Porcupine Tree – Stupid Dream

Decent pressing, still some mostly minimal surface noise on the lead in/outs, and only a few pretty non obnoxious ticks, which is probably one of the better Kscope/Optimal pressings I have from these reissues from the early teens. Most are plagued with surface noise, unlike the reputation that Optimal has built in the last several years.

Regarding the sound, this is a much fuller and richer version than the original CD, which is the only other version I have. The bass is tight, deep and rich. The drums sound good, very well recorded, especially the toms and snare, which have the perfect amount of snap and reverb, and with Colin Edwin's always beautiful bass work, puts down a solid foundation that stays interesting throughout. The keyboards sometimes float around the periphery and sometimes lie solidly in the middle of the sound field, mixed perfectly with each song. Of course the highlight is the always wonderful guitar and voice of SW. His chord progressions are unique and full of hummable lines, with the perfect touch on the acoustic songs and searing leads when he cuts lose. Not once did I feel it was over compressed, and it's really hard to not just crank this up and let it saturate the room, my body and my consciousness. This has always been one of my favorite PT and this version on vinyl scratches a deep itch.

My impression of this remaster is it sounds much richer than the original mix CD with less compression, and hence, a greater dynamic range and sound distribution across my 2.1 setup, that envelops when you have the opportunity to turn up the volume. If not for the rice krispies on the lead in/outs, and a few pops, it would be perfect.

As pointed out by previous reviews, outstanding release in every aspect

Una buena reedición que se escucha muy bien, discos limpios y planos. Y como siempre, Steven Wilson haciendo una remasterización súper buena.

Ah, yes. Porcupine Tree. One of the 21st century’s most relevant prog bands and, for many years, the main project of Steven Wilson himself.

I came into the Porcupine Tree party relatively late (my first conscious listen of their music was 2002’s “In Absentia”) and, at the time, I was more into the metal side of the prog scene so the guys didn’t quite fit my bill and I kept moving. However, and after Steven’s became increasingly ubiquitous as producer or collaborator of bands such as Opeth, I kept probing his music here and there until it clicked. The year was 2007, and the album was “Fear Of A Blank Planet”.

I then started to trace PT’s discography back following the proverbial path of white pebbles and enjoying each chapter as I discovered them.

1999’s “Stupid Dream” meant a further step towards that signature sound that made PT reach global success (for the genre standards, anyway), as they became less purely psychedelic and atmospheric, integrating more rock and pop influences and structures. 1996’s “Signify” already had been a change from the sprawling, vast soundscapes in “The Sky Moves Sideways”, but “Stupid Dream” took this even further.

So, even if the album still has the more purely “soundscape” signature of the band popping its head all across the album here and there, and still owns the stage in “Tinto Brass”, to me “Stupid Dream” is a wonderfully crafted art rock album, where pop and rock are ed through Wilson’s vast musical vision that puts together a really balanced album that understands the power and value of melody and classic structures (listen to the vocal harmonies in “Stranger By The Minute”) without sacrificing the search for new places and sounds.
Highlights are “Even Less”, “Piano Lessons”, “A Smart Kid”, “Slave Called Shiver”, the above mentioned “Tinto Brass” and “Stop Swimming” with my favourite being “Don’t Hate Me”, where the balance I was speaking above reaches perfection entwined with one of Wilson’s many masterstrokes of songwriting and musical storytelling.

I compared this to the 2006 GOD first pressing (I have the grey marbled one) and while this one also doesn't sound bad I definitely prefer the 2006 pressing. This K-Scope pressing lacks some of the mid range, warmth and rich bass of the 2006 pressing and especially the highs are a bit unbalanced here, bordering on being harsh. I find this a bit odd, this pressing has the album spread out across 4 sides instead of 3, like the 2006 pressing that has bonus tracks on side 4, so shouldn't it ideally have a better balance across all frequencies because of more space for the grooves? It certainly doesn't in comparison.

Maybe I'm too picky here, but another pretty huge disadvantage of this pressing for me is the sequencing: Unlike the 2006 pressing the transition between A Smart Kid and Tinto Brass had to be faded out/in here, so those haunting choir voices are missing when A Smart Kid ends and are just faded in on side D. They always were an integral part of the ending of A Smart Kid for me that add to the otherworldly atmosphere of this outstanding song.

Don't get me wrong this is still a really nice pressing, the vinyl is thick, quiet and looks great and the packaging is of very good quality - although once again the 2006 pressing tops that with a beautiful, sturdy tip-on Stoughton sleeve.

I compared this to my 2019 green K-Scope pressing and although the latter doesn't sound bad, I defnitely prefer this GOD pressing. Both have the same remix so it all comes down to the vinyl cut, which sounds more organic here to my ears. The drums sound more natural and punchy and the highs have a better balance here, which are bordering on being harsh on the 2019 pressing. The most obvious difference for me is the very pleasant, warm and rich bass guitar sound. Considering the album is spread across 3 sides instead of 4, like on the 2019 pressing, they really did a great job here!

Packaging-wise this pressing is also the clear winner for me. Although it lacks the printed inner sleeves of the 2019 pressing and comes with polylined white inners instead, the gatefold is of very high quality: sturdy tip-on jacket, very likely a Stoughton sleeve.

Finally I also compared the bonus tracks on side D with my 2011 first pressing of "Recordings" and once again I prefer this pressing here, with a very pleasant sound of the drums (that toms in Ambulance Chasing!) and the bass guitar. What a beautiful pressing, really one of the best PT pressings I've heard!

[edit] I took a closer look at the runouts and holy cow...this is a Kevin Gray cut! Now it all makes sense to me, why this is so much more satisfying than the later version. Too bad this vinyl cut hasnt't been reissued and so few people can hear this!

This 24-bit remaster, coming 16 years after its debut, sounds great. The clarity, dynamics, and mix are perfect. There's no ear daggers or boomy bass to contend with (afterall, this was remastered by the man himself). Stylistically PT was in transition away from their psychedelic phase into more of a heavy/alternative rock style.

Great recording. Quiet, very pronounced instrumentally. If there's any issue at all I'd like to see Kscope ditch the stiff cardboard liners for anything else. I always switch them out for the Mofi liners but even the initial removal of the LP feels sketchy. Still, a really nice album.

It’s a solid pressing, not quite as good as the 180g. At the end of the day it gets the sonic job done very well.

I unfortunately got a bad press, half way through the A side it’s crackle city throughout, despite multiple cleaning and static brush both record and stylus. Even tried different stylus, same crackle same spots. Also my C/D came in looking like someone took a screwdriver to the first track. Bad copy got past QC unfortunately. Give it four stars for tracks that played well which was about half. I bet a good press sounds amazing.