Porcupine Tree – Up The Downstair (1993)

The band's second album, is in essence a Steven Wilson solo album, with guest appearances by future permanent members Colin Edwin, Richard Barbieri and Gavin Harrison on a couple of tracks.

I bought it online a couple of months ago, but figured we'd been a bit Wilson/PT heavy on this blog, and only got round to it now.

This is the band's second album, but this is an updated version released in 2018, remixed and remastered by Wilson, also with the drum machine parts rerecorded by Harrison's drums.

After a short soundscape opening referring back to Voyage 34 (intended to be the centrepiece of this album, before it took on a life of its own), we get the first song, the excellent Synesthaesia - bouncy, jolly with dark lyrical overtones and interesting guitar work. This segues into the gentle prog-ballad Almost Never, a fine song, but one which probably outstays its welcome. After another abstract/ambient intro, Up The Downstair follows, a powerful, guitar led instrumental after an ambient start which reminds me how much I like loud guitar riffs. This has a real Gong / Hawkwind / Ozric feel about it, just ace!

Not Beautiful Anymore carries on in a similar vein  (apart from some spoken word from Suzanne Barbieri), although shorter and slightly more straight rock than space rock.

Small Fish is a slower, pleasant song which easily slips by, straight into the much longer Burning Sky, a compelling instrumental, with a simple rising theme and some lovely guitar work, before the final track, the slower song Fadeaway, which concludes the album in a gentle, melodic manner.

But it's the long instrumental pieces which excite me the most, rather than the more relaxed songs. Nevertheless, everything on here is a decent listen and there's some fantastic music at the louder end of the spectrum.

Link to album tracks

4* - when Porcupine Tree find their space rock chops, this is magnificent.