Whether you like it or not, Porcupine Tree is one of the most prolific prog bands of the past 30 years. Their string of mid 90s to late 2000s albums have since become as highly regarded in the prog community as the 70s output of Yes, Genesis, and so forth. They’re also one of those bands that the second they disbanded, everyone and their mom was asking, “When will the reunion be?” As the 2010s went on, frontman Steven Wilson achieved near commercial and critical success as a solo artist, making the prospects of a reunion even more unlikely.
Only here’s the kicker: Porcupine Tree never really broke up to begin with. I mean, they technically did on paper. They stopped touring and regularly releasing albums. But as Wilson embarked upon his solo foray and remixed some of the finest prog albums of all time, he, keyboardist Richard Barbieri, and drummer Gavin Harrison spent the past decade recording what would become the band’s first album in 13 years, Closure / Continuation. The album’s title itself alludes to a few things. It is indeed a new entry in the Porcupine Tree pantheon, a continuation of what already was. But is it the final entry, indicated by the word “closure”? Time will tell.
Musically speaking, Closure / Continuation doesn’t throw any curveballs. It’s maintains the classic Porcupine Tree ethos of utilizing the 70s prog sound and giving it a modern, perhaps even pseudo-alternative, twist. The production values are certainly rooted in the new school, but traditionalism dominates the cinematic arrangements and emotionally complex atmospheres. Cuts like “Harridan”, “Herd Culling”, and “Walk the Plank” incorporate hypnotic melodies, forceful riffing, driving rhythms and intense electronic passages to create a mesmerizing musical portrait of post-Crimson prog. In fact, the electronic influence seems stronger on here than past Porcupine Tree releases, but I’ll chalk that up to Wilson’s solo explorations.
On the flipside of this complex musical equation are flirtations with psychedelia, singer/songwriter, and all out epic prog balladry. “Of the New Day” grips with its touching lyrics and meandering twists and turns, while the subtle acoustic guitars, dreamy strings, and choir vocals of “Dignity” will have you think it’s 1972, not 2022. Meanwhile, the Lennon/McCartney tinged “Never Have” and “Love in the Past Tense”, both bonus tracks by the way, takes us back to the proto-prog era of the late 60s. All excellence aside, my choice cut is the epic “Chimera’s Wreck”. This Opeth-esque suite starts out soft and delicate, before transforming into an unsettling prog metal goliath.
I haven’t reviewed much prog this year. In fact, aside from the latest Jethro Tull and Marillion albums, I don’t think I’ve reviewed any other prog releases this year. So to say Closure / Continuation is the strongest prog effort I’ve heard this year thus far might be slightly inaccurate…but it is. Mind you, this is coming from someone who isn’t even a diehard Porcupine Tree fan…yet. I’m sure as soon as I’m done writing this review, I’ll spend the weekend revisiting their back catalog. So on that note, I’m ending this review now.
8 out of 10
Label: Sony Music
Genre: Progressive Rock
For fans of: Opeth, King Crimson, Yes