Amazon.co.uk Review
In Absentia, their Lava Records debut, is the latest fruit of Porcupine Tree mainstay Steven Wilson's obsession with progressive rock, a mania that dates to the late-1980s when the "band" was little more than a fantasy, though one with a remarkably imaginative--if entirely fictional--history and bio. But that pipedream eventually became a real "alt prog" cult fave, with these dozen ambitious songs finding a focus that occasionally eluded the band on half-hour soundscapes such as "Voyage 34". Tracks such as "Gravity Eyelids" have a retro-psychedelic feel that would have done the
XTC alter ego
Dukes of Stratosphear proud, with Wilson's pure melodic tenor pushing it beyond the merely baroque.
In Absentia is also a strong statement of another crucial Wilson/Porcupine retro-sensibility: the album has a unified musical statement. "Lips of Ashes" and "Prodigal" serve up the sort of impressionistic, harmony-rich musings that Pink Floyd have rarely managed since Wish You Were Here, while "The Creator Has a Master Tape" punctuates the rich harmonies of tracks such as "Heart Attack in a Layby" with King Crimson-esque metallic thrash and processed vocals. While the band's instrumental prowess sometimes slums its way into the free-form jazz noodling of past efforts, the album remains one of Porcupine Tree's fullest achievements. --Jerry McCulley
Description
There's a breed of (post-1980s) bands with the same degree of grand rock experimentalism as Pink Floyd and Yes, who simultaneously adhere to the concept of concise songwriting. Porcupine Tree is one such band--their sound is a balance of lush ambient textures, charming vocal harmonies, rock & roll directness, and acoustically- and electronically-generated sounds. Their debut IN ABSENTIA shows all these elements in place, rich with the likely possibility of them becoming a contemporary counterpart to Pink Floyd.
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