Three-Tune Tuesday: A Harder Live Edge

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I am again struggling to find new material to listen to. The prospect of rummaging through the vast back catalogue of 'Big Big Train' is a daunting prospect, and I still haven't got past 'The Underfall Yard' and I mean the track, not the album.

That song is in danger of being overplayed and constantly hums through my head. How can I have an earworm for something that is 22 minutes long?

So... less of the easy listening, today's selection is from one of my favourite bands 'Porcupine Tree' and are live performances that tend to start all unassuming, and gentle, but end up like rock monsters with solos and riffs that get your air guitar humming and rotating through the air.

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Porcupine Tree – Dark Matter (Signify – 1996)


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While I think ‘Dark Matter’ is by far the best song on their early album 'Signify', the studio version is far more subtle than what eventually turns out to be.

Like most of their songs, patience is a virtue and it doesn't start opening up until well after the 3-minute mark. The atmospheric ambiance resembling 'Pink Floyd' is quite intentional.

John Wesley as the session guitarist is well up to the part, and a great guitarist but his backing vocals I am not totally convinced by.

The sublime solo that starts the end of this song is nothing short of wonderful and must be listened to. Who says 'Steven Wilson' can't master the guitar and perform the more complex stuff?

I love the look ‘Richard Barbieri’ gives him during this effort; you can see he’s enjoying himself.

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Porcupine Tree – Hatesong (Lightbulb Sun – 2000)


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I wish Steven had made an effort to bring 'Colin Edwin' back into the band for their recent collaboration of 'Closure/Continuation’.

That great bass line that begins this eventual rocking song that starts... oh so gradually with the soundscapes of 'Richard Barbieri’, the piano that sounds slightly off key and the distorted guitar of Wilson.

This is far from a standard-sounding song, with its length and frequent stop-starts, along with a chorus that is wonderful, but very sporadic.

The studio version contains some strange sounds such as engines taking off, or it sounds like it to make, but here we get a much more raw performance that is suitably nosier.

The studio album ‘Lightbulb Sun' hosts this track, and in my opinion, one of their weaker efforts. I'm sure some would disagree, but there seems to be more chaff on this than most of their others.

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Porcupine Tree – Cheating the Polygraph (Nil Recurring – 2007)


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Why this was omitted from ‘Fear of a Blank Planet’ beats me. ‘Nil Recurring' was a set of out-takes released on an EP during the 'Fear' sessions, presumably because there was no space on the main album for them.

Some of them, I can understand not making the cut, but ‘Cheating the Polygraph' is not one of those. I note 'Gavin Harrison' has a writing credit, and the other band members gain credits for some of those other 'reject songs'.

While it was the studio version I was first introduced to, the live one is equally entertaining, with Barbieri’s ‘warm-blanket’ effect kicking in, only to be snatched away from the listener who is given a raucous ear workout.

If this is a B-Side, then they are doing a great job, and this one ranks up with the audacious 'Bonnie the Cat', which includes an authentic screeching electronic feline vocal somewhere in its mid-section.

Polygraph machines? Aren't they a little old in terms of technology? I figured something new would have replaced them by now.

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30 comments
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I think your real struggle is actually getting these posts out on Tuesday and not some random day of the week :)

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LOL!, you are right.., should I create different images for Wednesday and Thursday?... 😀

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The last performance is awesome
I love how the guy played that guitar
It’s really nice and he carried the crowd along

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Thank you for sharing these fantastic tunes with us and I must confess that the last tune was magical!

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They certainly do well live. That outro solo is quite a good one in the first track!

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I thought you might appreciate the extra noise, these are rockier than the studio counter-parts 😀

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First song a mixture between Pink Floyd and Yes, awesome! Second does not run as smoothly almost feels experimental with different sounds being adapted, vocals a little underplayed.

Thoroughly enjoy playing out the day on the last track, good introduction!

!BEER

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I think you may be more attuned to 'Yes' than me. Other than their odd singles and 'Close to the Edge' (all of it), I haven't checked out their other work. It seems like hard work to me, given 'Close' was a tough nut to crack.

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More my sons age group of music, listened to quite a few newer groups through them over the years prior joining in here. Good sound deserves recognition!

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PT live were an incredible band. I only saw them once and I didn't know much of the music at the time, but it made an impression as I've bought a load of music and will be seeing SW for a third time next year. He is so productive and seems to be able to play anything.

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I think I miss his 2025 concerts, the last album did not resonate as well as the previous ones. I suspect much of his live material will be from the last album. Attending these gigs with @bingbabe is also a factor, she's not really into him,and I am not a fan of going alone.

I miss the likes of 'Routine', 'Raven' and 'Drive'.., all thoroughly miserable and depressing tunes... I know.

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I'm interested to see what he does. He likes to keep moving, but he does usually throw in some old songs. My other half never listens to him, but she's enjoyed the two shows we've been to.

Have you heard Gavin Harrison's Cheating the Polygraph album of PT songs in big band style? I quite like it.

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Have you heard Gavin Harrison's Cheating the Polygraph album of PT songs in big band style? I quite like it.

I haven't, big band isn't me, though I may search it out of interest.

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It's all instrumental and the arrangements are great. He obviously knows the music intimately and wanted to do something different.

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The last performance is amazing. It's so nice to listen🥰

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I liked the first song the best and it is my favourite 🎶

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I hate to admit it man, I'd never heard of these guys until just now... I'll be checking out more of there stuff now, I really like the tunes you've shared here, particularly Dark Matter. So my first port of call will be to check out the rest of the Signify album.

Oh and that solo at the end of Dark Matter is mesmerising... How in the flying fuck have I not heard this tune before!! Nice one auld stock 👍

Loved the stoppy startiness of Hatesong too, loads going on here and lots to enjoy and savour for the ears.

And then the B side to finish, another great one... These lads were talented 👏

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Signify

It's not my favourite by any means, I prefer the later stuff from In Absentia onwards which is less arty and more heavy. PT could never be classed a proper heavy, it just happens every now and again. If you listen, you will hear it.

I'd never heard of these guys until just now...

Barely anyone has, its a travesty.

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Yeah, I'm a fan of Porcupine Tree, too. I hope to have the opportunity to see them in a live performance.

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It may never happen again. I had my chance last year in Manchester and missed it 😩

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I believe they will still be performing

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I hope so, and while their last offering was good it it didn't reach the heights of Deadwing, or Absentia.

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Never heard of them! I'll have to check it out sometime, although my house is stuck on kids music or my wife's music which is almost always KPop 🤣

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Never heard of them!

This is a common occurrence, they are an old band hailing from the early 90's.., and have a large back catalogue. You either like or it won't hit you.

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