Prodigal really stood out to me on my latest listen. It's going to have a tough battle with Muzak for the 3rd best song of the album, although right now I still give the edge to Muzak. Blackest Eyes and Trains are in a class of their own.
Deadwing
With their eighth studio album, it was time for Porcupine Tree to create the obligatory concept album. While many Porcupine Tree albums contained some sort of theme, Deadwing is much closer to a traditional concept album. The lyrics are based on a film script written by Steven Wilson, although he has been very secretive about what the album is actually about. We know that it’s a ghost story, and that’s about it. He intends on making it into a film, with the album serving as a companion, but not much has happened with it so far. Wilson has released parts of the script and even a trailer, but the production has been on hiatus for years.
Deadwing is very much a continuation of the heavier In Absentia sound, but with some progression. On Deadwing, Porcupine Tree experiment with longer song forms. Where In Absentia begins with a selection of short and catchy tunes, Deadwings begins with an epic. The opening title track is an intense slab of riffs and features an atmospheric middle section. The middle of the album is occupied by the 12 minute Arriving Somewhere But Not Here, considered by many to be among the band’s greatest achievements. It starts off with an almost psychedelic vibe reminiscent of classic PT, but quickly evolves into being one of the band’s heaviest tracks. There are more hints of the band's psychedelic past, but at this point they have been mixed in tastefully and effectively. The more atmospheric sparse moments now give the album added flavor, rather than seeming aimless.
The album does feature some of Porcupine Tree’s more accessible material though. Lazarus is one of their most straightforward songs and features Wilson’s knack for great songwriting and soundscapes. The other single, Shallow, actually received some airplay. It is much more on the heavy side than Lazarus. Mellotron Scratch and Halo also showcase Wilson's skills at creating an atmosphere with straightforward songs. Mellotron Scratch features a delightfully creepy ending. Other songs, such as Open Car, feature a nice blend of heavy riffs and haunting dark melodies.
Deadwing is also highlighted by guest appearances from King Crimson’s Adrian Belew and Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt. Adrian Belew provides guitar solos on the opening title track and Halo, while Mikael Akerfeldt provides backing vocals on several songs and a guitar solo on Arriving Somewhere But Not Here.
Deadwing is regarded as another great achievement for Porcupine Tree. While it’s mostly remembered for Arriving Somewhere But Not Here and Lazarus, the rest of the album is very strong. Classic Rock magazine named it one of the 10 most essential Prog Rock albums of the decade. It features most of the things that fans love about the band: dark atmospheric songs, proggy epics, and huge dynamics. Overall, it is another entry in what fans consider to be the Golden Age of Porcupine Tree.
The LP version of the album contains two bonus tracks, they will not be included in this game.
Same here. It'll be a little bit for me. These albums take some attention to judge fairly and I find myself with little free time with which to analyze.
Deadwing - Cool music, cool verses, but that whispered part is really lame. Reminds me of a hushed-tones version of Portnoy-era Dream Theater and I just can't take it seriously. I really love this song, but can’t get over that part. 9/10
Shallow - Man, Steven’s songwriting has improved so much. This is probably the most instantly gripping I’ve heard yet in this survivor. It’s a really perfect progressive-ish rock song. Just plain great. It’s the type of song you could really kick ass with at a gig as either an opener or first encore. 10/10
Lazarus - Goddamn this is beautiful. With that constant piano, and my personal taste, it almost sounds a little bit like Ben Folds and Noel Gallagher collaborating on a track. Truly great. 10/10
Halo - Very cool, slinky and modern-sounding track. 9/10
Arriving Somewhere But Not Here - Everything that encompasses the previous Wilson work I’ve heard is present in this song and in top-notch form. The heaviness is astounding, the solos are cool (thanks, bluesy Mikael!), and the atmospheric stuff is kept to the exact length that it should be. A stellar track. 10/10
Mellotron Scratch - Cool and pleasant and a bit trippy, but definitely the most forgettable song so far. 7/10 - vote
Open Car - I love the energy of this song, I love the chorus vocals and outro stuff, but I’m not a big fan of those synced-up vocals and riffs. Still pretty damn cool, though. 8/10 - vote
Start of Something Beautiful - Another cool song with a really strong second half. 8/10
Glass Arm Shattering - I can see how this is an appropriate ending in Steven Wilson’s world, but it’s clearly the weakest song on the album and a bit of a letdown. 6/10 - VOTE
Deadwing is easily the best record so far. If this was the first I'd heard of Steven Wilson, I may have been a fan much quicker. As with most of Stevie's records, unfortunately, this one is really front-loaded and loses steam at the end. Those first 5 tracks are amazing and I simply cannot understand how 2 people have already voted for Shallow...
Anyway, this is another incredible album. I used to always consider In Absentia my favorite PT album, but now I'm not so sure. All the songs rank from good to incredible. There isn't anything here that isn't worth listening to.
As great as the shorter songs are though, the epics here are truly other-worldly.
There is nothing that I really wanted to vote for, but in the end I went with Halo and Glass Arm. (EDIT - In the first round.)
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