Fear of a Blank Planet (Porcupine Tree) - Extended Play Lounge (Ep. 42)

Wow! I'm really enjoying catching up with some new music on here Doug...New to me anyhow. How has all this Steven Wilson music passed me by? I suppose its not played on the radio, and my friends group these days is not so much into "Prog". I have some catching up to do. Stunning musicianship from Gavin Harrison- well from everyone tbh. I see posts on SM about a reformed Rush, and debate as to who might be able to replace The Professor. There's only one choice for me.

Ralph Darvill

In Absentia and Deadwing are needed

grnmntl

Damn…. This one hit hard. I’ve been a high school band teacher for 10 years and I have had so many students that this album represents perfectly. There are a couple who stand out in my mind in particular and I feel such deep sense of sadness for them. I saw them totally disregarded and alienated by their peers and they just dove into the virtual world. They are shells of themselves and I worry about them ever recovering. It’s so incredibly sad

Paul Dunsmoor

…I don’t think you’re wrong…

R. Douglas Helvering

"Trainers" just means sneakers. And yes, PRADA does make sneakers. So "Burn my designer-brand shoes."

Ray Sincere

Re: the drum fill at the very end. This is more morbid than my usual thought process (I am MrSunshine for a reason), but if the song is about suicide could the drum full be the sound of a body hitting the floor?

As in "cod reggae"?

Ray Sincere

With an appearance by Alex Lifeson (from Rush, of course) on Anesthetize.

charles stone

I'm not sure if the origin ultimately relates to codpieces, but my understanding of "cod" in this context is that it means 'fake', 'shallow', 'contrived', 'made up' or 'without supporting evidence' - something like that. There's a lot of stuff like this on the Internet these days. Anyone can create a video proclaiming themselves an expert, that they have some profound understanding of the meaning of life, or that they know the true secret to happiness, etc - but do we really know whether they've discovered something significant or whether they are just grifters out to make a quick buck?

Nick

Thanks so much for doing this one, Doug. It's a brilliant (if dark) album that shines a harsh spotlight on the problems, dilemmas, and contradictions faced by disaffected youth. When one experiences the world through screens, turning inward, one finds nothing, and thus begins the spiral. I don't envy anyone who is taking on the role of parent in the 21st Century. I believe that "Only MTV, cod philosophy" refers to a codpiece, or rather what a codpiece is supposed to cover up. I think the reference is to all the programming and videos on MTV that exploit or dehumanize women. And I think the very end of the album can be taken two ways. One way is as a final flourish--the final result of a plunge. The couple have fulfilled their promise and gone together. The other interpretation is that it's a rimshot, what the drummer plays after the comic has made a joke. The kid would talk about ending his life, act sullen and withdrawn. Then when the overwrought parents burst into the room to find the two motionless in the bed, the kid stirs and says, "Aw, it was just talk. Everybody does it. Leave me alone."

Bill Brinkmoeller

Oh, and by the way Doug, I have fear of flying too, so I can relate. I love travelling but boarding a plane is an ordeal to me. Trying to get over it with. I need to travel more before I'm done!

Jean-Michel LaFontaine

Hi Doug, what a great album that was, my favourite Porcupine Tree album.Please consider to include Marillion’s Brave (Steven Wilson remix) in some of your polls. Thank you

Carlos Regidor Iglesias

After all these years, FOABP is still my favorite PT album. But their discography is so great.. In Absentia, Deadwing and The Sky Moves Sideways are close behind. FOABP just hit me a little more because of its conciseness. Not one single second is wasted. And it reminds me great moments with my girlfriend I met in 2008. She's also a PT fan and we had such memorable moments together listening to this album. And a bit like PT, we broke up and are now back together :)

Jean-Michel LaFontaine

Every time I hear Sentimental, I keep expecting it to go into that outro from Normal, which I always assumed was sort of an early, working version of that song. As a high school teacher, I have several students who are living various parts of this album, and it really does feel kind of hopeless watching them listlessly bounce through their adolescents. "Don't try engaging me" in the title track is probably the lyric that breaks me in half.

Blinky

This has to be one of my favorite albums of all time. Steven has put himself up there with the rest of the prog and audio masters. I hope you do more from porcupine tree/ SW solo soon. Like you said, everything he touches comes out perfect. Lightbulb sun is a great contrast to fear of a blank planet, and "on the Sunday of life" is just a whacky ride, but was made when many skills were still in the beginning of development. I love it none the less, wish you the best. Thank you so much for this listen

Olivier Ouellet

Great video Doug. This album is very special to me for reasons that I won't go into here. And yeah, Steven doesn't do many happy endings. This slab of bleak may only be topped in despair and impending doom by his solo album Grace for Drowning. I'd love an EPL with that one.

FinBox

Also, y'all...I put the unlisted vimeo link in the video description. Use that if you need to. Enjoy!

R. Douglas Helvering

Thanks Doug! Alex's solo on Anesthetize is worth the price of admission alone, masterpiece!!! And thanks for not cutting off Gavin's last blast, the perfect exclamation point!

Anthony Taylor

Still getting that message. Patreon must be having an issue connecting to Vimeo.

Garrett

If push comes to shove it works in the web browser!

Garrett

I just changed the vimeo permissions and reset the link again. I'm hoping it should work better now.

R. Douglas Helvering

I reset the link. Please try again.

R. Douglas Helvering

Might be an error on my end but the link says Sorry this video does not exist.

Garrett

Here we go!

David Edinborough