP takes a couple of listens to get, but it's highly rewarding. The first song (Nil Recurring)is the weak one (within PT high standards). The rest of the songs are all great, as good as any previous PT song. I might venture to say that Cheating the Polygraph is one of the top three best Tree songs ever, along with Anesthesize and Arriving Somewhere.
I have the FOABP DVD-A version which comes with 5.1 version of this album. The surround mix is nice, but since I can't play it in my car or mp3 player- I know it's possible, but I don't know enough about software- I downloaded it from their website for about $8. DRM free, high bit rate, includes printable album art. This might be the best band out there right now.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A point of interest
Comment: I do not know whether the mixes are the same,but I just looked at the double L.P.(one black, one blue) vinyl edition, in a nice gatefold sleeve, which I got for one of my sons(I doubt if he'll ever bother to play it, but the front cover 12"x12" looks pretty cool) and noticed that it includes these four tracks. The order is side A:Fear of a blank planet,My ashes,Cheating the polygraph. Side B:Anesthetize. Side C:Sentimental, Way out of here, Sleep togetherr. Side D:Nil recurring,Normal,What happens now.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Must have for all PT fans! No matter what the price!
Comment: Ah - I see they have finally released this commercially, GOOD!! Available through the fanclub last fall all I have to say is...if you don't already have this mini-masterpiece BUY IT....BUY IT NOW!! My original review from last fall is below and I must say I have an even higher opinion of it now!!
And, as for the people critizing its length....get a grip and get a clue!!! I can't count HOW many times I have paid $10-15 for a CD and there was only one or two good songs on it and the rest was a waste!! Compared to them, this is a deal!!
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I really enjoyed this and every song is a keeper though my favorite is probably "Cheating the Polygraph". In fact my only problem with it is that it's only 4 songs!! Oh well, I knew this was an EP going in, just wish there was more!! That (only 4 songs for the price?) and the simple fact that I don't think this is quite up there with Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun and Deadwing, is the only reason this doesn't get the full 5 stars.
In regards to the initial review - I recently read in an interview where Steve specifically said these are NOT to be taken as "outtakes". They are songs from the Blank Planet sessions that the band simply felt did not fit the overall "feel" of that album so they purposely held them for this EP. Guess that's why they are so darn good!! :)
On a sidebar - I saw PT in Atlanta this past Monday, the show was EXCELLENT and I think they played 2, maybe 3 of these songs. At the time I had only heard this once (on the trip up there) so wasn't as familiar with it and haven't seen a set list for the show yet. But they played several things I didn't recognize and I'm pretty sure I have heard every PT album I don't own! I definitely remember "What Happens Now?" though!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Nil Reviewing
Comment: Just writing to correct a few misconceptions here about the Nil Recurring E.p. The first misconception is that these are rejects from Fear of a Blank Planet. This is not true. The band chooses the tracks for there albums on how they relate to each other and often leaves out good tracks that don't always fit with the flow of an album. Tracks 1 and 3 (Nil Recurring and Cheating the Polygraph) were recorded during the Fear Sessions. 2 and 4 (Normal and What happens Now) were written and recorded in July of 2007 to give enough material to create a complete companion E.p to the Fear of a Blank Planet album. Normal being connected to sentimental and What Happens Now linked to the hidden lyric in Way out of Here (for those with the 5.1 mix it's easier to hear the lyric after the heavy rift in your center speaker you may have to unplug the other 4). The E.p however is a bit overpriced through amazon and can be purchased at much more reasonable prices elsewhere. The material on here is really is up to the high standards the Porcupine Tree puts out and is well worth getting.
John
Customer Rating:
Summary: quality always beats quantity
Comment: I am amused that many of the complaints here are due to the length of this CD. In my opinion, half an hour of PT rewards the listener with much more quality music than most bands' full-length CDs. The songs on Nil Recurring are not merely outakes from the FOABP sessions, and even though SW makes use of some of the conceptual and musical themes that occur on Blank Planet, each composition and performance easily stands on it's own.
In particular, Cheating the Polygraph showcases the talents of Gavin Harrison more than any PT track I can think of (besides the live version of Hatesong), and What Happens Now? is one of those tracks that about the third time around you realize just what an amazing song it is.
When I began buying albums they were typically around this length; this one is worth every penny.
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