I technically discovered Porcupine Tree with their song “Stars Die '' when I was 15 via a magazine sampler compilation (anyone remember huH? magazine? No? Just me?), but I wouldn't truly discover them until one of my fellow Tori Amos fans would reintroduce me to them and, essentially, enable the start of a whole life chapter that I never saw coming. (I wrote about it once here on this blog but I have since taken it down. Perhaps I will rewrite it one day.) Within a year, the music moved to the forefront of my listening so much that they overtook U2 as my favorite band, thus shaking my proverbial musical tree. (See what I did there? I didn't even mean to do that! It shall stay in.) Although it wasn't one of the first ones I heard, I decided that today's track, being a popular one amongst the fans, would be a great introduction point for those of you who don't know the band. That song, from their incredible album In Absentia, is called “Trains”.
Now be aware, the entire span of Porcupine Tree's catalogue cannot at all be summed up in one album let alone one song. Musically, the band took many directions in the span of their career, but I do feel that “Trains” shows what's at the very center, deep underneath all else that gets musically and lyrically explored through each album: heart. The emotion and nostalgia of this song, written by founder Steven Wilson, is present through every moment, easily able to spark the memories in the rest of us about those loves, crushes, and romantic entanglements of our lives (which is part of what this song is about). It's a universal type of song on so many levels, which, for me, is why it's so popular among fans and deservedly so. Thus, it was the perfect choice.
Musically, the acoustic based melodies sway back and forth over the subtle soundscapes in the backdrop, with the guitars and rhythm sections bringing the perfect punch of feel to emphasize all that the lyrics encapsulate. It's hard for me to really put it all into words because this song is heavily in the 'feel' category for me, which means I can feel it better than I can explain it. That being said, in my view, “Trains” is a song that needs to be experienced, and I hope you take the time to let yourself sit inside it and let it touch you, too.
