Recordings

Artist: Porcupine Tree
Label: Snapper UK
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 636551284028
EAN: 0636551284028
ASIN: B00005BIIP

Release Date: 2001-06-12

Recordings

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Tracks:

Buying New Soul
Access Denied
Cure For Optimism
Untitled
Disappear
Ambulance Chasing
In Formaldehyde
Even Less
Oceans Have No Memory

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Stars Die: The Delerium Years '91-97
On the Sunday of Life
Up the Downstair
Blackfield

Album Description

Last remaining copies of numbered limited edition 2001 release for the progressive rock act. 'Recordings' finds them moving away from the more song based aspects of their albums, 'Stupid Dream' (1999) & 'Lightbulb Sun' (2000). Nine tracks including recordings from the 'Lightbulb Sun' sessions, rare UK singles tracks & an extended version of 'Even Less'. Slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

Still Gives Me Chills!.......2007-04-13

I ordered this CD from England after I had bought Lightbulb Sun, which included samples from Recordings. Porcupine tree was so hard to find in the US then. I am still amazed at the music when I hear it (often). PT is perhaps the best progressive rock band in the world, and getting better. These "culls" are better than most bands will ever produce. Check out The Sky Moves Sideways and Signify, which I consider their other masterpieces.

A superb album from an equally superb post-prog band.......2006-07-09

I recall snapping this 2001 album up upon it's release during a slight lull in the release of "official" PT studio albums during the 2000 - 2002 timeframe (i.e. from Lightbulb Sun to In Absentia) and the fact that this was a Limited Edition CD (#681 of 20,000) had me pretty excited. To make the deal even sweeter, I noted that there were a lot of new pieces, including a nearly 14 minute version of Even Less, which first appeared on Stupid Dream (1999), albeit at only slightly over 7 minutes in length.

The musicians on this album include Steve Wilson (lead vocals, electric/acoustic guitars, samples, hammered dulcimer, and acoustic piano); Richard Barbieri (Hammond organ, mellotron, and analog synthesizers); Chris Maitland (drums); and Colin Edwin (fretless electric bass and acoustic bass). Along with the core musicians there is a flute/saxophone player and a string section. With respect to the core musicians, I enjoy Steve Wilson's excellent vocals although Colin's bass playing is worth singling out - he is a very tasteful and restrained player that never oversteps his bounds, unlike most of the bassists in the new prog bands out there. Furthermore, as a huge fan of 1970s progressive and experimental rock, I especially appreciate the fact that these guys favor mostly analog equipment.

The 60 plus minute mix of pieces on this compilation include three previously unreleased tracks (Buying New Soul (10'24"), the expanded version of Even Less, and Oceans Have No Memory), while the remaining tracks were originally released as singles. The tracks range in length from 3'06" to 13'55" with most in the 6 minute plus category. Interestingly enough all of the tracks flow together into one cohesive whole and are well-paced, making this quite possibly the perfect PT album. Well, that is how I feel about it at any rate. I guess the plus for me is that with the single exception of the introduction to Access Denied, there is very little of the "poppiness" that started to creep in on albums like Stupid Dream and with the follow-up Lightbulb Sun (2000). In short, this is one incredible slab of killer, post-progressive space rock that recalls the best moments on albums like The Sky Moves Sideways and Signify.

Speaking of the music, it is very somber and grey with loads of spacey sections dominated by analog synths and heavily echoed guitars. Everything sounds incredibly organic and the splashes of mellotron here and there really add quite a lot to the brooding feel of the album. In addition to the spacier sections, there are some slightly heavier moments when the whole band is playing and Steve gets a very crunchy and distorted sound on the electric guitar. These moments are far and few between however, but add a textural element to the album that is just fantastic. I should note that the lengthy jam on the 13'55" Even Less is awesome and it is too bad that this version was not included on the Stupid Dream album - surely a great album would have been made greater.

Not only is this my single favorite album by PT, I feel that it is quite possibly one of their best albums in spite of it being a compilation of unreleased tracks and previously released singles. In fact, it is unfortunate that this album can not be distributed to a wider audience and is only presently available as an extremely expensive (and out of print) limited edition "collector's item". This album is very highly recommended with every fiber of my being to all 1970s prog/experimental rock fans that are desperately looking for newer, yet excellent and interesting music.

Worth the price.......2006-05-31

Well, purhasing this little "dainty" nearly cost me a divorce ,but sometimes you have to make sacrifices..... I love the music on this CD, which is a collection of B- side single releases. This is Steven Wilson at his most vulnerable. There are some very moving slower pieces on this, which is the reason I listen to music. It should be an emotional experience and this is! "Buying New Soul" is quickly becoming my favorite PT song. I enjoy every tune on this disc, from the instrumentals to the extended version of "Even Less." I feel the price I paid was worth it to not miss out on these timeless gems. I wouldn't gamble on just any group, but I knew that this would be a winner because everything I've heard by Porcupine Tree has been of the HIGHEST quality and very satisfying listening. It's like a void in my psyche is being filled.....

if only this was back in print!!.......2005-08-09

If you have any opportunity of getting your hands on this CD, and you like Porcupine Tree at all, do not let that opportunity pass you by! This CD is amazing. Sure, it's more/less a collection of b-sides, but it's still very fine material.

I'll spare you a track-by-track rundown, but here are my favorite moments on the disc. "Buying New Soul" is one of my all-time favorite songs. Not just for a PT song, but just as a song in general. It is slow and beautiful, and really captures Steven Wilson's opinion on the sense of isolation that fame can give someone. "Cure for Optimisn" is another great mellow track (actually, this CD is mostly the softer side of Porcupine Tree, so don't expect any Deadwing-esque guitar riffs). For anyone who has heard the Stupid Dream version of "Even Less", you have no idea what the Recordings version is like. It is basically for the first 7 minutes, the same exact song as it is on SD, but after that, it morphs into this fabulous long instrumental. You'll wonder why you ever thought the SD version sounded complete.

All in all, this is a very introspective, laid-back, atmospheric, and tragically beautiful side of Porcupine Tree. It's very similar to the softer side of Lightbulb Sun. Think of the first half of "Russia on Ice" and you'll get what I mean.

If you own this CD, as I do, consider yourself very lucky. To those of you who don't, look for this anywhere you can, or try to convince Steven Wilson to reissue it, because it is amazing. Truly this is one of, if not THE, best b-side collection I have ever heard.

A memory has no oceans.......2005-06-26

(MY FAVORITE TRACK ON THIS ALBUM.)
Track 01 -
BUYING NEW SOUL.
I immediately owe much homage for the establishment of this record because very rarely do I devote myself to the first song over any of the other tracks; however, for this particular scrap, the opening track blows the other eight plainly out of the water.
Not only did the acoustic guitar prelude and keyboard sequences get me, but Wilson's opening lyrics, "Dried up, a guitar upon my knee," filled me with such a strong concept for water and the sound of waves crashing against serrated rocks, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Sure, I'm ultimately biased, but my strong adoration for this group notwithstanding, even you, as both the reader and the listener, can't argue that this song doesn't have a substantial design. It's just, there isn't any embellishment whatsoever: it's just a straightforward, true piece of music Steven Wilson wrote to convey the poignant viewpoint of the sea, or from what I read into it. This is in no way fact, only a poor man's opinion on such a song. The gravity in his voice, the insipid brogue, enthralled me.
I suppose, though, the chorus would have to be the best: its rising strike, the rhythm sliding off each other with each progressing word, oh, man, I could hardly comprehend how the band could decide this song was worth the first slot, because it usually is settled to put the most appealing piece up first, which "Buying New Soul" isn't, not in the least; it's appealing, yes, but not to everyone. Only the significant few can really appreciate it for what it is, the rest merely brush it off as enthusiastic incoherence from the songwriter who has no idea what he (or she) is even writing. I'd expect something like the full version of Even Less to be put first, mainly because the original was first on Porcupine Tree's Stupid Dream release, back in '98.

Regardless, I'm pleased they put this one first.

Track 02 -
ACCESS DENIED.
A friend of mine and I have time after time agreed this track must've been influenced by a song from The Beatles, our reasoning made palpable. Although it's no "Russia on Ice," "Intermediate Jesus," or "Hatesong," this song has rudiments only Porcupine Tree could assemble, and you can tell right off they had fun recording this song.

Track 03 -
CURE FOR OPTIMISM.
Every album needs a seemingly ominous song nobody understands but the gentlemen who shaped it, a piece that when listened to in utter darkness, worlds of diverse interpretations rush to the head, causing a vertical beam brightly burst and disintegrate into the memory lapse, one's mind, leaving a calm serenity vastly liquefying a dead scalp until the sun melts away a sigh.
. . . this track is awesome.

Track 04 -
UNTITLED.
Although complex and relatively salient, it would take me hours to dissect this song, and I truly don't have that much time.
Therefore, I enjoyed this song more than "Ambulance Chasing," but not as much as "Oceans Have no Memory," which so far, is my favorite Porcupine Tree instrumental piece of music - it's just too bloody short.

Track 05 -
DISAPPEAR.
This is one of many Porcupine Tree semi-ballads that make you think, as well enjoy the musical consequence of such, whilst not really understanding the core within our fragile and tedious psyche.
(Instead of proper analysis, I'm filling these furuncles with a sense of poetic instinct and perception - it's all I can collect for now.)

Track 06 -
AMBULANCE CHASING.
This one, I think, has the best drumming throughout the album, and for such I have to give thanks to Chris Maitland. If truth be told, it kind of reminded me of one of Tool's songs, like "Reflection," probably; in fact, until Maitland embraced his cymbals, and the keyboards really went metrical, this entire song reminded me of something I'd hear from Tool.

Track 07 -
IN FORMALDEHYDE.
Not only does this title say all I need to perceive what kind of track this is going to be, but Wilson's child-like choral disposition presented this song as both sweet and quaint.

Track 08 -
EVEN LESS (EXTENDED VERSION).
This extended version is loads better than the original, not only because it's longer but because its lengthy parts really provide an extra scent not sensed before.

Track 09 -
OCEANS HAVE NO MEMORY.
Although too short, this is my favorite instrumental song by this group. I could go into detail of why, but that takes the time I do not have to spare at the moment, so either take my advice and really give this recording a chance, or don't; it's really up to you.

(And you may be asking yourself why I bother writing short reviews rather than wait for when I can really delve into an album and conjure up a full-viewed review, and that's a really good question.

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