Track Listing

1. Fear Of A Blank Planet
2. My Ashes
3. Anesthetize
4. Sentimental
5. Way Out Of Here
6. Sleep Together

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1370 in Music
• Released on: 2007-04-16
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Modern Culture
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock group which is known for their experimental approach. This is still the case with their ninth album "Fear of a Blank Planet". The focus in this album is on the 21st Century society of video games, MTV, the internet, etc. This album takes the subject head on, and it is a real treat for the listener. This is a great album for people interested in progressive music. It was released on April 16, 2007 in Europe, and a week later in the United States.

It opens with the title track "Fear of a Blank Planet", a driving piece for the first half in which the lyrics are from the point of view of adolescent who sings about his life and the lack of anything of real substance in it. Music, TV, internet, drugs, sex, and with all that the overall feeling is boredom. The second half of the piece gives the listener a break from the relentless drive, but the lyrical content leaves the listener thinking that there is more trouble ahead. "My Ashes" has the singer blaming his parents for his situation. It is a haunting tune, and yet beautiful.

"Anaesthetize" is the centerpiece of the album at nearly 18 minutes. It speaks to the emotionless boredom of the singer's life. His is a life of apathy, and part of him is crying out, though it too cry's out in an emotionless way. There is some excellent instrumental work in this piece as well, which holds the listener's attention throughout the piece. After the first instrumental break, the song picks up again with a stronger driving line to it and the piece really takes off from there becoming harder and more full of energy as it progresses in contrast to the apathy and the boredom which is discussed lyrically. Then, the tension breaks, as it did in the first piece, and the last part of the piece takes on a completely different feel, as if the singer has collapsed from the busy and high energy boredom of his life to find fulfillment in a small peaceful and slow memory from his past.

"Sentimental" is a beautiful piece, well constructed both musically and lyrically. In this piece, the singer talks about how he doesn't want to get old, basically because he wants to avoid the responsibilities of life. "Way out of Here" is about searching for a way out the life he is stuck in. The focus here is on his parents, and his inability to communicate with them. Both the music and the lyrics are disturbing at times, which leaves the listener with a sense of unease. "Sleep Together" finishes the album, and the implications of the lyrics are disturbing. The music fits the piece and is relentless in its own way as the opening of the album.

Porcupine tree is Steve Wilson (vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards); Richard Barbieri (keyboards and synthesizers); Colin Edwin (bass guitars); and Gavin Harrison (drums). In addition, there are a few guests on this album: Alex Lifeson (guitar solo on "Anesthesize"); Robert Fripp (soundscapes on "Way out of Here"); and John Wesley (backing vocals). This is an excellent album for those who like experimental progressive rock, and for those who are looking to hear something different.

Time to move on?
Porcupine Tree's strength has always been their ability to reivent themselves and push themselves in new creative directions. In my opinion, they have been lingering within the rock/metal genre for a bit too long now. Fear Of A Blank Planet still boasts some interesting music, but nothing substantial that has not been extensively explored on the previous 2 albums. To me, this album sounds like a collection of songs rejected from In Absentia and Deadwing, which is still a relatively high standard but sounds slightly exhausted.

Disappointing lyrics
While the music is good, the lyrics are mindbogglingly banal, sounding as if they were written by a 15 year old boy without much hope of getting a good mark in English class.