Porcupine Tree
In Absentia

THE REVIEW

I met a girl who liked daisies, she said it was her favorite flower. She liked to think and make others think that simplicity is represented by a daisy. And indeed, she had simple thoughts. Then I found out that the daisy is anything but a simple flower; it belongs to the “composite” family, in a few words, what we see as a flower is actually many flowers, each ‘petal’ is a flower.

When a friend of my son, whom I knew listened to what I considered unlikely music, recommended me to listen to Porcupine Tree, I had many doubts. “Listen to In Absentia, you’ll see you’ll like it.” I didn’t believe it, but I was wrong.

Porcupine Tree is a band that took the romantic prog and developed their own modern version not too far from the legendary pioneering bands. The leader Steve Wilson seems to have a blood connection with those bands. I see him in an imaginary vintage photo alongside Tony Banks, Robert Fripp, Roger Waters, him in short pants. A great guitarist and singer but above all an excellent composer and arranger, he leads a group of talented musicians, notably mentioning drummer Gavin Harrison.

The album: a stunning start that lends charisma to the entire record, because I consider important how a work opens, and after a first electric guitar arpeggio, that slide sound at second 52 drives me crazy and introduces a very pleasant 'Blackest Eyes'. Just as pleasant is 'Trains' which, after an acoustic start, showcases a Wilson inspired both in singing and arrangements. The same goes for the following 'Lips of Ashes', but to tell the truth, the whole album is the exaltation of arrangement. Demonstrating how a good composition can become a masterpiece. In 'The Sound of Muzak' Gavin Harrison’s personality on drums with his refined rhythms and touches starts to be heard. Here a nice interlude led by Colin Edwin with a great bass line and at the end the first of those electric guitar breaks of Steve’s so elegant... simple and elegant.

After a decent 'Gravity Eyelids' and a 'Wedding Nails' vaguely hard comes 'Prodigal', which along with 'Heartattack in a Layby' represents the highest points of the work. In 'Prodigal' class and experience are plentiful, fantastic riff and solo with guitar in his dearest timbre.

Powerful bass line for '.3' where the psychedelia past but not forgotten emerges from Wilson's pen. Rhythm dominates also in 'The Creator Has a Mastertape', indeed more so here. Then comes the already mentioned 'Heartattack in a Layby', a sweet track where the protagonist reflects in his car on his return home, wrapped in a light fog. The listener can’t help but sing “iaiaiaiaiaiaia” in the delicate counterpoint of the refrain. Another great piece is "Strip The Soul", regulated by an insistent bass line but above all by a wonderful final riff. The album concludes with a beautiful track titled 'Collapse the Light into Earth' which in its simplicity reminds me of 'Eclipse' from the legendary 'The Dark Side of the Moon'. An association that 'I feel': could be the melody, could be the piano, could be the affinity of the titles, anyway, I feel it. The piano, the choirs, and the synth: simplicity and beauty. The distorted guitar at the end is the last treat of an album truly beautiful and well recorded.

An apparent simplicity that hides complexity. So, if I had to describe this record with a flower, I’d say it's a daisy in the field of rock flowers. And if I saw that girl again, I’d tell her that one might believe to be simple, but actually, we are all complicated, some more, some less, there is complexity and complexity. And I’d give her a kiss because her 'complex simplicity' really pleased me. And I’d gift her this album.