Porcupine Tree –
Deadwing (DTS DVD-Audio)
Sound: B- (all formats) Music: B- Extras: C
The quest to bring back the old 1970s-style of Progressive
Rock music is continuing in bits and pieces.
Porcupine Tree’s 2003 release In Absentia had some highlights,
but had problems in which the band could not find their own sound or
identity. Now, two years later, the
band is back with Deadwing and the situation has not changed. If anything, it has become weirder. The tracks are as follows:
1) Deadwing
2) Shallow
3) Lazarus
4) Halo
5) Arriving
Somewhere
6) Mellotron
Scratch
7) Open Car
8) Start Of
Something Beautiful
9) Glass
Arm Shattering
10) Revenant
11) Mother & Child Divided
12) Half-Light
The last three tracks are exclusive bonuses to this
DVD-Audio disc, but they do not change anything about the direction or
perception of the band. The opening
title song is too much like the opening of Yes’ classic album Fragile (a
great album also on DVD-Audio, with mixes that are hit or miss), with the song
starting quiet, then getting unexpectedly loud. It does not work here, having additional audio and sonic problems
to be addressed in a minute.
As the tracks progress, a sense of Pearl Jam seems to join
all the previous aspirations. I was
interested to see where the band was gong when we heard about this new album,
but it just never clicks. The band
sounds like the similarities between the albums, content to be where they are
and not going any further anytime soon.
Hope the fans are happy, at least.
The audio is problematic in all three cases, all limited
to 48khz/24Bits. The PCM 2.0 Stereo is
the most balanced, yet most limited of the three options. The MLP tracks are a bit softer than
expected, with some surround limits, while the DTS has more back end. However, it is harsh and shrill in a way we
have not heard DTS in a very long time.
This is noticed most on that opening track, but we warn you to not play
the opening of the album too loud in any form, no matter which tracks you pick. The softness can be deceiving.
Extras besides those bonus tracks including lyrics,
stills, a preview clip for its release and featurette called Collecting
Space covering the making of the album.
If you are curious about the band, you may want to start with the
previous DVD-Audio In Absentia, which is reviewed elsewhere eon this
site. Both are issued by DTS
Entertainment.
- Nicholas Sheffo
