Post by Father_Doom on Apr 25, 2002 11:38:43 GMT -5
Band: Porcupine Tree
Album: Stars Die/The Delerium Years ’91-‘97
Format: Double CD
Label: Delerium
Year: 2002
Time: Disc A: 73 minutes; Disc B: 74 minutes
Track list:
Track List:
Disc A:
Radioactive Toy
Nine Cats
And the Swallows Dance Above the Sun
Nostalgia Factory
Voyage 34-phase one
Synesthesia-extended version
Phantoms
Up the Downstair
Fadeaway
Rainy Taxi
Disc B:
Stars Die
The Sky Moves Sideways-phase one
Men of Wood
Waiting
The Sound of No-one Listening
Colourflow in Mind
Fuse the Sky
Signify II
Every Home is Wired
Sever
Dark Matter
Cover photo: www.porcupinetree.com/disalbum.htm
I know you residents of the stoner and doom ghettos need to occasionally stretch your brains, wandering into, say, the realms of death metal, or space rock, or psychedelia. Psychedelia and space rock are particularly amenable to the use of certain…substances, and although the genres are certainly not as heavy as we might be used to, they can still fill the bill, as many of you Pink Floyd fans can attest.
Porcupine Tree was born as groupmeister Steve Wilson’s brainchild in 1987, and if you dig the trippiness of Thumlock, 80s Hawkwind, 70s Floyd, or even Tiamat’s ‘Wildhoney,’ then you need to be barking up Porcupine’s Tree. Sorry. Ahem. This set documents the evolution of the ‘Tree, beginning with hardcore psychedelic experimentalist Wilson laying his hands on anything that made interesting noises, moving on to an early-to-mid 70s Pink Floyd progressive spaceiness as Porcupine Tree coalesced into full group status, and finally getting into more personal lyrical realms before leaving the Delerium label in the late 90s.
The first song on Disc A is the immortal ‘Radioactive Toy,’ still possibly the best song they’ve done, then the disc progresses on to tunes such as ‘Voyage 34-phase 1’ which sets a 60s LSD documentary record to music. At this phase in their career, there was a fairly heavy use of sequencing and a trip-hop, funky feel that has not aged well. But by the end of the disc, and throughout Disc B, we see the development of what many regard as the trademark Porcupine Tree sound, with its clean vocals and melancholy lyrics, keyboard washes, and spacey guitar. ‘Stars Die,’ which leads off the second disc, is a perfect example and is still a group favorite; their answer, perhaps, to Floyd’s ‘Meddle.’ There are some kick-ass, up-tempo moments, though, such as ‘Men of Wood,’ with its fuzz-drenched wah intro.
Porcupine Tree fans will need this set, as it collects a lot of rare b sides and some unreleased material. Those not familiar with them will want to check it out as an excellent introduction to a band with an extensive discography. The package is lavish, with a beautifully illustrated and informative booklet packed with the discs into a box reminiscent of Floyd’s ‘Pulse.’ Need a break from My Dying Bride or Kyuss? Drop a tab and bliss out with Porcupine Tree!
Kevin McHugh
<br>
Album: Stars Die/The Delerium Years ’91-‘97
Format: Double CD
Label: Delerium
Year: 2002
Time: Disc A: 73 minutes; Disc B: 74 minutes
Track list:
Track List:
Disc A:
Radioactive Toy
Nine Cats
And the Swallows Dance Above the Sun
Nostalgia Factory
Voyage 34-phase one
Synesthesia-extended version
Phantoms
Up the Downstair
Fadeaway
Rainy Taxi
Disc B:
Stars Die
The Sky Moves Sideways-phase one
Men of Wood
Waiting
The Sound of No-one Listening
Colourflow in Mind
Fuse the Sky
Signify II
Every Home is Wired
Sever
Dark Matter
Cover photo: www.porcupinetree.com/disalbum.htm
I know you residents of the stoner and doom ghettos need to occasionally stretch your brains, wandering into, say, the realms of death metal, or space rock, or psychedelia. Psychedelia and space rock are particularly amenable to the use of certain…substances, and although the genres are certainly not as heavy as we might be used to, they can still fill the bill, as many of you Pink Floyd fans can attest.
Porcupine Tree was born as groupmeister Steve Wilson’s brainchild in 1987, and if you dig the trippiness of Thumlock, 80s Hawkwind, 70s Floyd, or even Tiamat’s ‘Wildhoney,’ then you need to be barking up Porcupine’s Tree. Sorry. Ahem. This set documents the evolution of the ‘Tree, beginning with hardcore psychedelic experimentalist Wilson laying his hands on anything that made interesting noises, moving on to an early-to-mid 70s Pink Floyd progressive spaceiness as Porcupine Tree coalesced into full group status, and finally getting into more personal lyrical realms before leaving the Delerium label in the late 90s.
The first song on Disc A is the immortal ‘Radioactive Toy,’ still possibly the best song they’ve done, then the disc progresses on to tunes such as ‘Voyage 34-phase 1’ which sets a 60s LSD documentary record to music. At this phase in their career, there was a fairly heavy use of sequencing and a trip-hop, funky feel that has not aged well. But by the end of the disc, and throughout Disc B, we see the development of what many regard as the trademark Porcupine Tree sound, with its clean vocals and melancholy lyrics, keyboard washes, and spacey guitar. ‘Stars Die,’ which leads off the second disc, is a perfect example and is still a group favorite; their answer, perhaps, to Floyd’s ‘Meddle.’ There are some kick-ass, up-tempo moments, though, such as ‘Men of Wood,’ with its fuzz-drenched wah intro.
Porcupine Tree fans will need this set, as it collects a lot of rare b sides and some unreleased material. Those not familiar with them will want to check it out as an excellent introduction to a band with an extensive discography. The package is lavish, with a beautifully illustrated and informative booklet packed with the discs into a box reminiscent of Floyd’s ‘Pulse.’ Need a break from My Dying Bride or Kyuss? Drop a tab and bliss out with Porcupine Tree!
Kevin McHugh
<br>