(5/5)

Last monday, while trying to figure out what to play on my CD Player, a sentence popped up in my head and it was “The sky moves sideways”. I wondered still for 5 seconds processing this sentence and then “Porcupine Tree” was the answer. It has been a while since I haven’t run those CDs near any player. So I grabbed Signify, one of my favorite progressive rock albums and enjoyed the trip from start to finish, looping on the go. Then I decided to analyze another album, and there was “The Incident”.

The Incident, PT’s 10th album, comes as a double concept album. The band describes it as a vaguely surreal song  about beginnings and endings, and feelings;  “after it, things will never be the same”. Critics claimed it would refer as being a musical turning point in Porcupine’s music style.

While we’re at it, let’s see what this album has to reveal.

CD one hits you, pretty straight into the situation from the first seconds as the Occam’s Razor starts with a heavy distorted theme. The latter is later exposed directly and indirectly throughout the future tracks “Degree zero of liberty” to state the most obvious. CD1 is heavily charged with “Pink Floyd” influence : Similar guitar sounds, guitar slides and induced delays mainly referring to “Animals” and “Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wall“. Don’t be surprised to hear typical drum breaks, similarities in solo progressions, and glitchy electronics in some tracks. Those similarities didn’t bother me, but rather made me quite happy to hear them transformed into something new.  Classics are guiding lines, so why not use them.

The major positive change in my point of view is the introduction of trip hop to progressive.

“The blind house” reminded me of a Danish band named Carpark  North, too many memories popped back when listening to this song. Then comes “Kneel and disconnect”, a dramatic piano song, with dramatic vocals, such a goose-bumping song. I will remain speechless on “Drawing the line” with its oriental trumpet/sax intro. “The Incident” 6th track, is a living example of the direction PT is taking, as it’s dropping a Massive Attack like sound. Spoken reverberated sentences over an electronic trip hop beat. Nonetheless, the heavy theme comes back in the middle of the song, reminding that PT isn’t far away. This track is by far, another favorite.  “Time flies” is a big hello to Pink Floyd’s animals yet with weird lyrics, “Born in 67, the year of Sgt Pepper”, but I love it because yes “time flies, and the best thing that we can do, is take the things that come to us”. The rest goes gradually less heavier into a more mellow and breezy like atmosphere.

With this album, you can feel that progressive reached another state. Every song is perfectly crafted since you can feel every part coming to life. It’s definitely a true fascination to me, how music genius works to create such epic albums. Every instrument makes you feel closer to the action and the story behind it.   The sound rendering is just amazing. Producers worked hard on it, there’s no glitch in any sound, layered instruments take the perfect amount of spectrum. No instrument is left behind, the care for detail makes the ensemble come to life enhancing the experience.

CD two is composed of 4 concept tracks revealing the undeniable genius of PT. Every track is another world unfolded in front of us. There’s classic progressive buildups in the first track, Massive Attack’s presence in the second, dramatic and genius keyboards in the 3rd and a great progressive ballad in “Remember me lover”. I called it a ballad because it has this specific ballad drums sound in the chorus. Nonetheless, heaviness is here!

So here we are in front of an epic album, recommended to every fan of progressive rock. You’ll find melodic buildups as well as complex arrangements, you’ll find dramatic passages as well as heavy adventurous waters. If you’re a trip hop fan, you’ll get your treat too. I can’t deny that there are major influences, at least they are clear and connoisseurs will be happy to hear familiar riffs. I know I was!

So go and grab a copy of it, and if you’re in the US, you can still catch Porcupine on their Tour.

All information on www.porcupinetree.com

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