Results for Up the Downstair
On this page:
 
Album Review:

Up the Downstair

  • Release Date: 1993
  • Genre: Rock
  • Label: Delerium
  • Artist: Porcupine Tree
  • Flags: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Styles: Experimental Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental

Review

Up the Downstair feels noticeably different in tone from On the Sunday of Life -- the humor is nearly invisible, if present at all, and the focus is more explicitly up to date in keeping with Steven Wilson's long-stated belief that progressive music means incorporating the now instead of rehashing what progressive was. His singing is now more accomplished in turn -- it sounds like he might have been taking a lesson or two from his No-Man partner Tim Bowness, but he has his own dreamy approach. His already accomplished studio work seems to have turned even more so with time, and the end result is a delicate, complex, and remarkable effort. If there's an absolute standout, "Always Never" takes the cake. Starting with a soft combination of low vocals, acoustic guitar, and background electric feedback, it sweeps into life on the memorable chorus, with the keyboards swelling with a gentle majesty before turning into a full trip thanks to Wilson's ear for arrangements and space. Colin Edwin makes his debut with Porcupine Tree by playing bass here, as good a start as any, while Richard Barbieri also has an initial bow on the lengthy title track. Wilson's own playing here is just astounding, with some huge, driving feedback fills, while the equally long "Burning Sky" lets him exercise some guitar hero chops, and quite well at that. Brief cuts crop up throughout -- notably "What You Are Listening To...," which makes a nod back to the contents of Voyage 34 via the narrative spoken word sample at the start. The recurring use of synth loops and acid house rhythms alone mark Porcupine Tree's approach as being a more modern one, but at the same time a song like "Synesthesia" doesn't sound like a stab at crossover so much as it does one color on the palette. The unfolding guitar solos demonstrate that much, at least. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title iTunes Composers Performers Time
What Are You Listening To...
...
Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (:58)
Synesthesia
...
Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (5:11)
Monuments Burn into Moments
...
Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (:20)
Always Never
...
Alan Duffy, Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (6:58)
Up the Downstair
...
Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (10:03)
Not Beautiful Anymore
...
Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (3:26)
Siren
...
Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (:53)
Small Fish
...
Alan Duffy, Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (2:43)
Burning Sky
...
Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (11:07)
Fadeaway
...
Alan Duffy, Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree (6:20)

Credits

Richard Barbieri (Electronics), Porcupine Tree (Main Performer), Steven Wilson (Programming), Steven Wilson (Producer), Colin Edwin (Bass)
 
 
Wikipedia: Up the Downstair
Up the Downstair
Up the Downstair cover
Studio album by Porcupine Tree
Released May, 1993
Recorded February, 1992-January, 1993
Genre Progressive rock
Length 47:59
Label Delerium
Professional reviews

Original release:

Remaster:

Porcupine Tree chronology
On the Sunday of Life...
(1991)
Up the Downstair
(1993)
The Sky Moves Sideways
(1995)

Up the Downstair is the second studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released in May, 1993. It was originally intended to be a double album set including the song "Voyage 34", which was instead released as a single in 1992, and other material that ended up on the Staircase Infinities (1994) EP. In 2005, it was partially re-recorded, fully re-mixed and, along with the EP Staircase Infinities, remastered and re-released as a double album. The re-release contains a new mix by Steven Wilson, along with recorded drums by Gavin Harrison that replace the electronic drums of the original.

Track listing

All songs written by Steven Wilson, except where noted.

Original Version

  1. "What You Are Listening To..." – 0:58
  2. "Synesthesia" – 5:11
  3. "Monuments Burn into Moments" – 0:20
  4. "Always Never" (Wilson, Alan Duffy) – 6:58
  5. "Up the Downstair" – 10:03
  6. "Not Beautiful Anymore" – 3:26
  7. "Siren" – 0:52
  8. "Small Fish" (Wilson, Duffy) – 2:43
  9. "Burning Sky" – 11:06
  10. "Fadeaway" (Wilson, Duffy) – 6:19

2004 Remastered And Remixed Edition
Disc One - Up The Downstair

  1. "What You Are Listening To..." – 0:57
  2. "Synesthesia" – 5:16
  3. "Monuments Burn into Moments" – 0:22
  4. "Always Never" (Wilson, Duffy) – 7:00
  5. "Up the Downstair" – 10:14
  6. "Not Beautiful Anymore" – 3:25
  7. "Siren" – 0:57
  8. "Small Fish" (Wilson, Duffy) – 2:42
  9. "Burning Sky" – 11:36
  10. "Fadeaway" (Wilson, Duffy) – 6:19

Disc Two - Staircase Infinities

  1. "Cloud Zero" – 4:40
  2. "The Joke's On You" (Wilson, Duffy) – 4:17
  3. "Navigator" – 4:49
  4. "Rainy Taxy" – 6:50
  5. "Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape" – 9:36

Personnel

Performed by Steven Wilson, except:



 
 

Join the WikiAnswers Q&A community. Post a question or answer questions about "Up the Downstair" at WikiAnswers.

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ® , a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Up the Downstair" Read more

Search for answers directly from your browser with the FREE Answers.com Toolbar!  
Click here to download now. 

Get Answers your way! Check out all our free tools and products.

On this page:   E-mail   print Print  Link  

 

Keep Reading

Mentioned In: