Porcupine Tree
The Sky Moves Sideways

It would be useless once again to compare Porcupine Tree to Pink Floyd, and inappropriate, considering that not only are we dealing with two different approaches to conceiving music, but it would also be quite offensive to devalue their qualities in this way.
First and foremost, due respect to the genius and creativity of Steven Wilson, who, although he has admitted many times that he grew up -musically speaking- with "The Dark Side of the Moon," has shown increasing irritation over time at what I consider disrespectful comparisons to Roger Waters and David Gilmour.

The best way to approach listening to the album? A total disregard for silly conjectures about debts to '60s-'70s psychedelic rock and an intention to simply enjoy good music, surrendering to it and it alone. Only in this way can one fully appreciate this 1995 studio work, a sort of apple of discord that in some ways represents the first period of Porcupine Tree (also influencing the songwriting of the subsequent "Signify"), a period that would then give way to a more "progressive" tendency in a broad sense, inaugurating with "Stupid Dream" (1999) a long period that would see the throngs of admirers split, doubtful whether to embrace the new artistic verve or remain anchored to the group's original productions. One might wonder about an alleged evolution or regression in style, but in my opinion, there was the natural transformation of a band that didn't want to remain static and insensitive to new influences coming from entirely different musical genres: just remember Wilson's collaboration in the production and arrangement of three splendid albums by the metal group Opeth and his friendship with the leader of said band, Mikael Åkerfeldt, a relationship that would bring about interesting ideas in the recording efforts on both sides.

However, we must not consider the full-length analyzed here as an obsolete or anachronistic work; although the melodies have clear Pink Floydian reminiscences (I'm sorry to emphasize it so much), "The Sky Moves Sideways" is a very current artistic product, offering overall the possibility of undertaking an intimate dream journey that catapults the listener among mirages animated by distorted and elusive sounds and lights, surrounded by faded intangible presences.

"In the dream dusk
We walked beside the lake
We watched the sky move sideways
And heard the evening break"

A spine-chilling instrumental intro and the trip begins! The dreamy atmosphere of the evanescent sonic carpet leads us by the hand to the first verses interpreted -more than sung- very suggestively by Wilson ("We lost the skyline...") and to his guitar solo, fading out into an equally trepidation-filled instrumental part that will reach the end of the piece: it's the first part of the touching suite "The Sky Moves Sideways." With "Dislocated Day," the journey takes a sudden quick acceleration, returning to more mellow and reflective rhythms with "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder" and the unsettling "Prepare Yourself" (a warning?), a triad that perfectly introduces the other two standout tracks of the album. The melancholic and -I dare say- claustrophobic "Moonloop" imprisons the listener, isolating them more and more in a violent storm that seemingly -the conditional is a must- follows the calm of Leopardi's memory: we are at the epilogue, the second part of "The Sky Moves Sideways." Pulsating bass lines, keyboards highlighting harmonies full of pathos, and the ethereal voice of guest Suzanne Barbieri, culminating in guitar solos of high emotional content in the sickest psychedelia. The pleasant sound of the surf leads us to the end of the journey, returning from a state of unconsciousness perhaps more serene, perhaps more disillusioned, definitely changed… at least in a small part.

The score, VERY PERSONAL: 7.5
Brief motivation, also VERY PERSONAL: in the years that followed this great album, Porcupine Tree found a musical identity that, in my opinion, made any serious comparison with the usual Pink Floyd impossible. The score should not appear low because we must consider masterpieces like "Stupid Dream," which in my view is truly surprising and of much finer workmanship.

Finally, a thank you to Wilson for what he gives me, what he gives us.
Among the most underrated artists, without him, music would be much poorer.