In Absentia, Something Is Missing
Written: Aug 28 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: great songwriting, stays interesting with diversity, vocals
Cons: a little unfocused
The Bottom Line: It's such a highly acclaimed must buy and considered a classic to many and although I can easily see why it just doesn't make that last bit of criteria.
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| steven9988's Full Review: In Absentia by Porcupine Tree |
I've heard on and off great things about this band and "In Absentia" seemed to be the most acclaimed piece of work and a recommended must buy by some respected music fans. So on solely hype I ended up purchasing this before a long car trip knowing practically nothing about the group and very little of how their style was. I read reviews of their previous albums it seemed they used to be a joke band back in the 80s and then began to get serious however borrowing maybe too many elements from progressive rock bands like Pink Floyd. Despite that they stuck together, evolved and now have become something refreshing, new, and special.
The album begins with the track "Blackest Eyes" with colliding drums and drop D chords to create a heavy, dark, rock out sound. I was digging it. The following distorted riff was sweet and it reminded me something along the lines of a well put together nu-metal sound but quickly it flowed into a nice acoustic guitar and Steven Wilson's inspiring vocals and lyrics. This was clearly not just a mainsteam rock band but a diverse group with a pretty folky vibe going throughout this song and quickly my initial nu-metal thought had been washed away. The lyrics were thoughtful and well-put together:
"A mother sings a lullaby to a child
Sometime in the future the boy goes wild
And all his nerves are feeling some kind of energy
A walk in the woods and I will try
Something under the trees that made you cry
It's so erotic when your make up runs"
The next track, "Trains" has a softer vibe going since the distorted guitar parts are cut out and it's mostly comprised of acoustic guitar chords and some soft vocals by Steven Wilson who shows a good display of his range during this song hitting some very nice high (not unreasonable high, but decently) notes and some nicely written vocal lines that are probably very fun to sing along to during a concert or even by yourself. A very tasteful acoustic solo is layered over the chords midway through the song and then leads into a "Na..nanana..." esque part that reminds me of that one rose song by that artist Seal (which I loved) Then it goes into a similar styled solo but this time on a Banjo with fitting percussion instruments and is a good taste of the diversity. The folk sound is very evident in this song.
"Lips Of Ashes" is mostly put together with a repeating acoustic guitar riff and ambient noises in the background that seem to be synthesizers mixed with distorted guitar screeches. The sound is not too far off from the previous track which is good since it keeps a similar vibe and proves it to be focused. Steven Wilson's vocals are fitting and some of the vocal parts vividly remind me of Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, etc.) and that is nothing but a positive sign. When I say that they remind me I don't mean in style (since Wilson's seems to be his own) but as far as the notes and atmosphere given in this type of song.
The next song is an anti-mainstream themed song labeled "The Sound Of Muzak" which begins with a clear bass guitar riff with energetic drums giving off a semi-beach/fun vibe but still dark and the concept behind the song is obviously about how most artists aren't really in it for the music anymore. Personally I find the vocals in the song and concept a tad lame and overused, the music is fine too but not as appealing as the other tracks, it might be a bit too overproduced."Gravity Eyelids" is one of the longest tracks clocking in at a little under 8 minutes - it's also one of the best tracks. It begins with a synthy, atmospheric intro which could easily be put on Nine Inch Nail's The Fragile. The vocals are fitting, soft, atmospheric, emotional. Towards the middle of the song it drifts off into an ambient vibe and then is refocused with palm-muted heavy guitar riffs later to be distorted just like the first track. The synthsizers then get grow loud like sirens as the track blows up as it heads toward the end and then calms down as it concludes and is left back with the intro as it fades away.
The next song is an instrumental one labeled "Wedding Nails" that really does share a resemblance to Rush's YYZ song in the sense that it just kicks major butt the whole time with some awesome guitar work and really sweet riffs. It's however still got a dark vibe going despite the fun energy and is probably one of the initially more enjoyable tracks of the record. "Prodigal" could have come off right from Radiohead's The Bends album with the similar style guitar playing and even Wilson's voice vaguely reminds me of Thom Yorke during this track. It has that pi**ed off vibe that Yorke gives off through The Bends but the chorus is more dissapointing and sad sounding:
"Rain keeps crawling down the glass
The good times never seem to last
Close your eyes and let the thought pass"
Got to love lyrics like this which you know you'll be identifying one day with and you'll just want to put this song on repeat. ".3" begins off with a very deep bass riff and is for the most part instrumental (though giving off a completely different vibe then the other instrumental - this is more soft and laid back and has hints of violins) except for the repeated vocal line towards the end. "The Creator Has A Mastertape" is another sickly fun to listen to track. A calling distorted guitar leads into an awesome bass riff that reminds me of something the Gorillaz, Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, or some other funky type band. The guitar continues to be very dark, loud, and has a nice effect to it especially when it follows the vocal line in a Tomahawk way - which reminds me a lot of Mike Patton again in a similar vibe way. It's probably the noisest and raw song up to this point but still fits in alright.
"Heartattack In A Lay By" is probably the softest song on the record as it's for the most part piano and Wilsons vocals again portrayed like a lullaby. A perfect example of the great songwriting abilities the band has and the lyrics are top-notch again:
"I pull off the road
East of Baldock and Ashford
Feeling for my cell
In the light from the dashboard
Hissing from the road
The smell of rain in the air con
Maybe check the news
Or just put a tape on"
Another one of my favorite tracks from the record. Some really nicely done high notes on this that make me feel like a teen girl as I fall in love with him - it's just very thoughtful. "Strip The Soul" is a quick change of pace back to the dark, slow vibe given again and quickly abrupts to an anger/distorted guitar fest that personally is done a little too much. Some of the riffs are pretty good but the raspy vocals and angsty lyrics are a quick turn off for me since the song seems to rely on them. "Collapse The Light Into Earth" returns to another slow vibed song with piano and sugary vocals but the quick contrast between this and the previous track kind of leaves me void of feeling coming into this otherwise thoughtful, emotional song with a very nicely orchestrated ending that could be perfect for any dramatic movie.
Overall, I find the album has a lot of high points and this is definately a band I have grown to like and we'll look out for upcoming releases however at times the record seems a bit too unfocused in a sense that diversity is good and all but not enough thought was put into the tracklist and how tracks could compliment each other. It's a little all over the place in parts and although they do many different styles well they needed to be a bit more precise and at times are still a bit lost in finding their own sound. I was really on the edge on whether or not to give it a 4 or a 5. It's such a highly acclaimed must buy and considered a classic to many and although I can easily see why it just doesn't make that last bit of criteria.
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: At Work
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steven9988
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