Delightful
B. Fields | Flatwoods, KY United States | 04/11/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Among Porcupine Tree albums, "Stupid Dream" has to be up near the top.
It is a melodic masterpiece, showcasing Steven Wilson's penchant for superior songwriting and production.
"Piano Lessons" and "Pure Narcotic" showcase an almost rock/pop sort of sensibility that gives the album a strange sense of optimism, despite the somewhat pessimistic or dark lyrics that accompany most of the album's songs.
"Stranger by the Minute" is a delightful track with a frolicking lead guitar, offset by strange lyrics about the ghosts of killers and children.
The only thing really missing from this album is the crunch that the band began to use as an accent on their 2002 masterpiece "In Absentia," then brought to the fore on opus "Deadwing."
All of the songs are well-crafted, though the lyrics, as mentioned, can be a bit of a bummer in spots.
I've yet to hear anything from Porcupine Tree that doesn't excell in musical credibility and enjoyability, and this album is no exception."