“There was a war but I must’ve won”
The news that Porcupine Tree are back together and lining up a new album for 2022 has me heading back to their old albums. Today I’ve been listening to the first album of theirs that I heard, 1999’s Stupid Dream. As always, A Smart Kid stands out as one of the superior tracks: a spaced-out, Floydian prog tune with a wonderful, lush sound and an enchanting mix of acoustic instruments and electronic textures. It has charming lyrics too, relating the travails of the last guy on Earth as he muses on the low cost of living and lack of crowds before attempting to hitch a ride on a visiting spaceship. I was never totally sold on the parent album as there are a few too many piano Brit-poppish tunes for my liking but Porcupine Tree excel here. Clever lads.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
I didn’t know Porcupine Tree was back! I was a big prog fan growing up, but my musical tastes expanded when I got older. Even still, Porcupine Tree remains one of my favorite post-‘70s prog bands. Nice review, and thanks for the good news!
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Glad to be the bringer of good news! New album is going to called ‘Closure/Continuation’ and is out next June I think.
They are definitely one of the best post-70s proggers. Especially when they started getting a bit heavier.
Thanks for reading… I’ve been digging your Sopranos reviews btw. Just watched it all for the first time and I enjoy your takes on it.
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I’ve never listened to a note of them before this, the band name always put me off hugely. I mean, I like porcupines and I like trees, just not together; I’m quite traditional like that.
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It’s a terrible band name! I think they started as a kind of prog spoof which is why it’s a bit silly.
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Is this Steven Wilson before he started buggering about with every rerelease ever made then?
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Yep. I’m hoping that reforming PT will make him stop.
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To be fair he did do a great job on that Sinitta LP, the drums on ‘So Macho’ just sound incredible now.
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True. I never listen to the original anymore.
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Great to see you back writing sir!
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Nice track. I don’t remember it so I went to Spotify, pressed play and saved it.
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I know their name and hadn’t listened to anything before. This song is pretty cool. Nice one sir!!
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They’re definitely worth checking out if you like proggier stuff. After this album they got quite a bit heavier too.
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I guess I really owe it to myself to check this out.
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I think you’d really like them. There’s a bit of Rush in there and Marillion.
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Sold
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I’d recommend ‘In Absentia’ and/or ‘Fear Of A Blank Planet’ as good albums to start on.
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Ok, but I’m starting a No Mercy policy with recommendations. Deke got me to buy the 1982 Vandenberg and I am distinctly underwhelmed. So no mercy on Deke 😉
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Haha I got that recently too and I am also very underwhelmed! No mercy on Deke! What does the no mercy involve?
If you go for Fear Of A Blank Planet there is an Alex Lifeson solo on it so you can justify it as Rush completism.
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No mercy involves… well… me bringing it up repeatedly!
Nice, Lifeson. Good stuff!
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They’re back? Excellent, Smithers…
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“Last guy on earth”. I cant help thinking about Vincent Price. I like the tune HMO
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