Go with the flow (Queens of the Stone Age) (LP 3574 - 3575)

Queens of the Stone Age   Songs for the Deaf (CD, Interscope Records, 2002) ****  

Queens of the Stone Age   Over the Years and Through the Woods (CD/DVD, Interscope Records, 2005) ***  

Genre: Alt Rock

Places I remember: Virgin Megastore (Dubai)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: No One Knows (Songs for the Deaf)

Gear costume: Go with the Flow (Over the years...); God is in the Radio

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Josh Homme's rock band is a sharp instrument. No bludgeoning heavy metal riffs but tuneful rock songs (with riffs) are what this band is about.

Songs for the Deaf was the band's third studio album. I was drawn to it by No One Knows - a catchy, brilliant song. The parent album is based around a loose concept, taking the listener on a drive through the California desert from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree, tuning into radio stations from towns along the way. The concept works a treat with hilarious radio DJ comments interspersing the songs.

Dave Grohl is the band's drummer at this stage and Mark Lanegan also appears. Their presence helps lift Songs for the Deaf into the next level.

Over The Years... is a live CD/DVD of a show recorded at a couple of shows in August 2005 at London's Brixton Academy and Koko in Camden Town. No One Knows is again a highlight, but I could do without the crude stage announcements by Josh Homme thanks very much.

Where do they all belong? On to the last of the Q albums - Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Modern times rock'n'roll (Queen) (LP 3567 - 3573)

Queen  Queen (CD, Universal Music Records, 1973, 2011 reissue) ***  

Queen  Queen II (CD, Universal Music Records, 1974, 2011 reissue) ***  

Queen  Sheer Heart Attack (CD, Universal Music Records, 1974. 2011 reissue) *** 

Queen  A Night at the Opera (CD, Universal Music Records, 1975, 2011 reissue) **** 

Queen  Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl (2CD, EMI Records, 2004) **** 

Queen  Greatest Hits (Vinyl, Elektra Records, 1981) ***** 

Queen  Greatest Hits II (CD, Parlophone Records, 1991) ***** 

Genre: Pop, rock, prog rock

Places I remember: Bookshop in Shanghai (China), Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi); Shona Walding collection, Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Killer Queen

Gear costume: Don't Stop Me Now

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Queen's debut album is a hit and miss affair. The good stuff is very good: Keep Yourself Alive, Liar, and the preview of Seven Seas of Rye; but the okay and miss stuff is in the majority.

Keep Yourself Alive was a great single in 1973 and I was keen on Queen after hearing it on the radio, but it didn't lead me to buy it, or the album. I only picked this and Queen II up while living and working in China ten years ago.

The album's songs blend genres along the way, even featuring some folk moves and all the religious stuff always takes me by surprise. All the basics of Queen can be glimpsed in these songs: Freddie's vocals, the multi-layered harmonies/ guitar riffs and the glam pomp are all here.

There are loads of ideas and they deserve credit for sounding like no one else, but as an album it's very inconsistent. That patchiness would be a trend for the next couple of albums as well.

Queen II is the most prog rocky of the first four studio albums. It has the prog pomp of Ogre Battle, White Queen, and The March of the Black Queen. Aside from those songs, the big moment is Seven Seas of Rye.

Their third studio effort, also released in 1974, was Sheer Heart Attack. Again, it was patchy. It has the imperious Killer Queen and Now I'm Here, but it also has some lesser songs and weird over egged moments - Brian May's solo section in Brighton Rock for instance. Along the way Bring Back Leroy Brown shows their love of vaudeville and sheer fun. 

I'm not that keen on some of the songs - Roger Taylor's ones on these early albums jar, and, In The Lap of the Gods doesn't work for me, and they do it twice on the album!

That said, their progression from Queen to Sheer Heart Attack is clearly evident. If only they'd done an album full of Killer Queens! Imagine that!

A Night at the Opera was their fourth studio album and my last in this list. It's the one with the monster on it. 

All along the way the sound had been centred around Freddie Mercury's layered vocals, Brian May's multi-tracked guitars and the great harmonies. Now they put all of those together for Bohemian Rhapsody, and an album full of pomp absurdity. And it works!

The album is an eclectic mix of pop brilliance (You're My Best Friend), vaudevillian high jinks, and hard rock (Death on Two Legs). It was a creative peak.

That's it for the studio albums. The rest of my Queen collection is made up of live and Greatest Hits compilations. 

Live at the Bowl is a concert on the Hot Space tour in June 1982 and the Bowl in question is the Milton Keyes Bowl (England). It's a terrific concert and shows Freddie in his element.

The two greatest hits albums are chocked full of all the cherry picked hits and are therefore an indispensible addition to any serious music fan's collection. They are remarkably consistent.

Where do they all belong? I should probably get a copy of A Day at the Races at some point. Only three bands in the Q section. Second one is up next - Queens of the Stoneage.

Pickin' to beat the devil (Pure Prairie League) (LP 3566)

Pure Prairie League   Live! Takin' the Stage (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1977) **  

Genre: Country rock 

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Amie (a live version from 1979, i.e. not from this album)

Gear costume: Kansas City Southern (ditto) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I had a big pile of Pure Prairie League albums that I lost in a house move a few years ago. I never bothered to replace them, so this is the only album I now have of theirs.

They are a country rock band that started out in 1970 and by 1977 when this album came out, they'd recorded five studio albums. The early ones were the best and by 1976-1977 they were a competent bunch without much inspiration beyond some nice pedal steel work by John David Call.

Where do they all belong? Maybe I'll get those early albums (Pure Prairie League and Bustin' Out).

That's it for P. Into the Q's next.

Kaleidoscope (Procol Harum) (LP 3554 - 3565)

Procol Harum  Procol Harum (Vinyl/ CD, A&M Records, 1967, CD reissue 2015) ***** 

Procol Harum  Shine On Brightly (Vinyl, Castle Records, 1968, 1988 reissue) ***** 

Procol Harum  A Salty Dog (Vinyl, Castle Records, 1969, 1988 reissue) ****

Procol Harum  Home (Vinyl, Fly Records, 1970, 2017 reissue) ***

Procol Harum  Broken Barricades (Vinyl, 2 copies - Chrysalis and A&M Records, 1971) **** 

Procol Harum  Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (Vinyl, - A&M Records, 1972) ****

Procol Harum  Grand Hotel (Vinyl, - Chrysalis Records, 1973) ****

Procol Harum  Exotic Birds and Fruit (Vinyl, - Chrysalis Records, 1974) ****

Procol Harum  Procol's Ninth (Vinyl, - Chrysalis Records, 1975) ***

Procol Harum  Something Magic (Vinyl, - Chrysalis Records, 1977) ***

Procol Harum  The Well's On Fire (CD, - Eagle Records, 2003) *****

Procol Harum  Novum (CD, - Eagle Records, 2017) ****

Genre: Pop, prog rock, rock

Places I remember: Spellbound Wax Company, HMV, Marbecks Records, Amoeba Music, Chaldon Books and Records, Real Groovy Records, Fopp.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: A Whiter Shade of Pale (Procol Harum)

Gear costume: Conquistador (Procol Harum Live); Weisselklenzenacht (The Signature) (The Well's On Fire)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I've mentioned Procol Harum in passing, while writing about Matthew Fisher, Gary Brooker, and Robin Trower. Their solo careers are interesting, but pale when it comes to their combined forces in Procol Harum.

The debut album is represented here with a Canadian reissue on vinyl that includes the A Whiter Shade of Pale single (but not Homburg), and a CD reissue that includes a huge amount of bonus tracks - BBC sessions/ B sides and unreleased gems.

The original album is a classic artifact from 1967. It's best described as song based psychedelic rock with classical influences. The arcane lyrics are from Keith Reid. It all works spectacularly well.

Thanks to working for a return spell at Marbecks Records, I have their second and third albums as a double album twofer reissue.

Shine On Brightly is a prescient title - the band did indeed shine on, brightly. The album has a kind of mad genius vibe to it as they pushed forward in a progressive mood. The magnum opus is In Held, 'Twas I - a suite that has a smile and a swagger to it. A work of art? In 1968? Sure nuff.

A Salty Dog is an eclectic mix of styles and is probably best described as a transitional record, away from prog and more into blues rock territory. It has the sublime title track - one of prog rock's finest moments.

These two albums show off the early Procol Harum strengths - Gary Brooker's vocals, Keith Reid's lyrics, organ by Matthew Fisher (Salty was his last for the band until a reunion later on) and the understated guitar by Robin Trower with the understated drums of B.J. Wilson. No one ever gets in the way of the song in Procol Harum.

Fourth album, Home, saw some personnel changes. Fisher and David Knights were replaced by Chris Copping, with the resulting sound now being a mix of the brooding quiet numbers and the rocking out sound begun on Salty. Robin Trower's guitar has become much more dominant on this album.

I own two copies of Broken Barricades. The album has one of those cut out covers like Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti and some plonker had coloured in a face on the Chrysalis one, so I looked for a clean copy (it's on A&M).

This was Trower's last album with the band before returning in 1991. The style is like Home - more rock than prog rock, the latter is my preference for Procol Harum. That said, Trower is in great form and the four-piece version delivers an excellent set.

With Trower gone (replaced, briefly, by Dave Ball) and Alan Cartwright joining on bass (Chris Copping moved to organ and harpsichord), Procol Harum next released a live album, made in Canada with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Da Camera Singers. 

It's a stunning record - the orchestra and addition singers add texture and gravitas, but never overwhelm the band. Conquistador - a big hit when released as a single, A Salty Dog and In Held 'Twas In I are all outstanding versions.

The album rebooted their prog rock instincts, so that the next album, Grand Hotel returned them to a pomp and glory prog rock sound. Dave Ball lasted for just the Procol Harum Live album, he was replaced by Mick Grabham. In many ways this enabled the band to return to the sound of the early albums.

Grand Hotel tends to be undervalued in their catalogue, but I really like it, as it reminds me of life in 1973 in a positive way. Gary Brooker's vocals are superb on this record.

Exotic Birds and Fruit was their seventh studio album. They have a rockier approach for this one; Gary Brooker -"We made the live album with an orchestra. We'd then taken the orchestra into the studio for 'Grand Hotel'...we'd had enough of orchestras".

Maintaining the album a year schedule is laudable. The streak continued with Procol's Ninth in 1975. Leiber and Stoller were the producers and they concentrated more on song structure than the sound. Even so, it's not the strongest set of Brooker/ Reid compositions this time around. There are even two covers. One is even an unnecessary (and awkward sounding) Beatle song - Eight Days A Week. 

Something Magic came out in 1977 (the album a year streak was done). It doesn't quite live up to the title, but it's still a worthy album in their vast catalogue. 

That said, I'm not fond of the synths (played by latest member Pete Solley); aside from that it's a suitably strong album musically. Side 2 has the epic The Worm & The Tree. My copy also includes the single Wizard Man which isn't listed on the cover. 

This would be the last Procol Harum album until 1991's The Prodigal Stranger - a reunion of Brooker and Reid with Trower and Fisher (Barrie Wilson had passed away in 1990). I passed on that one, but I did buy a copy of The Well's On Fire while living in England.

It's well named because it's a major return to glory with a rockier approach. Brooker, Reid and Fisher are joined by three other musicians for this one -  Geoff Whitehorn (guitar); Matt Pegg (bass), and the mighty Mark Brzezicki (Big Country) on drums.

Pretty remarkable really - who would have thought Procol Harum would be relevant again in 2003?

Novum is the last album on my list and the final Procol Harum album (Gary Brooker died in 2022; Keith Reid died in 2023). This is the first album not to have Keith Reid as the lyricist (Pete Brown is an able replacement) and Gary is the only original member of the band by this point. It's an excellent end to a brilliant career.

Where do they all belong? I've turned into something of a completist for Procol Harum, so I'll need to catch up with a few albums missing from my collection: The Prodigal Stranger (got poor reviews so I've avoided it); some live albums and a BBC collection remain for me to collect.

Singing the travels (Prior & Tabor) (LP 3551 - 3553)

Maddy Prior & June Tabor  Silly Sisters (Vinyl, Chrysalis Records, 1976) *****  

Maddy Prior  Woman in the Wings (Vinyl, Chrysalis Records, 1978) ****  

Maddy Prior  Changing Winds (Vinyl, Chrysalis Records, 1978) *** 

Genre: Folk

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records, Chaldon Books and Records.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: My Husband's Got No Courage In Him (Silly Sisters)

Gear costume: Gutter Geese (Woman in the Wings) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I love Maddy's voice, which I first heard as part of her contribution to Steeleye Span. She and June Tabor are a brilliant combination. June has a deeper, rawer vocal style and so the purity of Maddy's voice is a wonderful addition. The couple of a cappella songs really stand out for this reason. 

These two folk stars attract excellent musicians to help them out. Silly Sisters has guitarists Nic Jones and Martin Carthy, bassist Danny Thompson, and mandolinist Andy Irvine, while Woman in the Wings (her debut solo album) has all of Jethro Tull appearing on several tracks (including Gutter Geese above). 

Changing Winds is also from 1978. She tries out some more orchestral folk on this one, with her fantastic voice continuing to be her point of difference. She is a wonder!

Where do they all belong? A lot more Maddy to appreciate when we get to Steeleye Span.

Play in the sunshine (Prince) (LP 3547 - 3550)

Prince and the Revolution  1999 (CD, Warner Bros. Records, 1982) *****  

Prince and the  Revolution  Purple Rain (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1984) *****  

Prince and the Revolution  Around the World in a Day (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1985) **** 

Prince  Sign o' the Times (CD, Warner Bros. Records, 1987) *****  

Genre: Pop, rock, funk, RnB

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Marbecks Records, JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Let's Go Crazy (Purple Rain)

Gear costume: Lady Cab Driver (1999), Sign o' the Times 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I have discussed Prince before on this blog - he's a formative influence in my musical education.

I used to own a lot more of his back catalogue but it's now long gone. In fact, I've had to buy back albums like 1999 and Sign o' the Times on CD after realising my stupidity. Still, I only have Prince albums from the eighties in my collection.

1999 gets the party started with lengthy songs that delve deeply into freaky funk (and sex) moves. I appreciate this album more and more with time. The man had music oozing out of every pore. Who else could carry off a song like Lady Cab Driver?

Purple Rain, his sixth studio album, kicks with an almighty 'let's go nuts' adrenalin rush. Prince is at his fiery Hendrix style guitar wig out peak on this track. Indeed, throughout this landmark album, his guitar genius is often on display - take a listen to Computer Blue and marvel again at the ridiculousness of his talent.

The Revolution needs a mention, as they are a force on Purple Rain: Lisa Coleman (vocals, synths); Doctor Fink (vocals, synths); Wendy Melvoin (vocals, guitar; and Bobby Z (vocals, drums).

Fittingly, the album (and film) made Prince a superstar with its combined pop, rock, metal, funk, synth pop sound. 

The follow up - All Around the World in a Day takes the pop rock moves of Purple Rain and puts them in a psychedelic blender. I'm a big fan of this approach. It houses some great Prince and the Revolution moments like Raspberry Beret, Paisley Park, Pop Life and America.

Sign o' the Times was his ninth album and the return to a solo status - The Revolution appear but only on one (live) song. Many critics and fans think this sprawling double album is his best. Tough to choose one. 

The album came from a typically prolific period where Prince was writing and performing whole albums that were discarded for whatever reason. Being a double album (The Beatles, Exile on Main Street, Blonde on Blonde, London Calling etc) it allows for over-reach which fans like me find simply irresistible.

Where do they all belong? A double compilation album Prince Ultimate rounds out my collection. It's a good retrospective and one way into a huge catalogue. 

Up the neck (Pretenders) (LP 3545 - 3546)

Pretenders  Pretenders (CD, Real Records, 1980) ****  

Pretenders  Last of the Independents (CD, Sire Records, 1994) ***  

Genre: Pop, rock

Places I remember: Roger Marbeck gave a copy of the debut, Real Groovy Records sale bin for Last of the Independents.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I'll Stand By You (Last 0f...)

Gear costume: Mystery Achievement (Pretenders)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: The debut rocks hard - full of Chrissie Hyde's cool as approach and look - all punk attitude and rock chick shapes. That said - she's a real one-off!

The debut still sounds remarkably fresh and relevant. It also has the songs - Precious, Tattooed Love Boys, Up the Neck, and The Wait all feature lead guitarist James Honeyman-Scott to great effect, and then there's the pop hooks of Kid, Brass in Pocket, and Mystery Achievement.  

My only other Pretenders album is Last of the Independents. I bought it for the wonderfully anthemic I'll Stand By You, but I also enjoy the rockier songs like Hollywood Perfume.

Where do they all belong? For some reason I enjoy Pretenders songs without actually feeling the need to collect any of their other albums. Maybe I should get Learning To Crawl.

Money honey (Elvis Presley) (LP 3541 - 3544)

Elvis Presley  It Happened at the World's Fair (CD, RCA Records, 1963) ***  

Elvis Presley  Fun in Acapulco (CD, RCA Records, 1963) *** 

Elvis Presley  Today (CD, RCA Records, 1975) ****  

Elvis Presley  Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits (CD, RCA Records, 2002) *****  

Genre: Pop, Rock'n'Roll 

Places I remember: Shona Walding collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Blue Suede Shoes (Elvis Presley)

Gear costume: A Big Hunk o' Love (Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: My parents were jazz fans, and I was born in 1957, so - too late to grow up and appreciate Elvis, as the generation before me did.

Instead, I have a few albums that were gifted to me over the years. Roger Marbeck gave me a copy of the debut album and the rest of my Elvis albums are from Shona's collection - given to me by her sister, Terese.

I kept a couple of the movie soundtracks out of some kind of nostalgia. I watched an Elvis movie by accident when I was a kid (it was Flaming Star - I thought it was a western). The soundtracks tend to be brief, but listenable. Musically, we are deep into coasting territory by this time. That said, there are two or three bright moments on each one (One Broken Heart For Sale; Slowly But Surely).

Today was his 22 studio album and contains the country/ pop hybrid Elvis that I remember from the seventies. It turned out to be his last full studio album he recorded and it's a fitting testimonial to his talents.

That leaves the greatest hits package - 30 #1 Hits. It's a terrific collection, containing my favourite Elvis moments: A Big Hunk o' Love; Suspicious Minds, It's Now or Never, Burning Love and those early ones from the fifties.

Where do they all belong? And that's it for The King. First, last and in between - I'm pretty happy with that overview. I have a few Sun Records compilations as well, which he appears on, so that's also nice to have for a full picture.

Had you listened (Power of Dreams) (LP 3538 - 3540)

Power of Dreams Immigrants, Emigrants & Me (Cassette, Polydor Records, 1990) ****  

Power of Dreams  2 Hell With Common Sense (CD, Polydor Records, 1992) ****

Power of Dreams  Positivity (CD, Lemon Records, 1993) ****

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Stay (Immigrants etc)

Gear costume: Where Is the Love (Immigrants etc); Rain Down (2 Hell etc)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I love the power pop sounds of Power of Dreams' debut - Immigrants, Emigrants & Me. I've been looking for a CD or vinyl replacement for my original cassette copy for ages, but without success.

The band was initially a trio, from Ireland, that included main man Craig Walker on vocals/ guitars/ composer of the songs; Michael Lennox (bass); Keith Walker (drums). 

The main appeals are the vocals from Craig Walker and the catchy pop hooks he delivers right from the start.

2 Hell With Common Sense has a beefed up sound thanks to a fourth member - lead guitarist Ian Olney. The same catchy songs remain for this second and third album - Positivity. They are consistently great albums.

Where do they all belong? Still keen for a CD copy of the debut and I'd also grab their fourth and final album (Become Yourself) if I ever come across it. There's also a Greatest Hits album that could crop up - called 1989 - The Best of Power of Dreams.

The creator has a mastertape (Porcupine Tree) (LP 3528 - 3537)

Porcupine Tree Lightbulb Sun (CD, K Scope Records, 2000) ****  

Porcupine Tree Recordings (CD, Snapper Records, 2001) ****

Porcupine Tree In Absentia (CD, Lava Records, 2002) *****  

Porcupine Tree Deadwing (CD, Lava Records, 2005) ****   

Porcupine Tree Fear of a Blank Planet (CD, Roadrunner Records, 2007) ****  

Porcupine Tree Nil Recurring (CD, Transmission Records, 2007) ****  

Porcupine Tree Anesthetize (CD/DVD, K Scope Records, 2013) ****  

Porcupine Tree The Incident (CD, Roadrunner Records, 2009) ****  

Porcupine Tree Octane Twisted (CD, K Scope Records, 2012) ****  

Porcupine Tree Closure/ Continuation (CD, Music for Nations Records, 2022) ****  

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi, HMV, Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Buying New Soul (Recordings)

Gear costume: Lazarus (Deadwing)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: The 2000's started with Lightbulb Sun and a continuation of Stupid Dream's poppier approach. I can really hear the Beatles influence on many of Lightbulb Sun's songs. There are hints of backwards guitar style innovations throughout this album. Superior pop, but it's still unmistakably Porcupine Tree.

Recordings is a collection of tracks that didn't make the Stupid Dream/ Lightbulb Sun albums and it's freakishly good. Begun by the wonderful Buying New Soul, the collection includes some B-sides and other previously unreleased gems. 

I love these kinds of compilations because often the band experiments wonderfully on those kinds of items. Recordings is no different. This is one of my most played PT albums. 

Next up is In Absentia - still my favourite Porcupine Tree album. Gavin Harrison replaces Chris Maitland on drums and is a great fit for these muscular songs and Prog Metal moves that the band now bring to the party on In Absentia.

The quiet/ loud dynamic works brilliantly on the opener Blackest Eyes and onward; the harmonies are terrific and the singing by Steven Wilson has never been better than on this album. Elsewhere there are great pop songs (The Sound of Muzak); prog metal blasts of riff rock (Wedding Nails) and Radiohead style rock experimentation. 

The variety and brilliant execution makes it a terrific package - AllMusic summed the album up well: 'Sonically gorgeous and deceivingly complex, In Absentia has the most immediate appeal of anything Wilson has released under this moniker up to this point'.

Commercially, it did the business as well - In Absentia sold three times as many copies as any of their earlier albums.  

How to follow that peak? Deadwing continued the successful sound of In Absentia, and was even more commercially successful! 

The album has its origins in a screenplay for a ghost story written by Steven Wilson and Mike Bennion. Many of the songs were originally intended for the film soundtrack, but when the project failed to get off the ground, they were instead recorded for the next Porcupine Tree album.

The songs stand alone, and it all adds up to another embarrassment of riches album - plenty of experimentation, plenty of riffs and plenty of catchy choruses - all recognisably Porcupine Tree. Not quite as inspired as In Absentia, but still - a consistently excellent album.

Fear of a Blank Planet, their ninth studio effort, is a mellower album in comparison to In Absentia and Deadwing. Steven Wilson's singing is quieter and more restrained throughout which suits the thoughtful and worthy subject matter - the fear of losing the current generation of youth to various common threats to their mental and social wellbeing, including broken homes, excessive screen time, and narcotic overuse (prescribed and otherwise) to the point of mental and spiritual blankness. 

As with most concept albums, I tend to lose the plot along the way and just enjoy the music. Commercially it was their highest selling album to this point. It was also a hit with the critics.

Nil Recurring is a lengthy E.P. - almost half an hour; some albums are that long. It's comprised of four songs recorded during the Fear of a Blank Planet sessions. The title track features Robert Fripp on guitar. It's a standout track in their catalogue.

The Anesthetize package is of high quality, as per usual. Attention to detail in the presentation of PT and SW albums is exhaustive.

This time, the live in the Netherlands document comes as two CDs and a DVD. The band were touring Fear of a Blank Planet so material from that album and Nil Recurring is featured heavily.

The multi-layered PT sound from the studio means they need some help in a live setting. During this concert guitarist/ vocalist John Wesley helps flesh out the sound and does a great job. It's fun watching him and the rest of PT do their thing. Steven Wilson is the most animated, and so my eye naturally goes to him in centre-stage.

The Incident is their next studio album and again it topped the other albums commercially (this one is the peak of their popularity so far).

The concept this time centres around trying to humanise news media reports of traumatic events such as a car crash. This means that the title song goes for 55 minutes and exists in 14 parts. Disc 2 has four songs not attached to the concept that add another 20 minutes. So, in old money this would have been called a double album.

Whatever, it rocks and rolls and unfolds a fascinating series of songs joined together into a suite that rewards repeat listens. It would be the last studio album for quite a while, and Colin Edwin's final studio album as the bassist.

Octane Twisted is a live album documenting the tour supporting The Incident. The whole album is performed during the concert in Chicago, 2010. with the remainder being songs from the band's catalogue. Its highlights include an extended Hatesong, a 15-minute medley of Russia on Ice/"The Pills I'm Taking and Arriving Somewhere But Not Here. The package again includes a DVD of the performance. 

That would be it for Porcupine Tree until a surprise resurfacing in 2022 with Closure/ Continuation (SW hedging his bets). The record emerged from earlier writing sessions between Wilson and Gavin Harrison begun shortly after The Incident. Eventually they evolved into the final forms on Closure/ Continuation with assistance from Richard Barbieri.

Where do they all belong? Steven Wilson's solo albums are yet to come.