Porcupine Tree: Piano Lessons

Continuing my list of the Top 10 albums of 1999, coming in at #4 is Stupid Dream by Porcupine Tree. Progressive rock had faded away from popularity by the early ’90s. The genre’s heyday was in the late ’60s and early ’70s due to the work of artists such as Pink Floyd, Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, and ELP. In the early ’80s, groups such as Asia and Yes moved the genre into a prog-pop era that lasted about five years during the early days of MTV. By 1991, even classic rock radio was moving away from the music of Jethro Tull, Yes, ELP, and their counterparts. Anyone who wanted to listen to prog-rock had over 20 years of old albums to listen to, but there was nothing new getting played on the radio and not much in the way of new releases to be found. When young Steven Wilson released his first album under the name Porcupine Tree in 1992, it was ignored by all but a few lucky enough to learn that it even existed. Wilson’s work in the late ’80s as No Man, his love of psych-rock, and his ability as a multi-instrumentalist all coalesced into the band Porcupine Tree, but there was never any expectation that this was a lucrative effort. Over the next five years, the band’s popularity and critical acclaim continued to grow, culminating in their 1996 release Signify – anyone interested in the music of Pink Floyd would do well to seek out these early Porcupine Tree releases – but they were still a band firmly set in the world of psych-rock/prog-rock extravagance. It was during the period between their 1996 and 1999 albums that Wilson’s songwriting evolved into a more pop-oriented style. Moving away from the trappings of Pink Floyd style conceptual song cycles and extended psychedelic sections, the 1999 album Stupid Dream was a paradigm shift in the group’s sound. While there were still some prog-rock influences to be found, the songs on the album sounded much more contemporary. This change also translated into better sales and an increased fan-base. One can also hear Wilson’s growing trust in his vocal ability as the melodies and vocals take a huge leap forward on tunes such as “Even Less,” “Piano Lessons,” and “Don’t Hate Me.” Within a few years, the band would move toward a more aggressive sound and gain massive popularity after Wilson’s discovery of prog-metal groups such as Opeth, Meshuggah, and Gojira, but Stupid Dream is the transitional album that was needed to get to that point. Wilson is now the godfather of modern progressive rock. He has remastered dozens of classic albums by groups such as Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Yes, and dozens of other bands ranging from Chic to Kiss. He is a prolific solo and contributing artist. He has revolutionized prog-rock for the 21st century. Steven Wilson is probably the most successful modern musician you have never heard of, but he is now a household name for anyone interested in this type of music, and it was all made possible with this 1999 release.

To learn more about Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree, check out his Wikipedia page.

To listen to all of the songs of the day, check out the Radio Faux Show Song of the Day playlist.

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