Porcupine Tree fans read this.

[DPM]

At the highfidelityreview.com website there is an interesting interview with Steven Wilson, and there is a very extensive review of the DVD audio disk of In Absentia. I now have said disk, and I must say that I agree with the reviewer--In Absentia may be one of the new benchmarks in surround sound audio. The only drawback is that the recording is a 24 bit/48K Protools project. Therefore, there is a limit to the recording's ultimate resolution. Still, I think it sounds grand--better than the CD. At times, the surround mix is truly enveloping.

As for the interview, it appears that Porcupine Tree are in the process of recording a new CD. They have around eighteen tunes written and ready to be put to tape (or hard drive).

Dave M

[Javier]

At the highfidelityreview.com website there is an interesting interview with Steven Wilson, and there is a very extensive review of the DVD audio disk of In Absentia. I now have said disk, and I must say that I agree with the reviewer--In Absentia may be one of the new benchmarks in surround sound audio. The only drawback is that the recording is a 24 bit/48K Protools project. Therefore, there is a limit to the recording's ultimate resolution. Still, I think it sounds grand--better than the CD. At times, the surround mix is truly enveloping.

As for the interview, it appears that Porcupine Tree are in the process of recording a new CD. They have around eighteen tunes written and ready to be put to tape (or hard drive).

Dave M
I cannot access the link, but i,m extremely interested in owning that PT in dvd audio so tell me please where did you buy it ( already check amazon with no luck).

[Troy]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm not a surround guy, but I am very pleased to hear about a new album.

[DPM]

I cannot access the link, but i,m extremely interested in owning that PT in dvd audio so tell me please where did you buy it ( already check amazon with no luck).

After striking out at Best Buy, I found my copy at Media Play. It was a little expensive, but I'm not complaining. I know you can purchase the disk at the Porcupine Tree website. You may also want to check out Borders. They seem to get some things that are not quite mainstream.

You know, that's strange that Amazon doesn't have it. I could have sworn that I saw it on there a few days ago.

Dave M

[Dusty Chalk]

Found a copy at Borders today, coincidentally. Hey, are those bonus tracks...?

[DPM]

Found a copy at Borders today, coincidentally. Hey, are those bonus tracks...?

I like 'em.

Dave M

[DarrenH]

Yum, a new album.

Actually, I knew that was already in the works. I visit the PT website on a regular basis.

And as far as the In Absentia DVD-A thing goes, I think it's pretty cool for those interested in that format. But I'm not into the hi rez surround sound stuff. Not sure I even want to. I don't even own a DVD-A/SACD/HDCD/MP3/CD player. Phew, how many dang formats do we need anyway.

Just a plain ol' CD player and a plain ol' DVD player. My DVD player won't even play CDR's.

Darren

[Dave_G]

My guess is that Steven Wilson has tons of tapes laying around that could be put togher quickly to make a new cd.

But if it's new stuff that's cool.

I just wonder what will be the ultimate outcome of PT. My guess is they will fade into obscurity here soon.

Dave

[Dusty Chalk]

My guess is that Steven Wilson has tons of tapes laying around that could be put togher quickly to make a new cd.As is proven by Metanoia, but I suspect he has higher standards for "real" albums, which is what it sounds like he is working on.
I just wonder what will be the ultimate outcome of PT. My guess is they will fade into obscurity here soon.You wouldn't guess that if you were on the PT emailing list. The way people talk there -- there's constantly newbies coming in, going, "OMG, this is like the greatest music ever, where have I been?" -- I suspect they'll be around forever -- as long as Pink Floyd or the Dead. Sure, they might "plateau", but I still think he has a masterpiece in him. I think he'll suddenly get a "surprise" hit, like Extreme's "No More Words" or something like that, and then he'll come back down to the level where he is now, pumping out the albums and tours, and keeping his core audience happy, but I think there's room for one more growth spurt.

[Troy]

The future fate of PT?

Wilson has yet to do his best work. He sure seems prolific enough to keep pumping out the new work.

DC is right, seems like 90% of the people that hear them go "Wow, that's reeeeally cool, where have these guys been hiding?"

His music with PT is accessible enough for radio play and I think that if they are given the opportunity to get some mainstream airplay, they could snowball into something MUCH bigger than Radiohead.

If they never get that break, I suspect that Wilson is in the business to stay and will eventually become a producer or do soundtracks.

[ForeverAutumn]

Does my DVD player have to be specially equipped to play DVD-As? I can listen to my DVDs with audio only, by putting the DVD in the player but not turning on the TV. Does a DVD-A work the same way?

I have to admit that I'm not a very technical person and I really haven't looked into all of these new technologies (DVD-A, SACD, etc). In fact, I can't even seem to figure out how to download an MP-3 file to my computer and play it. I keep getting an error message about an invalid compression driver or something like that.

I'm thankful for any information that you, my musical gurus, can provide.

:)

[Dusty Chalk]

Most DVD-A's are compatible with regular DVD players, but they aren't required to be (I haven't checked the PT disk yet, but I assume it is -- I'll check it tonight when I get home). You won't be getting the full res(olution) of the recording, but you'll get the surround mix and the bonus tracks.

What's nice, though, is that it's automatic. You just put the DVD in your player, and it'll automatically only play the regular DVD layer/session/whatever, the DVD-A layer/session/whatever won't even be a choice in the menus.

If you're in the market to upgrade anyway (either to a home theater system or just the DVD player), there are a couple of universal players on the market. I think Pioneer is even doing a universal "lifestyle" system (DVD player/multichannel amp in one package, perhaps even speakers).

[Dave_G]

I just think that PT will stay basically "underground".

They don't promote them very well and these days only those "in the know" have any idea who PT is.

My bet would be at least 80% of people who work in record stores have no clue as to who they are.

I think they will quickly fall into the "great bands who get no respect and business" category.

I like them a lot too but I just don't think they will make it big.

Dave

[Javier]

Does my DVD player have to be specially equipped to play DVD-As? I can listen to my DVDs with audio only, by putting the DVD in the player but not turning on the TV. Does a DVD-A work the same way?

I have to admit that I'm not a very technical person and I really haven't looked into all of these new technologies (DVD-A, SACD, etc). In fact, I can't even seem to figure out how to download an MP-3 file to my computer and play it. I keep getting an error message about an invalid compression driver or something like that.

I'm thankful for any information that you, my musical gurus, can provide.

:)
The problem is going to be in your receiver or pre amp, since not all gera is prepared to decode the sampling rate of DVD audio ( 96 k) example my old receiver a yamaha dspa 3090 was not able to decode it you need to play just a regular stereo version if available within the disc.

[ForeverAutumn]

The problem is going to be in your receiver or pre amp, since not all gera is prepared to decode the sampling rate of DVD audio ( 96 k) example my old receiver a yamaha dspa 3090 was not able to decode it you need to play just a regular stereo version if available within the disc.

Thanks for the info. Our reciever is about five years old and is not even a digital receiver. It's wired up for surround sound but I doubt that it's equipped with the technology that you're talking about. If all I can get is the regular stereo sound then I might as well just pop in the CD. Guess I'll have to wait for DVD-A until an equipment upgrade is in the budget. :(

[Dusty Chalk]

The problem is going to be in your receiver or pre amp, since not all gera is prepared to decode the sampling rate of DVD audio ( 96 k) example my old receiver a yamaha dspa 3090 was not able to decode it you need to play just a regular stereo version if available within the disc.Actually, that's a different problem. The DVD-A layer doesn't come out of the digital outputs (copy protection), except for the most recent players that have the new i.Link interface. It certainly doesn't come out the regular optical or coax digital outs.

Analog should work however. Whether you're using the regular DVD (DVD-V) layer, or the DVD-A layer, analog should always work.

Unless you're talking about DTS 24/96, which is something else entirely. That's not even the same as regular DTS.

[Dusty Chalk]

I like them a lot too but I just don't think they will make it big.And again, I understand what you're saying, but I disagree. I think they have "mass appeal".

[Dave_G]

I guess time will tell, huh.

We will see in 5 years.

Dave

[Dusty Chalk]

I played some of it last night on my regular (non-DVD-A) DVD player, and it played surround just fine. The bonus tracks are quite cool.
Thanks for the info. Our reciever is about five years old and is not even a digital receiver. It's wired up for surround sound but I doubt that it's equipped with the technology that you're talking about. If all I can get is the regular stereo sound then I might as well just pop in the CD. Guess I'll have to wait for DVD-A until an equipment upgrade is in the budget. :(Well, first of all, you do get the surround mix, which is not overblown like the Flaming Lips, but not completely subdued as most critics would want (it seems to me that most critics want surround just to have the room, no more). I like it. Plus, you also get the bonus tracks, so it ends up being like an 80+ minute album.

[Slosh]

Analog should work however. Whether you're using the regular DVD (DVD-V) layer, or the DVD-A layer, analog should always work.

Unless you're talking about DTS 24/96, which is something else entirely. That's not even the same as regular DTS.

Analog will only be the 16-bit PCM stereo track unless you have a DVD player with a built-in DTS decoder. Most DVD-A discs also have a Dolby Digital track that'll play on all DVD video players but not this particular disc (Duh! It's on the DTS label.) Why they didn't make the stereo track 24/48 is beyond me (since that is how they recorded the master). You're right about DTS 24/96 being different from standard DTS but it is backwards compatable with standard DTS decoders -- at 20/48 resolution.

I've never been impressed by PT. I don't think they suck or anything but when I want to hear Yes/Rush-like hard rock the last two Sunny Day Real Estate albums are what I usually reach for. I got this PT DVD-A mostly because I have a DVD-A player (Pioneer Elite DV-45A) but very little software (even when including my SACDs). I agree that the surround mix is very nice. Aggressive but somehow not too heavyhanded. Treble "air" is a nice subtle improvement over the CD-R tracks I have as well. I've only listened to the hi-rez surround mix so far, however. A friend of mine likes prog much more than me (and has a Toshiba DVD-A player) so if it doesn't grow on me....

Also picked up Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World DTS DVD but haven't played it yet.

[ForeverAutumn]

Can DVD-A disks be played on a CD player if they have a stereo option? Or, if I purchases a DVD-A disk, would I be restricted to playing it only on DVD players? And what if your system is DVD compatible but only has two speakers?

I'm in the process of purchasing a new mini-system for my office. I'm looking at a couple of new JVC systems just coming on the market. One of them is CD only and the other is also DVD compatible (both will play MP3s). I was really just looking at the CD system since I was thinking that I wouldn't ever be hooking this system up to a TV to play DVDs, but this DVD-A thing may have added a whole new dimension to my decision making process.

I'm so confused! :confused:

[Dusty Chalk]

Analog will only be the 16-bit PCM stereo track unless you have a DVD player with a built-in DTS decoder.You're right, in that analog will only be whatever your DVD player is capable of. I guess I was speaking in the general, but most modern DVD players can decode anything...can't they? I'll have to look...
Why they didn't make the stereo track 24/48 is beyond me (since that is how they recorded the master).Actually, I think it is, according to the back of my copy, but I'll look and see what actually gets played.
You're right about DTS 24/96 being different from standard DTS but it is backwards compatable with standard DTS decoders -- at 20/48 resolution.I don't understand how that works -- isn't it true that both the player and the receiver have to both be smart enough to play some (waves hands) "alternate" version of the DTS? I'll have to try it and see if it works -- I got that Queen disk...see what my player does with it...

[Kaboom]

Mass appeal????? damn dude, Britney spears has mass appeal. Any song which is more complex that a 4/4 ABACADA structure is going to be pretty hard to sell, specially nowadays.
they might make it slightly bigger than they are at the moment, but i dont think they'll make it BIG.
its a shame. it takes much more brains and effort to put together something like Stupid dream than it takes to sing 5 notes and shake your ass...

[DarrenH]

Who dug this thread up? Oh, Kaboom did. Doing some searchin' on Porky Tree eh.

I'm really looking forward to Deadwing. So much so that I'm seriously considering placing an order through a UK cyber store so I can get it early.

Does Canada get artist CD's on the UK release date?

[Kaboom]

Yo people, i live in spain. If you are all that desperate for a copy of the CD i can just buy it here when it comes out and ship it to you.

[kexodusc]

Does Canada get artist CD's on the UK release date?
Hi Darren,

We do, but it's rare...and when I asked yesterday, the store said no :(
So much for that...
Lousy, good-for-nothing, Atlantic Ocean :mad:

[ForeverAutumn]

Does Canada get artist CD's on the UK release date?

Not that I've noticed. In fact, our release dates are often AFTER the US dates. And sometimes we don't get stuff released here at all and have to order from the US. :(

[kexodusc]

Sometimes we do benefit from the "International Release Date"...which for some reason is different than the US release date. But yeah, usually it's the same or later.
What's up with that?

[MasterCylinder]

Yes I'm redundant, when required.

Since kaboom lives in Spain, this is mostly for his benefit, as well as those that did not read the other thread.




This information I copied straight from the PT webpage:

The new Porcupine Tree album Deadwing is released on 28th March by Warner Music in Europe, and on 19th April by Lava in the US. Recorded between March-October, the album has been mixed in both stereo and 5.1 versions. Once again the 5.1 mix was done in collaboration with Grammy award winning producer Elliot Scheiner.

There are guest appearances by Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth, and Adrian Belew of King Crimson.

The track listing of the album is:

1. Deadwing (9.46)
2. Shallow (4.17)
3. Lazarus (4.18)
4. Halo (4.38)
5. Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (12.02)
6. Mellotron Scratch (6.57)
7. Open Car (3.46)
8. The Start of Something Beautiful (7.39)
9. Glass Arm Shattering (6.12)

Despite being included on promotional copies, there may or may not be a hidden track on the final retail copies.

deadwing.com is a microsite dedicated to the album, with audio, video and other media relating to the album and the film screenplay on which it is based.

The European tour starts at the end of March, and a US tour will commence in mid May. Please keep an eye on the Porcupine Tree website for regular updates and additions to the band's concert schedule for 2005. Confirmed dates so far:

03/31/2005 UK, Nottingham Rescue Rooms (special warm up show)
04/01/2005 UK, Wolverhampton Wulfrun
04/02/2005 UK, London Astoria
04/03/2005 UK, Bristol Bierkeller
04/05/2005 UK, Cambridge Junction
04/06/2005 UK, Manchester MDH
04/08/2005 UK, Glasgow Garage
04/10/2005 HOLLAND, Amsterdam, Paradiso
04/11/2005 HOLLAND, Tilburg 013
04/12/2005 GERMANY, Cologne Burgerhaus Stollwerck
04/13/2005 GERMANY, Berlin Columbia Club
04/14/2005 POLAND, Bydgoszcz Philharmonic Hall
04/15/2005 POLAND, Krakow Wisla Hall
04/17/2005 GERMANY, Hamburg Markthalle
04/18/2005 GERMANY, Bochum Matrix
04/19/2005 GERMANY, Frankfurt Batschkapp
04/20/2005 GERMANY, Karlsruhe Substage
04/21/2005 GERMANY, Munich Elser Zusatzhalle
04/22/2005 SWITZERLAND, Pratteln Z7
04/24/2005 ITALY, Milan Transilvania
04/25/2005 ITALY, Rome Qube
04/27/2005 SPAIN, Barcelona Bikini
04/28/2005 SPAIN, Madrid Aqualung
04/30/2005 FRANCE, Paris Elysee Montmartre

[Dusty Chalk]

On a completely unrelated note -- anyone heard of Riverside? They appear to be mentioned in the same breath as Porcupine Tree, Opeth, and others.

People at prog archives gravitated towards rating it 4 or 5 stars (out of 5): link (http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=6315)

another review (http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=1679)

[BarryL]

Does Canada get artist CD's on the UK release date?

HMV in Toronto often carries some of the more "popular" releases as imports pretty soon after their release, given thier British heritage.