Customer Reviews

Fear of a Blank Planet

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4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(27)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For many, this is one of the big albums to watch in 2007. In certain circles, at any rate, there has been a lot of rather assuming talk, with phrases like potential `album of the year' thrown around. Ancillary to this, some of us were privileged enough to hear the entire thing in rough, prototype form live last year, and the textures and dynamics evident in some of the entrancing music we heard that evening certainly suggested something special waiting in the wings. Finally, a lot has been made of the fact that (supposedly) this album functions as one continuous 50-minute cycle of music, and that the lyrics deal pretty much exclusively with Wilson's fears that the younger generation is risking descent into intellectual torpor owing to their addiction to an oh-so lethal cocktail of prescription drugs, MTV, internet addiction and banal culture of necessary instant gratification.
For me, however, none of the above really has much bearing on the album itself. Sonically, the six pieces here (which are distinct enough not to flow together the way, say Light of Day, Day of Darkness does) present an interesting proposition. Crucially, the narcotic core of their sound has been left largely intact, with outrageously catchy melodies, dense, layered and painstakingly executed production, careful, wandering bass-lines and lush, intricate harmonies all present in abundance. There is a slightly more heavy approach evident, but overall the album is remarkably spacey and dreamy, with a lot of attention given to synth washes, soundscapes and somnambulistic melodies, all rather reminiscent of their The Sky Moves Sideways era. But this is juxtaposed with the tight songwriting and straightforward riffing of later releases. If their are any new elements, and I'm inclined to say there are, they emerge in subtle ways: Wilson's vocals, which have changed little over recent years, seem more brazen and stretched, while some of the melodies seem more intricate, more assured and composed, and take time for the listener to fully appreciate.
The title track turns on a riff that is highly reminiscent of `Deadwing', while the chorus has a kind of gentle brutality that is somewhat jarring. The rhythmic vocals over the verse have an interesting, pseudo-rap like quality. The outro is dreamy and unexpected. `My Ashes' is stunning, with that perfect verse/chorus interplay Wilson excels at, lush orchestration and nebulous, highly evocative lyrics. The wordless vocal which rounds off the song engenders a kind of urbane emotional atmosphere, a beautiful dignity.
And then to `Anesthetize', which stands well out of the crowd simply by virtue of being 17 minutes long! Live, this track was instantly memorable and impressive, and here it does not disappoint. Wilson seems to have shoehorned just about every facet of his remarkable music making skills inside. The four minute introduction is sinister, haunting and deceptively melodic. The four to around 11 minute mark is utterly replete with intricacies, yet never overblown: indeed, it displays an uncanny use of shifting dynamics and sustained tension, of the kind Tool have often used so effectively. A slow build is embellished by an ornate Alex Lifeson solo with a welcome exotic tinge, before the heavy riffing slides into view, along with a great, eerie verse and one of their most breathtaking choruses. Then we are hit with something pretty surprising at 11 minutes - suffice to say the song implodes in spectacular fashion, and the excellent outro is ushered in, all sepia tinged sunsets and darkened skies.
To follow that, the gorgeous `Sentimental' harks back to earlier albums slightly, with an intro reminiscent of `Collapse the Light Into Earth', and a breakdown towards the end which re-introduces the riff from `Trains' in slightly moderated form, a happening I've not entirely figured out. Despite this, the gentle lilt of the chorus is possibly Wilson's most effective evocation of sheer melancholy (no mean feat!). `Way Out of Here' is perhaps the most interesting song, a kind of psychedelic metal experiment, although `Sleep Together' pushes it close, a kind of apocalyptic industrial tinged nightmare, with lyrics seeming to equate suicide with sexual release.
Maybe not as much a massive leap forward then, as a consolidation, and certainly a near flawless, very tightly constructed album with a lot of depth, as the whole picture will take quite a lot of listens to emerge. Including only six songs does ensure welcome brevity and consistency. In many ways, which perhaps I've not entirely made apparent, this is their most complex record; at any rate, it is certainly extremely dense. Whether it is their best record, or album of the year is, however, open to debate. Nevertheless, it comes highly recommended.

You know how worried you get that bands' subsequent releases are not going to measure up to the past? No worries here. This disk is simply amazing. Even for the "mellow fans" whose favorite song is Lazarus (from Dead Wing), there is something for you on FOBP. I read a past review that said this was HEAVY, HEAVY, HEAVY ... so I was a concerned it might be too Metal. No need to worry. It's heavy in that it's deep and lush. I love music that makes percussion an integral part of the experience--instead of just keeping time. The percussion in this is great even for PT.

I might be PT's oldest fan. Look for me at the front of the line in Boulder on 15 May. Can't wait.

After the less than impressive Somewhere Else by Marillion, 2007 was not looking too promising for prog rock fans. But Porcupine once more saved the day! Their "Fear of a Blank Planet" is a direct reference to the Public Enemy album, Fear of a Black Planet (1990) and it left me gasping for air after the first time I listened to it: so much musical power, so many layers of sound.

It can be hard to imagine that barely six tracks can carry the burden of prog rock on their shoulders, but "Fear of a Blank Planet" does this task almost effortlessly. Steven Wilson repeats the same lineup he's had for the past five years. Besides them, the band is accompanied by King Crimson legend Robert Fripp on soundscapes in "Way Out Of Here", Rush's Alex Lifeson on guitar in "Anesthetize" and John Wesley, who had previously appeared on In Absentia and Deadwing, also doing and producing guitar work.

The end result is an amazing prog rock album that leaves the genre breathing comfortably and one of the best albums of 2007.

This review is not really a review but more a strange (to me) historical comment. I was recently "turned onto" Porcupine Tree by Rush- I heard that Alex Lifeson was a guest guitarist on Anesthetize. I am 46 years old and have been a Rush fan since 1975 (well before most of you smarta** commentators were born : ) What is fascinating is that PT sounds nothing like RUSH but I absolutely love this music. This contradiction requires serious scientific investigation. Alex Lifeson likes them- and I'm guessing many other Rush fans will love this music even though it is very un-RUSH like. Many people have commented on PT's progressive style- but it has a very metal overtone as well. My 46 year old ears will certainly go deaf listening to PT- but I can't resist. Remarkable music- and I thought real music died long ago...Thank God for PT

THE BAND: Steven Wilson (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards), Richard Barbieri (keyboards, synthesizers), Colin Edwin (bass), Gavin Harrison (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (2007) 6 tracks clocking in at approximately 50 minutes. Included with the disc is a 10-page booklet containing song titles/credits/times, song lyrics, odd/sad/haunting photos of somebody's kids, and thank you's. Guest artists included Alex Lifeson (Rush) - guitar solo on "Anesthetize", and Robert Fripp (King Crimson) on "Way Out Of Here". Strings performed by the London Session Orchestra. There is a limited edition 2-disc set available as well - the 2nd disc contains the same music recorded in 5.1 DTS sound (playable only in a DVD player) as well as a 40-page booklet. Label - Atlantic Records.

COMMENTS: Continued brilliance from The Tree. While "Fear Of A Blank Planet" didn't hit me on first spin like "In Absentia" (2002) did, it's still ultra fine music from PT mastermind Steven Wilson. Nothing new as far as lyrics go - still dealing with loneliness, rejection, a dark childhood, and a bleak future outlook. I feel "Fear" takes a step closer to the band's past - reverting back to "Signify" (1996) and perhaps "Stupid Dream" (1999) - giving you much more mood and atmosphere, and less rock & pop. Where "In Absentia" and "Deadwing" (2005) had more tracks geared toward the 4 minute "rock" song, "Fear" gives you 6 lengthy tracks (4 of the 6 songs are 7 minutes or longer... with "Anesthetize" just under 18 minutes all by itself). "Fear" starts off with the title track... I feel this song is oddly similar to "Deadwing's" title track. Though my least favorite track on the album, it's still a good rock song with a husky jam in the middle (though nothing groundbreaking). Track 2 is where the album takes flight for me. "My Ashes" starts slow with keyboards/piano and acoustic guitar... with orchestra and the rest of the band joining in later. Simply a beautiful composition. On first listen, "My Ashes" hit me hard... in the same vein as "Even Less" - one of my all-time favorite PT songs. "Anesthetize" is the marathon song - lengthy in all respects. As much as Lifeson's guitar solo stands out (his best work in 2007 is here, not on Rush's "Snakes & Arrows"), it's Harrison's drumming that intrigues me. In fact, Harrison's drumming throughout the album simply sparkles. "Anesthetize" features ups and downs and a wide range of emotions with some great guitar work from Wilson.. and this song is on par with PT's other lengthy hard driving jam tune, "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" from "Deadwing". Through tracks 2 and 3, there are several moments where the keyboards/synth reminds me of Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones' work on "No Quarter"... dark, eerie, perfect. "Sentimental" starts and closes as a pretty piano ballad with the band joining nicely in the middle... another wonderful song. "Way Out Of Here" is the moodiest track - thanks to Robert Fripp... a soft beginning and an extremely heavy ending. The closer "Sleep Together" starts out with a very industrial feel to it. But then it kicks in and synth/orchrestra takes over... giving it a holier than tho tone. "Fear Of A Dark Planet" has a slightly different flavor to it then their last 2 albums... maybe the new record label (Atlantic) had something to do with that (probably not - though Lava Records, Snapper and Madfish labels may be a thing of the past for PT); or maybe it's been Wilson's recent collaberative work with Aviv Geffen and their "Blackfield" albums which seem to be a bit mellower and more keyboard driven. Give this album time - it will get better with repeated spins. Either way, Porcupine Tree has the brains, the production tools, and the chops to release some great albums for years to come. Another excellent release (5 stars).

I eagerly awaited this album and was more excited about this release than that of any other album, ever (granted, I'm not that old...). I am extremely satisfied with the final product, despite some gripes here and there. Going through each track:

Fear of a Blank Planet is a terrific opener which is essentially perfect. Reminds me of the title track from Deadwing, it's about as good. The metalness is not overblown, Gavin is really good at drums, the production is epic and flawless, and the mellow ending is obviously the best part, by far. Someone wrote a review earlier that said that ending should have been edited, which I found laughable. Such impatient listeners! Perhaps Wilson has something to say about that...

My Ashes is definitely the best song on the album, though not my favorite. It is 100 percent perfect, I would not change a thing. The lyrics are haunting and not trite, which can't be said about any of the other tracks. There are no awkward or wasted seconds, and the strings are a perfect touch. This has been in and out of my top 5 PT songs in the last couple weeks.

Anesthetize. Wow. Certainly the most compelling track in recent memory, this song is absolutely amazing. Every part is captivating, I don't think any second is wasted, which says a lot considering it's an 18 minute piece. The riff at about 5 minutes, after the Lifeson solo and before the heaviness, is mind-blowingly cool, I just wish it had gone on longer or they came back to it. The lyrics in this song are the only problem I have with it, they seem quite uninspired and I don't much like the melody in the verse. Chorus is amazing though, as everyone has said. Oh, I think Gavin might be kinda good at drums too.

I'm a little ambivalent about Sentimental, the follower. It has an awesome, creative drum beat, as expected from my boy, and the chorus is definitely beautiful. The verse is pretty good, definitely like the melody but not really the words. Steven definitely didn't put his best foot forward with the lyrical content in this album, as much as I wanna believe otherwise. The Trains section at the end is really weird and I still don't get it. I assume it was intentional, but if it was I don't really see the point. I don't like the guitar solo either, there's a really weird B flat that does not belong and it hurts me every time I hear it.

Way Out of Here has a bunch of awesome musical ideas and I also really like the words. The only gripe I have is the arrangement of the song, I could have used another heavy verse. I really like the metal part and the contrasts and everything, and the ending is definitely inspired. Love the bass line too throughout the song.

Sleep Together. My goodness, this song is spectacular. That same reviewer said that it should be left off the album? Dude, are you kidding?? This is PT's best closer since Dark Matter, and it's probably even better than that. It's got the sickest groove and riff, middle section, ending, chorus, drum tone, synth ostinato...I have nothing bad to say about this song, it's absolutely amazing.

Here are the songs in order of goodness: My Ashes, Sleep, Anesthetize, Fear, Way out, Sentimental.

In order of goodness to listen to: Anesthetize, Sleep, Ashes, Fear, Way out, Sentimental.

Warfield, next Friday. Needless to say, I'm excited.

Porcupine Tree have crafted two incredibly beautiful masterpieces: In Absentia and Deadwing. While those two albums are perfect in their own way, Fear of a Blank Planet blows both of them out of the water.

First of all, this album is HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY. It does have it's lighter songs like "My Ashes" and "Sentimental", but overall, this is definitely Porcupine Tree's heaviest album to date. The title track, "Fear of a Blank Planet" begins with a few light guitar strums, and then Steven Wilson's voice comes in and it booms into a field of crunchy guitars and madness. There is a bit of vocal experimentation in the title track (probably through a vocoder or something similar). "Anesthetize" is the heaviest and longest song on the album, and also the best; and the 20 second boom of chaos of guitars and drums rapidly playing around eleven minutes into the song will be sure to please all metalheads. It might even be Porcupine Tree's best song to date, surpassing "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here" on Deadwing. "Way Out of Here" is about as heavy as "Anesthetize", though less than half as long; it is one of the better tracks on the album. "Sleep Together", the album's final track, ends the album with a subtle amount of heaviness and a ton of psychedelia that will please fans of Porcupine Tree's much older and forgotten material such as Up the Downstair and Signify.

Overall, Fear of a Blank Planet is another masterpiece for Steven Wilson and his amazing crew. It's also one of 2007's finest releases already. If you're a fan of Porcupine Tree, this is an essential buy. If you only like their older material and cannot except the fact that Porcupine Tree have changed (for the better, in my opinion), then avoid this album. If you're a fan of progressive metal or progressive rock, you can't really go wrong. Rating this album anything less than five stars would be slander.


Tracklisting: (My album picks are denoted with an asterisk)

01- Fear of a Blank Planet (7:28) *
02- My Ashes (5:07)
03- Anesthetize (17:42) *
04- Sentimental (5:26)
05- Way Out of Here (7:38) *
06- Sleep Together (7:19)

In many ways, Fear of a Blank Planet functions as a parameter to its predecessors, bravely quoting some key themes in order to retain stylistic cohesion. But at the same time, it is also an excellent chronicle of Porcupine Tree's entire body of work, as it is a lot more informed by their spacey, ambient rock leanings, which they have strategically placed into their songcraft. It is considerably less heavy than Deadwing and In Absentia, but the compositions are still nihilistic in tone and carry similar thematic ideas.

Unlike the previous two albums though, Fear of a Blank Planet seems rather uneventful upon the first set of spins, with few or no hooks to speak of. Only patient listens reveal the successful blend of their strongest yet somewhat less accessible parts of their earlier work, initially bringing the listener's focus on the mindblowing performance of Gavin Harrison. This is easily his most realized work; the drumming is uniformly superb, and it is his playing that makes the most vital turns in the music. His full tone, powerful toms, and natural hi-hat taps are stunning to say the least.

Themes of both In Absentia and Deadwing crop up on the CD, namely the main riff of the latter on the title track, a terrific blend of everything that makes Porcupine Tree the amazing band they are. Harrison's encircling snare drums slowly disappear under Steven Wilson's visionary songwriting, introducing the subject matter which gives us an insight into the psyche of a demented kid, devastated by the negative effects of technology, isolation, prescribed drugs, and the generation gap between parents and children. The middle section of the song boasts a nice spacey breakdown where airy synths float across the piece -- Richard Barbieri is absolutely essential to creating this band's sound. Even during the most subtle parts, he lays down a great sonic path for the music to travel on. I also love how he always establishes context for his amazing futuristic sound effects, carefully built around Wilson's acoustic and electric leads.

The apotheosis of the album is "Anesthetize". At over seventeen minutes, it moves from mood to mood in order to help portray the character's restlessness, and also sees a guest appearance by Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. His soloing on this song is out of this world, recalling his finest moments circa Power Windows. This could be his longest recorded solo in years as well. At one point, the piece erupts into a volcanic outburst thanks to the rhythm onslaught by Colin Edward and Gavin Harrison. Steven Wilson's riffing is intense not to mention his plaintive singing in the final section of the song.

An excerpt from In Absentia's "Trains" resurfaces on "Sentimental", a largely piano-based piece of pop splendour; the smooth transition from the repeated acoustic guitar to said melody is awe-inspiring. Likewise, "My Ashes", easily among the darkest songs Wilson has penned, is predominantly acoustic guitar-based, but what cannot go unmentioned is the inspired symphonic orchestration.

King Crimson's Robert Fripp appears on "Way Out of Here", the only song written by the entire band on this disc. Fripp's trademark "soundscape guitars" are vastly abundant here, defining the song's eclectic flow. The slightly industrial-tinged feel is replaced by machinegun riffery, and the bass works perfectly under Wilson's godly vocal harmony. For more stuff in this vein, only more electronic and experimental, check out Steven Wilson's No-Man project, which also has Robert Fripp on some albums. "Sleep Together" further expands on this style, minimising the heaviness factor. It sees processed vocals a la Frost and wonderful string arrangements by Dave Stewart.

The production is flawless. Steven Wilson has reached the height of his powers; it is sternly disciplined yet rigorously simple at times, particularly during the raucous jamming sections. The recording and stereo mixing is amazing with emphatic surround channels, clever left-right speaker panning, and monstrous dynamics.

Is it Porcupine Tree's best? Perhaps not. But we've heard it only for a month, not years, so who knows?

Here it comes, a new album from the most underrated band (but that's about to change I think). A summary for those new to the band: it's a fantastic record, but one that requires a lot of attention; if you want to get familiar with Porcupine Tree, by all means grab Fear of A Blank Planet but also get In Absentia.

First of all, speaking of album roots. I believe the album's direction was first outlined in two instrumental outtakes from Deadwing - Revenant and Mother And Child Divided. They are quite different from the other album tracks, which is probably why they were not included on Deadwing, but they'd be right at home on FOABP. So if you are familiar with those tracks, that gives you some idea of what to expect of the new album.

And now, to the album itself. It didn't blow me away the first time I listened to it like Deadwing and In Absentia did. Being much more prog that those two, it wasn't as immediately engaging. But I've listened to it three or four times, and each time liked it better that the last, and already on the second time fell in love with it. Let it grow on you.

The title track I think is only superficially similar to Deadwing: the structure is similar, but the atmospherics are very different, and the riff is the most neurotic SW has ever written; also it's heavier; a great song. My Ashes, oh my! What a beautiful song, a warmer one on an album that is soaked in coldness and alienation; and Richard Barbieri is king. The epic, Anesthesize. It's tempting to liken it to Arriving Somewhere but again, they are quite different. ASBNH is very tightly structured: it sucks you in, gradually winds up to its metal climax, then gradually winds down to the end. By contrast, Anesthesize is looser; it consists of several distinct yet intertwined pieces, and even its lyrics are divided into three parts. The parts may feel disjointed (which some reviewers commented on), and I kinda felt that way myself the first time I heard it. But even on the second time it all fell into place and its sophisticated beauty shone with all its power. Sentimental: does indeed remind of Collapse The Light Into Earth, but not as chilling. Way Out Of Here: another epic, sophisticated track. And the closer, Sleep Together, which brings industrial sound into PTree repertoire; the strings arrangements are indeed fantastic; btw they were done by Dave Stewart, presumably THE Dave Stewart.

Conclusion: FOABP is another unbelievably good album from the best band on the planet. It's a change of direction: I agree that on FOABP the band consolidated the heavier sound of In Absentia and Deadwing with their more prog-oriented records of the 90s. Richard Barbieri on keyboards shines perhaps as never before; Gavin Harrison is still one of the best drummers on Earth; low-profile Colin Edwin pumps bass as good as ever; and Steve Wilson is still a genius. This is a very cold, sad, hauntingly beatiful record. Something tells me the next album will be a little brighter. Positive reaction to FOABP could help :)

FOABP is, sonically and creatively, diverse and satisfying. I confess, however, upon my first listen, that I was disappointed in the overall brevity. I agree that Wilson continues to mature incredibly as a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist. His guitar phrasing is simply astounding and always elevates each song to incredible levels. Yet, somehow, the expectation that this CD would surpass the briliant "Deadwing" of 2 years ago leads me to slight disappointment and a sense of anticlimax with each repeated listen. The length and contrast of Deadwing are sorely missing. Perhaps Porcupine Tree as a band, and Steven Wilson as an unparalled songwriter of recent times, are so far apart now from the "rest of the pack" that one simply cannot come to grips with the fact that the CD must, eventually, end! Required listening for any serious proghead and music fan.