Porcupine Tree
The Delerium Years 1991-1997 TRANSMISSION
Steven Wilson-led prog gods’ early years get the high-spec box-set treatment.
Steven Wilson’s attention to detail has long been one of his most endearing traits. Everything the modern prog maven does, he does with finesse and a slightly alarming degree of intensity. Thus his former band Porcupine Tree’s six-year Delerium Records output has been remastered and repackaged into one of the most absurdly desirable box sets in recent memory (if, of course, you like this sort of thing).
Fans will already own the vast majority of this music, of course. But, as with every Wilson-led project, The Delerium Years is both comprehensive and sonically dazzling. It’s also a fascinating record of the band’s rapid evolution. There’s a world of difference between the occasionally hokey bedroom psychedelia of 1992 debut On The Sunday Of Life and the supremely welldrilled, precise and powerful band showcased on 1997’s Coma Divine, but Wilson’s endless curiosity and singular vision drives every moment along the way.
Studio albums Up The Downstair, The Sky Moves Sideways and Signify tell their own story, as Porcupine Tree harnessed recognisable tropes from prog and psychedelia and gave them a state-of-theart upgrade, embracing electronica’s endless malleability and (eventually) the satisfying crunch of modern metal along the way. They’ve all aged very well, but it’s Signify that feels like the most momentous batch of songs here – as they transitioned from one-man studio project to authentic, full-bore live entity, Porcupine Tree conjured some career-defining tunes, not least epic Dark Matter and the sweet paranoia of Every Home Is Wired.
Less familiar but often equally absorbing material fills in the historical gaps: mini-albums Staircase Infinities, Insignificance and particularly the semiimprovised Metanoia are all vital pieces of the developmental puzzle. For militant Tree lovers, The Sound Of No One Listening collects the remaining non-album singles and compilation tracks from the same period, and all of it sounds magnificent.
Also included in this classy package is a 140-page art book full of rare archive photos and other Wilsonian ephemera, plus a couple of pieces of original artwork that you could either (a) Blu Tack to the fridge door or (b) absolutely never remove from the box for fear of causing minor damage. Either way, this is a beautiful, meticulously conceived and executed snapshot of the single most important progressive rock band of the past 30 years. Admittedly the price tag of £125 is fairly eye-watering, but The Delerium Years is easily monumental enough to justify it. ■■■■■■■■■■