Japanese paper sleeves version of Porcupine Tree's full-length. Part of a ten album Porcupine Tree mini-LP sleeve series featuring the albums 'ON The Sunday Of Life,' 'Up The Downstairs,' 'The Sky Moves Sideways,' 'Signify... more »,' 'Coma Divine,' 'Metatonia,' 'Stupid Dream,' 'Voyage 34: The Comlete Trip,' 'Lightbulb Sun,' & 'Star Die: The Delerium Years 1991-1997.' Victor. 2008.« less
Japanese paper sleeves version of Porcupine Tree's full-length. Part of a ten album Porcupine Tree mini-LP sleeve series featuring the albums 'ON The Sunday Of Life,' 'Up The Downstairs,' 'The Sky Moves Sideways,' 'Signify,' 'Coma Divine,' 'Metatonia,' 'Stupid Dream,' 'Voyage 34: The Comlete Trip,' 'Lightbulb Sun,' & 'Star Die: The Delerium Years 1991-1997.' Victor. 2008.
"Out of all the pre-Signify releases of PT (the time-frame I consider their original sound much like the Moody Blues had a Classic 7 era), I consider Up the Downstair to be my personal favorite. This album is pre-Chris Maitland as well, they were still using drum samples and synth for most of this album. My favorite cuts are "Synesthesia", "Always Never", "Small Fish", and "Fadeaway" (probably my favorite way PT has EVER ended an album and one of the most beautiful rock songs of ALL time in my opinion)."
I'm hooked on Porcupine Tree.
D. Knouse | vancouver, washington United States | 02/18/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"4.5 stars. I recently purchased "In Absentia" and was immediately hooked; subsequent reeling and I purchased both "Signify" and this album. Overall, I think "In Absentia" is the best I've heard from them so far. But "Signify" is nearly excellent, and this CD is nearly so as well, but for different reasons. While "Signify" has a definite early-Genesis prog-rock feel to it, this album is certainly and obviously influenced more so by Pink Floyd. It is incredibly spacey with heady ambience and colorful, masterful production. I'm beginning to believe that Steve Wilson is a genius in the studio. What at first listen should seem simplistic and unremarkable is arranged into something surreal and whole, noteworthy and vital. This CD is easy to recommend."
Porcupine Tree, a band anyone should try.
Cruising through the ether | Arica / Chile | 12/30/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great album. For someone who likes Pink Floyd, you will enjoy this. It is wonderful from beginning to end. The opener 'The music you are listening to...' is a great start to this CD. Followed by 'Synesthesia' and 'Always never', the band plunges into music bliss the way I think The Grateful Dead or other bands may have done in the past. This band has no similarity with the Grateful Dead but the way they meld these songs together only reminds me of the best (who was the Grateful Dead). Songs like Not beautiful anymore and 'Small fish' follow. 'Small fish' goes into 'Burning Sky', which is another 5 star song.If you like progressive music and/or PF, please give these guys a try. You will be forever pleased.-"
Terrific album that you'll listen to over and over again
El Kabong | Bethesda, Maryland United States | 07/12/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"After being first exposed to Porcupine Tree music with Stupid Dream and Signify, I decided to go back and listen to some of Steven Wilson's earlier works, and Up The Downstair was the first. Still at a time in his career where he was basically a one-man band (although future bandmates Colin Edwin and Richard Barbieri contributed a little), Steven Wilson created a terrific album that's spacey, dreamy, and surrealistic. To me, this album sounds like it was inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey and the psychedelic scenes where you're traveling in the monolith.Up The Downstair is a very good example of Porcupine Tree's pre-band works, and I would definitely recommend it."