Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream

Release Year: 1999
Track List:
1. Even Less (7:11)
2. Piano Lessons (4:21)
3. Stupid Dream (0:28)
4. Pure Narcotic (5:02)
5. Slave Called Shiver (4:41)
6. Don't Hate Me (8:30)
7. This Is No Rehearsal (3:27)
8. Baby Dream In Cellophane (3:15)
9. Stranger By the Minute (4:31)
10. A Smart Kid (5:22)
11. Tinto Brass (6:17)
12. Stop Swimming (6:35)

At first, I was only a casual Porcupine Tree fan. I owned In Absentia and Deadwing and knew they were special albums. I even saw the band in concert. in 2005. However, I had put PT on the back burner simply because fully embracing them would take up a lot of my time and emotion.

Then I heard Stupid Dream, and my heart was broken.

From the first song, “Even Less”, to the last, “Stop Swimming”, I was caught up in a drama that turned out to reflect my own life story. The lyrics are deep, honest, sincere, and painful. Who is this Steven Wilson and how can he possibly know my pain?

Stupid Dream is pure, raw emotion that cuts deep into my soul, releases all the negative energy I have stored, and makes me clean and whole once again.

While the music is sweet and dreamy, it falls far short of being cheesy. In fact, there are brief moments when the guitars actually "rock", but Porcupine Tree can't be defined as a rock band, or an alternative band, or even a prog band, for that matter.

There isn't a bad song on this album. My favorites are “Pure Narcotic”, “Don't Hate Me”, and “Tinto Brass”, which has to be one of the coolest instrumentals I have ever heard.

Originally released in 1999, this virtually unknown treasure was recently remastered in 5.1 surround sound and high-resolution 24-bit stereo. It sounds pure and clear on my cheap CD player, so it must sound heavenly on proper stereo equipment.

So now I consider myself a true fan of this wonderful, creative band, and will continue to collect their works. Stupid Dream, however, has become my favorite PT album and will likely remain so.

If you are unsure about liking this album, take a chance and buy it anyway. I don't understand how any sentient being could not be moved by this beautiful, sensual music.