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
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