I love Porcupine Tree.

 Pre-script: This is NOT a review. The writer does not understand too much of the technical aspect of music and may be wrong at some junctures during the course. In the occurrence of such an event, do leave a comment.

   Porcupine Tree.  Porcupine Tree is by far, the most astounding , awe-inspiring and unearthly music i have come across. Not once have heard any music by any artist as breathtakingly abstruse and original as that of this supernatural band called Porcupine Tree. Each day of my life is an ode to these Gods. My day starts with their music. It ends with theirs. And the remainder of the day revolves around that one piece of prodigious music that gets stuck in the head. That riff, that bass-line or a part of those mind-boggling lyrics.

   This piece of writing, i write as a mark of respect towards these supremely talented musicians. Porcupine Tree as a band, transcend everything. They transcend the petty boundaries of generic classification. They transcend the critical acclaim, the thousands (millions maybe) of fans around the world and surely this write-up. These musician surpass the stereotypical Rock/Metal-god image. For once, it is all about the music. Music which is serene. Divine.

   Art is considered by many as the ultimate form of God. These musicians are Artists of the highest caliber. Off the stage, they may appear to an outsider as nerdy middle-aged men. On the stage and in the studio, they weave magic that only the virtuous can. Proficient and accomplished to say the least, it takes only a few listens to their work to develop an adulation for them. And then it took me only a few more for my love towards them to turn into idolatry. If you do not feel the divine rush of fervor pass through your veins when they play, there is something wrong with you. 

   The level of drumming by The Gavin Harrison is par genius. Each time-signature, each beat, designed to inseminate the song with a soul of it's own. Wondrous bass-playing by Colin Edwin deserves a special mention. Not only does it coalesce with the lead guitar with superb ease, but more often than not, plays a powerful counter-melody. The keyboards handled by Richard Barbieri add to the ambient, sometimes psychedelic feel of the music. The guitar playing is magnificent to say the least. Steven Wilson is a maestro. Words escape me when i try to describe the musical ingenuity of this stalwart. The acoustic guitar is used widely in albums such as Lightbulb Sun and other earlier works to again, provide the ambient effect. The electric guitar too is played using a tone which is in no way oppressive upon the ears but melodious. The vocals are clean and ironically, trippy. 

   But what adds to the essence of their music is, according to me, the lyrics. Scarily truthful, sometimes metaphorical and more often than not, mysterious. These lyrics never fail to impregnate my mind with pervasive thoughts. These unearthly lyrics sometimes consume weeks to comprehend in totality.

   For me, life came a whole 360 degrees on the 21st of December 2009. At about 8.20 p.m. Porcupine Tree made their way to the stage after what seemed like an eternity to us fans. What ensued was 2 hours of Music. I am not using any adjectives to define the kind of music they played that night. The upper-case 'M' should suffice to point out that it was Holy. I remember each bit of my musical journey as i started discovering newer forms of Rock, then Metal and then a whole myriad of sub-genres. My first real gig was an alternative rock band named The Giraffes from Israel at IIT on the 26th of December 2008. Almost a year later, i experienced the divine Porcupine Tree experience.

   I love Porcupine Tree. I think i may have reached a point where it has become fairly difficult for me to survive a whole day without any 'ear orgasms'. For me, Porcupine Tree is sex. Do not think of it in a pejorative way. I mean in the way we experience the ultimate ecstasy. :)

Now Playing- So Called Friend.

Lip read, a mountain stream, fibres in the car

Shut down, a cheerless a town, a head rolls in the park

Once seen my libertine undresses in the dark

She puts her love inside to break us both apart

With you I felt brand new, you opened up the sky

What need to punish me with surgery and lies?

Sleep well my so called friend, a virus in your heart

She bends my so called friend and rips my life apart

In sound escape is found from carving out the day

My gift a weight that lifts, my eyes give me away

You tell me all the things you know

I want to hear

You stain the sub terrain

With sarin gas and fear

What kind of friend are you?

What kind of friend are you?

You're so cold

What kind of friend are you?

What kind of friend are you?

So Called Friend

I miss the holy bliss of sun across the bed

How sad that all my plans seem foolish now instead

More later.

Sumedh.