Porcupine Tree – Closure / Continuation (Deluxe) -

9,043

5 Stars

*The album cover for Porcupine Tree’s return to the fray.*

Audio CD (paid link)

After a twelve year absence since their last release, ‘The Incident’ in 2009, followed by a sold out farewell tour culminating in a concert at Britain’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London, Steve Wilson, erstwhile founder and leading light of Porcupine Tree, claimed Porcupine Tree were no more. Wilson and other members of the core band, Gavin Harrison and Richard Barbieri, were going to concentrate on their solo careers or collaborations with other musicians. Whilst this was good news, a lot of us missed Porcupine Tree.

But they had certainly come a long way since their early days of cassette tapes. The band formed in 1987, but their first CD release was not until ‘On the Sunday of Life’ in 1992. A very weird and wonderful affair, best listened to on headphones whilst very relaxed. A succession of albums followed. Porcupine Tree soon became the favorite band of the bands that formed the underground. A band with a huge reputation that nobody had heard of.

*Porcupine Tree from left to right – Gavin Harrison – Percussion, Steve Wilson – Guitar, Vocals, & Keyboards, and Richard Barbieri – Keyboards & Synthesizers.*

But slowly over the next seventeen years all that changed as each album gained more and more of the commercial mainstream light. They had always had media support, but had become double page articles, not a brief mention. Granted, the songs had become more refined, but then if you’re playing in the progressive rock field you are, after all, supposed to progress.

The weirdness was still there though, but with Steve Wilson providing the songwriting, guitar, vocals, and perhaps most importantly, production. Gavin Harrison provided the drive from behind his drum kit, and you always had Richard Barbieri to provide maximum weirdness from his keyboards and synthesizer. Listen to any of Richard Barbieri’s solo works and they will take you on a very satisfying but spacey trip.

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Steve Wilson’s announcement that Porcupine Tree were permanently defunct may well have been just a tiny bit of a fib! All three of these musicians over the last twelve years have been passing ideas back and forward in preparation for a new incarnation.

The results are spectacular.

*Steve Wilson. The man of many talents leads progressive rock from*
*last generation, this generation and into the future.*

The whole album is a thing of great beauty, sumptuous in both melody and rhythm. It’s the album we all need coming, as it does in yet another tumultuous time in the history of human beings. Its pleasant textures will soothe away the worries and cares of the last few years, even if it is for just a short time. In need of more? Play it again.

It shows that these three classy musicians have been working at their task for more than a decade. Now is the time to unfurl their riches to their adoring public with no pressures of deadlines.

Each song on the album is allowed the space it needs, not taken to extra lengths or cut to fit the album, just taken to their natural conclusion. One is over nine minutes long, two under five minutes. So be it. The songs can be listened to in one flowing movement as a concept of life, or each piece of music hangs very well on its own. An essential ingredient in this day of downloading individual tracks.

*Gavin Harrison, drummer extraordinaire. When he is not propelling*
*Porcupine Tree along, he also sits at the drum kit for King Crimson.*
*Two of the most demanding seats in rock music*

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A funk bass line introduces the first song, ‘Harridan,’ which in itself may raise a few eyebrows as long term Porcupine Tree Bass player Colin Edwin was not required for this trip. But this soon makes way for swirling space rock keyboards and incessant drumming, with Steve Wilson singing from the pulpit. Before the band all come together in a typical Porcupine Tree crescendo, the musicians fade away to leave just Steve Wilson pleading, followed by the band with hard and heavy riffs come pounding back in. This leads into a very satisfying middle section of the song, making you realize how much you missed Porcupine Tree while they were away. The musicians finish, leaving Steve Wilson’s vocals to lead you to the end. After eight minutes of music, your back being a fan.

‘Of the New Day’ is a real throwback to the psychedelic era, with its gentle waves of sound supporting Steve Wilson, still with some brutal riffs but nothing compared to next up ‘Rat’s Return,’ a hard hearted attack on tyrants, dictators, evil doers in general. This is a song of fury with jagged music to match it. Difficult time changes, a joy to fans of progressive rock, the time changes and emphasis here should make those that this song is aimed at feel ill. There is no hiding from either the music or lyrics. We know you’re out there.

*Porcupine Tree in slightly relaxed mood for a publicity photo.*

The album’s centerpiece is ‘Dignity,’ almost a homage to Pink Floyd (why not?). The guitar leads the song through its various stages, building to a euphoric climax after eight minutes of escalation. It’s almost a small rock opera.

‘Herd Culling’ features some excellent musicianship, quite light in texture although it’s subject matter certainly isn’t. Steve Wilson repeatedly pointing out the culprits with screams of “Liar” over a heavy riff with uncontainable anger, proving that through his writings, Steve Wilson is a man of the planet. The final outburst at the end of the song lets you know the man means what he says. A proper protest song that won’t go away.

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‘Walk The Plank’ is a song of desperation, pointing out what few choices we have in life. It’s Porcupine Tree at their most reflective. Really rather sad that we can only see desperation ahead of us. The music generated here perfectly conveys these feelings. Some songs give you hope, others snatch it away.

*The wonderful artwork for one of Porcupine Tree’s previous albums, The Sky Moves Sideways.*

To close the album proper is ‘Chimera’s Wreck,’ an epic in progressive rock stylings. A song of happiness, death, hope, and coping with life in tough times. The music is wonderfully solid, finding a path for you to travel through the tribulations of the song. The band locks tight in unison as they duck up and down in between the rhythms. This will show other bands of today how to do it. Steve Wilson’s guitar solo is violent as well as short, not over staying it’s welcome, leaving you clamoring for more.

Well, if you buy the deluxe version that’s exactly what you get. Tacked onto the end are three more tracks adding nearly eighteen minutes of new Porcupine Tree. Well worth a few extra beans.

*The album artwork for Voyage 34 a wonderful Psychedelic affair. Voyage 34 was compiled from Cassette recording from Porcupine Trees very early days.*

Starting with ‘Population Three,’ the music bursts out at you, grabbing your throat to make sure it has your attention. Say it in hushed tones but Porcupine Tree are almost rocking here. An instrumental piece which is probably because the musicians were smiling so much doing this music, they couldn’t be bothered to sing. A welcome light relief to what has gone before. Nice to hear the PC’s enjoying themselves.

Then after this frivolity, ‘Never Have’ brings the serious tone back with Steve Wilson singing over a rippling piano of dreams obtained over time. But where is the harm of having dreams? It is a shame that such dreams are often blown away like cobwebs as we wake up and face reality.

To finish the deluxe set off is ‘Love in the Past Tense,’ a simple song of love that has been crushed, not necessarily love of your partner, but possibly of youth or forgotten times. However, it is a fine note to finish the album.