Featured CD- Porcupine Tree: The Incident

[JKL2000]

Like FOABP, The Incident is hit-and-miss with me. It's probably the P Tree release I got the least mileage out of. I much prefer SW's current musical direction.

Gee, to me The Incident and Raven are somewhat similar. I guess Incident is more Floyd and Raven more King Crimson/jazzy, but they sort of go together, IMO. They're my two favorite SW albums.

[Gerhard]

I never really connected with the whole thing, but there are times I can't get the last track on disc 1 (I Drive the Hearse) out of my head. Major earworm, my favorite tune on the album, and the only one I really remember right now, not having played the CD in a few years.

[lazland]

I could never really get into this one, as much as I admire PT.

I found it overlong, extraordinarily derivative (Waters and Gilmour should have sued), when I first listened to it, and I haven't changed my mind. I only hope it isn't the swan song as I fear it is.

[Adinfinitum]

I liked it even better on side 1 of Pink Floyd's Animals.

Ha - exactly.

Time Flies has grown on me and is probably my favorite PT song, but Dogs is my favorite Floyd song. Of course there are musical differences and I appreciate the homage. But, when I first heard it, I was like WTF?? But "after a while" to quote both Dogs and TF, I figured if PT got away with that one, then, I'd never worry about someone saying I snagged a riff from someone else.

I actually did write a "Dogs" myself, but bagged it because it was too musically dishonest. I did use various parts from the song over the years in other songs, but the end results were so different that it wasn't an issue, either from a copyright or ethical standpoint. Note - I'm a trademark/copyright attorney.

Still a great song. I really have never heard a PT song that I didn't like, so SW gets a pass on TF from me.

[Yves]

Purely speculative point of view here, but I get the impression that after this release Steve Wilson was looking to get away from Procupine Tree. It was as if he'd painted himself in a corner. I have to wonder just how much "crunchy guitars" we will hear from him from now on. It may have been a phase. Another part of me believes that he was reaching for a younger audience with those last albums, especially the lyrcal subject matter on discs like FOABP. He may have realised who his true audience was, who he was as a musician and music fan, and decided to push his music elsewhere. I seem to recall him distancing himself from the term "prog" in the past, while I don't really think he minds it now. You come to realise that proggers are the ones who will spend hundreds of $$$ on "super deluxe" packages, so why not pander to them?

[chef0069]

Could never understand why someone as talented as SW would include such an obvious ripoff of such a well known song . I don't think PT was meant to do such long songs as side one, I think the beautiful melodies on short pieces hold up much better. Still, a better record than most out there! If I remember, they stole the bass line from Floyd on part of Voyage 34 as well. I guess most writers "Borrow", but some are more obvious than others.

[JKL2000]

I really thought the part from TF was just an homage - he may have even cleared it before-hand.

[LeFrog]

I really thought the part from TF was just an homage - he may have even cleared it before-hand.

I'm sure SW was the first to mention the ''steal'' in interviews. How many would have noticed otherwise?

[skysaw]

I'm sure SW was the first to mention the ''steal'' in interviews. How many would have noticed otherwise?

Uh, that'd be pretty much any of us who listened to Animals more than, say, five times.

Loved PT but agree with the observation that the band seemed quite disengaged by this point. I also recall some of those segues between songs being quite blunt, which made me wonder if SW had conceived "The Incident" as an epic track before he actually wrote it.

[Paulrus]

I also recall some of those segues between songs being quite blunt, which made me wonder if SW had conceived "The Incident" as an epic track before he actually wrote it.

Actually there was a big deal made at the time about how Wilson essentially wrote the whole thing in sequence just as it happens on record. There's even video footage of him sitting at a piano working parts of it out. I think he knew he wanted to produce a "big prog epic" but he apparently had no preconceived notion of how it was going to happen before he entered the studio.

[Adinfinitum]

Actually there was a big deal made at the time about how Wilson essentially wrote the whole thing in sequence just as it happens on record. There's even video footage of him sitting at a piano working parts of it out. I think he knew he wanted to produce a "big prog epic" but he apparently had no preconceived notion of how it was going to happen before he entered the studio.

Isn't that how all prog epics are created? No pre-conceived notion of how it is going to happen - more like let's make a double album with some story, we'll worry about the details and lyrics later. Oh, side 2 is only 15 minutes, ok, we'll pad that out with some keyboard noodling. Lyrics?? We'll write them later based upon something or other, a dream, a book I read last week, the bible, whatever.

It amazing these epics come out as good as they do.

[Scrotum Scissor]

About P.T, I don't understand why they are not as popular as RadioHead for example.

Because Radiohead or Sigur Ros (etc.) for the most part have been creative and artistically appreciated for that exact virtue, whilst the overt "art-rock" ambitions of PTree rested on a sense of derivative "insider's" guild towards rock history. Now there are SW stuff I like and a whole bunch of his that I don't, but the one asset you cannot possibly bestow on him is the principle of sounding "organic". As someone who really liked the early PTree, I think it's rather sad to note how little he was able/willing to develop beyond Signify - 19 years ago.

I thought The Raven was decent enough, though. And that Storm Corrosion thing, although it was applauded by loads of folks who'd never touch upon that sort of thing if it wasn't for the factor of those involved.

[JJ88]

Porcupine Tree were making definite inroads into the 'big time' with this album...they were on Roadrunner by then, which is a well known label (they've also done a similar job with other bands often discussed here). But IMHO their best work was done years before...by the time this album came out, I'd heard 'Stupid Dream' and 'Lightbulb Sun', and this paled considerably to my ears. Those albums were released on smaller labels so haven't had the same audience really.

[Sunlight Caller]

I played this again recently and enjoyed it, but it's never going to be my favourite PT album, and I much prefer the solo direction taken, and do think The Raven was a master-stroke.

[ombasan]

"Time Flies" IMO is by far the best track on the Incident. There are other decent pieces and parts, but all in all I don't see it as a "single piece epic". More like a traditional concept album. PT was running in a cul-de-sac with the Incident. I like it better now than I did when it came out, but it's not one of their stronger records. That said, I hope it was not their last offering (although I enjoy SW's solo music equally if not more)!

[FredOCal]

I haven't listened to this in several years. I remember liking but being a bit underwhelmed, as I just wasn't moved as I had been with some of their previous albums. Of course, I really fell in love with the earlier, psych stuff, but "Fear of a Blank Planet" was pretty damn good. I'll have to revisit this one.

[3LockBox]

Because Radiohead or Sigur Ros (etc.) for the most part have been creative and artistically appreciated for that exact virtue, whilst the overt "art-rock" ambitions of PTree rested on a sense of derivative "insider's" guild towards rock history. Now there are SW stuff I like and a whole bunch of his that I don't, but the one asset you cannot possibly bestow on him is the principle of sounding "organic". As someone who really liked the early PTree, I think it's rather sad to note how little he was able/willing to develop beyond Signify - 19 years ago.

You may be right. I do miss that early PT sound, the mix of space rock and ambient/trance injected art-pop. The string of albums from Up The Downstair through Deadwing is an incredible run. As much as I'd like to think there is another PT forthcoming, I wouldn't be interested in another Incident or FoaBP. I miss the stabs at a pop single that were on all the albums pre-FoaBP. Perhaps he gave up on the idea considering that kind of success eluded him.

[Wisdomview]

Love like I do all the PT albums. That is all.

[spacefreak]

Could never understand why someone as talented as SW would include such an obvious ripoff of such a well known song . If I remember, they stole the bass line from Floyd on part of Voyage 34 as well. I guess most writers "Borrow", but some are more obvious than others.

Yes, the basic riff on "Voyage 34" is directly lifted off PINK FLOYD's "Another Brick In The Wall pt1".

[spacefreak]

whilst the overt "art-rock" ambitions of PTree rested on a sense of derivative "insider's" guild towards rock history.

Years ago I wrote that I consider Steven Wilson's approach to music as of a record collector that happens also to be a musician. He gives me the impression (and I've been following him since his early cassette days) that he unconsciously has a starting point to incorporate into his music of the day, whatever sounds are in constant rotation on his turntable at the time of composing... This artistic approach is more a miss than a hit i.m.o.

[Father Tiresias]

Dreck

[jlneudorf]

If it wasn't for Porcupine Tree a lot of the music I listen to wouldn't exist. They have been an incredibly influential band. What I love about their albums is how diverse they are. Never a dull moment for me. Yes I like some more than others but all have moments of brilliance, imo. "Time Flies" being a prime example. To call 'The Incident' 'dreck' is mind boggling to me.

Regards,
Jon

[Garden Dreamer]

PT fell off my radar with FOABP, didn't like that one. The PT I do like (Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun, In Absentia, Deadwing) all share the same characteristic - I was instantly hooked on first listen. Compelling right off the bat. So given that, I went on Youtube and listened to The Incident for the first time. I was bored by the time I got to Time Flies and turned it off. I'm glad he's exploring other directions that are fresh for him because I don't think there could be another PT album unless he came up with a new twist. Raven is excellent.

[jlneudorf]

I think FOABP is one of their strongest. Love the theme, Wilson really nails it, and the drum work is excellent.

Regards,
Jon

[Planechant]

I'm having kind of a private renaissance with PT. My son bought Octane Twisted for me and that rekindled the flame. I've relistened to everything and I'm amazed at how strong of a vision exists from the Sky Moves Sideways to the present day. When a new disc comes out it always suffers, like an only child, under the weight of undivided attention. But two years later, listening within the body of work, I find The Incident really compelling (also FoaBP). I'm a little shocked at how important Steve Wilson and PT have become to my musical life. I blame PE for that. Well done.