You’d think so, but I see stuff on Twitter the past couple of days where you’d wonder: Replying to @lesser_ted and @Mikehomeseller I think, someone correct me if I'm mistaken, Colin Edwin (bass) wasn't involved for whatever reason. Lastly not having Colin Edwin on bass is really showing through, as compared to previous classic albums, the grooves are missing in C/C. He's not even on the live tours so there seems to be a serious issue between CE & SW, though they've recruited couple of new guys for the tours Those were both two days ago. Here’s one from a few days before that: Also, the alienation of Colin Edwin out of the band leading SW to compose the songs on bass? One thing I’ve come to appreciate... those of us who are on forums like this daily are not the same as those who are still fans, but not as invested in following things so closely. You’d think in today’s world it would be hard to miss any news related to a band you follow, but I suppose there’s no shame in having a life outside a forum... although it makes me shudder to think of such a life.
I get why people would be unhappy regarding lineup changes if they like a particular person who isn't there - all in all though Porcupine Tree has always been Steven's brainchild, and who Steven brings into the collective (or in the case of the two recent additions to the touring band, who he allows to help find suggestions to bring into the collective). This album is so good and the great bass presence is not lacking, that I am more excited to see what this current PT configuration can do rather then lamenting the ending of previous lineups, at least at this point in time For me the idea of having a (no offense to John Wesley) killer lead player at the helm and a bassist who can cover Collin's style and Steven's more aggressive lead style on it, is very exciting
I suppose you're right...but the whole thing is starting to feel like a Monty Python sketch; at any moment, John Cleese is going to pop up and either hit someone with a club or say and now for something completely different.
Just received my deluxe clear vinyl and CD today. I'm loving this album. Not only are the songs and music good, but the production is fantastic. The bonus tracks are mixed into the vinyl track listing rather than all being at the end. Very happy with it. Will listen to the standard CD version tonight. I only listened to the first single before, so the rest of the songs were a surprise for me.
I think you're asking if the blank white boxes over top of the photos is intentional and I'm pretty sure it is. This is just de rigueur for The Designers Republic. They specialize in "edgy" design like this that, um, challenges your expectations. Some of their stuff is cheeky and fun, like how they made the cover, spines, and back of Autechre's Tri Repetae a solid shade of bronze with no text anywhere. But when you're talking about an expensive deluxe edition from an artist known for having some of the best deluxe editions in the business, well, C/C looks pretty crappy in comparison. I am truly thankful that the link for the $7 deluxe download was posted here after seeing the PDF of the booklet. I'll buy the single CD edition at some point but I'm actually quite relieved I didn't spend the $70~ on the deluxe box now.
I'm surprised there aren't more people pointing out the obvious (obvious to me anyway) similarity with Bowie's The Next Day cover: Even though the question did crop up in the reddit AMA and elsewhere. SW mentioned Led Zep's "Presence" artwork (by Hipgnosis) as an influence.
Well, you could do what I did and take advantage of the CD plus Digital Download(including FLAC option) that includes all of the Songs in the Box Set deal currently on the TM website where the CD is $16 and then a further discount on the Digital Download just $4, so was $20 for both. There is an additional shipping charge for the CD, but still a nice Combo Deal. Or you can just purchase the Digital Download that I think is only $7 until June 30th, which is a Great Deal, and you can have a FLAC version of all of the Songs on the Box Set and burn them on 1-2 CDs, if you want to play the CDs I would have paid the $55 for the Box Set that ImportCDs was selling it for, but apparently they never got any copies yet, as the product page shows Backorder ever since the release date. I do not think this Box Set is worth $80+ from Burning Shed with the Shipping Cost included, as the BluRay with 5.1 & Atmos only includes the 7 Songs on the Album. Recent SW Box Sets, included the Instrumental Versions of the Songs also on the BluRay, so really a ripoff at $80+ for this C/C Box Set, but for others, YMMV. Also, just not enough Songs overall to pay $80+ for the Box Set, especially since I do not care much for at least One Song, Herd Culling(kind of the Song by PT I was growing tired of by the time they ended in 2009), and not sure yet that I like Rats Return and Population 3 that much, but still need to give those Songs more listens. Then again, I am still upset that the ‘To The Bone’ Deluxe Box Set did not include the RSD Vinyl Song, ‘How Big the Space’ with the other Bonus Songs in that otherwise Awesome Deluxe Box Set. Not sure how soon TM will mail out the CD to me, as just placed my order yesterday, but now wondering why I even bought the CD, as I can just burn one or two of blank ones for all of the Songs included with the Digital Download. I will burn a CD of the Instrumental Versions of the Songs, and another one with the 7 Album Songs along with the 3 Bonus Songs.
If playing the music back on an actual CD is important to folks the option above is an amazing deal for 7 bucks. Sounds like you get everything including the bonus tracks. Burning the music to a disc costs practically nothing.
Well that's the point. Wilson obviously preferred to have a band where he played bass parts too. I'm not sorry. It's not like Wilson didn't play bass on the first few (pre 1993) PT albums. However, I am sorry that importcds hasn't fulfilled my seven month old preorder yet.
Agree with all of this. I am excited to hear this tour with two fresh perspectives. I was talking with Producer/Engineer Rich Mouser recently and we were both commenting on how interesting it will be to hear McStine with this material. Here’s hoping the set list is as good or better than Anesthetize.
you don't say!......... still doesn't change how Colin was shafted and ousted from the band just cause Steve wanted to play the bass himself...a bit greedy it sounds like, but i'm done talking and arguing about it.
You may be surprised to learn that PT was never really a band in the traditional sense. It has always been SW's backing band with little to no democracy. Ask Chris Maitland.
yes, i am very well of how it started out as just Steven, but it eventually did turn into a band that had a couple versions that had a nice long chunk of time with no changes. man....another captain obvious. you just can't say anything around here without it happening forget i said anything, christ !
It did not eventually turn into a band. It had a consistent lineup of musicians. That's it. If anything, the current lineup is the most band-like they've ever been, with the incorporated "Porcupine Three" entity apparently guaranteeing some level of equality among the members where none previously existed.
from 94-2002 it was the same lineup, then one drummer change after that, and that's about it until now....as far as i know, but whatever you say.
Wilson was the original bass player (various instrumentation including bass). Who do you think played the awesome bass on Voyage 34? He let Colin sit in for a seventeen years or so and then thought better of it.
No, you're right... PT had one lineup change on the drum stool, and eventually added John Wesley as a touring guitarist. That it for changes. But it was never "a band" in any way I'd define the term. Please don't interpret this as a personal attack. It's not that. I'm just an old guy that remembers the old days--back when fans were wondering if Steven would ever get the chance to tour in the States.
It doesn't sound to me to be the case at all. SW was jamming with Gavin and a bass was the only handy instrument.
okay, i'll just make sure not to say anything in a porcupine tree thread again, christ almighty, got like 5 people jumping on me. goodbye, dang !
Porcupine Tree was always Steven's brainchild, including who he chose to be in the band to support his personal vision. For this album his personal vision just happened to not include Collin's specific way of playing, that's all
Well no its really you are trying to get away with working a narrative here. And also SW said he had never heard from Colin after the break and since he was working the music with Richard and Gavin he didn't feel like his input was needed.
While I'm waiting on the Deluxe CD/Blu-Ray from Townshend, I did receive the Black vinyl/CD bundle from Burning Shed about 10 days ago. Really enjoying the core album which is a return to form for SW. Where it stands against the PT catalogue is a judgment I'll defer for a while but already well ahead of First Sunday and The Incident. I'll add Utopia to my shopping list - have had good experience and no issues from them occasionally in the past. Thanks for the post.
That is an interesting perspective as PT is one of many SW projects started by SW and put on a hiatus by SW. I would be curious to see how the Porcupine Tree legal entity was set up. SW could have done this album without RB and GH and released it under his name but the whole concept of reviving and touring PT once again couldn’t be done without getting some of the previous musicians back together. As for explaining Colin “absence”, we better leave it as is. There’s probably some legal at play that prevent either side to say to much even if some has already been implied.
