PORCUPINE TREE - In Absentia [FULL ALBUM] | FIRST TIME COUPLE REACTION (BMC Request) 

Can we have some hype in the comments for Eric for requesting this reaction from NicknLex. Thank you Eric for contributing towards increasing and preserving the art of Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson. That guy deserves so much more, he's going to be like Shakespeare 2-300 years down the line. I am lucky to have found him in this lifetime. Thank you to NicknLex, seeing Nick well up made me cry as well. Love and cheers from Delhi, India. 🇮🇳

I would love to see a full album reaction of Deadwing and Fear of a blank planet as well. 😃👍

An entire SW album? Be still my heart, its a sofa built for two! You guys are the best in the business, more SW please.

I totally get your reaction to Collapse the Light into Earth. It has been one of my favorite songs for years. One of the saddest songs that I know (those lyrics!), but there is also great beauty in the instrumental portion. I love how it takes the listener on a ride and gently brings them back down at the end, like a smooth landing. Beautifully arranged and yet another demonstration of Steven Wilson's musical genius. Love your channel!

Heartattack in a Layby is one of my favorite songs ever. I think he may be in fact dying, and thinking about a fight he had the night before with his partner: "She waits for me, to tell me she's sorry", thinking he's going to be ok despite how he feels: "We'll grow old together". Beautiful song and arrangement with the staggered voices.

Fantastic to see you guys reacting to full PT albums!!! Also you have to experience PT live. Waiting for your Anesthetize reaction. That's gonna be a killer reaction!! Much love guys!

Hope to see more full Albums from PT from you. I totally liked this reaction video :) and btw: the time signature of Muzak is 7/4 and 4/4 (chorus)

'In Absentia' has been one of my favourite albums by anyone ever since I first heard it about 15 years ago. A true classic

One of your all-time best reactions. This is a monumental album in my life. Love that you guys spent some quality time with it.

Keep shedding those tears Nick. That’s the reaction music is supposed to evoke when it moves us and this band and Steven Wilson will do that to you. So much more you have yet to discover.

This whole album is perfection. The Sound of Muzak is the first song I ever heard on XM radio…bought the CD the next day….changed my music life!!!!

When you look up genius in the dictionary you see a picture of Steven Wilson.

This is an incredibly solid record. A journey! Absolutely love this band. Was fun to be able to watch you react to this ! Thanks!

Great reaction and one of my favorite bands. Love your reactions. Keep it up. :)

What a treat. Loved listening to that with you guys. Blissful. Enjoy the movie later ☺️

PT is back guys!!!!!!!!!

I really enjoyed this. You two are so into the music, it's a blast to sit through with you. Fear if a blank Planet is a must too. And The Raven that refused to sing too.

Excelente! Otra reacción a otro álbum excelente de PT, espero que haya más! Gracias a Eric también por esta contribución. Saludos desde Lanús, Argentina. ❤️🤘🏻

So happy that you chose this album. Love the entire album but particularly “The Sound of Muzak” (which is a song I sent a request in for you to react to:). Thanks so much Nick and Lex!

Great reaction video. I've been waiting for this one :)

Listen to anesthetize from porcupine tree’s “ fear of a blank planet” w/ Alex lifeson guest guitarist.

Excellent PT as ever - looking forward to their return!

finally, I can find a good companion for experiencing a full album from PT or SW. I always feel I’m alone listening to their songs cuz there are very few ppl in my country who listen to prog music, so I literally have no one to share. I don’t know how to describe it, it just hits different when you guys have great taste and understanding of different genre of rock music. Great job for every video you make. Wish you all the best.

What a great surprise to come home to this. I love how this album starts out rocking with Blackest Eyes and then goes into the beautiful acoustics of Trains. They follow up with Lips of Ashes and your journey has begun. Steven Wilson's vocals are as good as it gets in my book and I think this is the first Porcupine Tree album with the incredible Gavin Harrison on drums. I'm adding you guys reacting to PT's Lazarus someday to my bucket list. I know you usually don't listen to live tracks but just so you know there is a DVD called Arriving Somewhere of their live concert from Chicago that I know you would enjoy. Porcupine Tree puts out music that you don't just listen to. They make music that you feel. Thank you both so much for putting in all the time to do an entire album for us. You're the best!

That made my day! I just love watching you discover my favorite music. I hope you do a full album reaction to Steven Wilson's The Raven that Refused to Sing. It is my favorite solo album of his. You like so much of the same stuff as me that I feel like your my friends and I haven't even talked to you.

In Absentia was my first exposure to Porcupine Tree. I’m so glad you guys did a full album reaction to it. I think it’s one of the greatest albums of all time. The band has been on hiatus for well over a decade, and I had given up hope of them ever getting back together. Hopefully the reunion rumors are true. If they are, you really need to go see them live. I have seen them several times, and they blew my mind every time. Keep up the good work guys. Keep the PT reactions coming.

Fantastic reactIon again guys. PT are amazing, I agree with some of the other comments, fear of a blank planet is a cracking album and should be your next part of the journey, especially the live versions of the songs.. they are fantastic live.

Ahhh...I’ve been waiting for this. Thanks so much guys for the full album reaction! Not enough people know about this band. This was the the first PT album I ever heard and it was hook, line and sinker after the first listen. What an amazing piece of music! It led me to discover the rest of Steven Wilson’s genius. It kind of worked out well that this was the first album I heard from them since it was close to the middle of their output. I went back and then forward with the new releases. I highly recommend listening to Blackfield and Steven’s solo output. So much more amazing music! Still waiting for more Spock’s Beard, I know you’ll get there eventually. One more thought crossed my mind while watching this, I really think you guys would love a band called RPWL from Germany. They started as a Pink Floyd cover band but have some wonderful original material. Check out the song Roses. Love the channel you guys are great!

In Absentia just May be my favorite Porcupine Tree album with The Incident, where Time Flies is from, as a close second. Gotta love the opener, Blackest Eyes. I agree it has a bit of a Pop feel to it but that’s part of the appeal. As a guitarist I was attracted to the really heavy riffing but the rest of the song is straight fire. Trains and Gravity Eyelids are standouts for me. I have to say maybe my favorite aspect of Porcupine Tree are the lyrics. Steven Wilson is a genius on par with Neil Peart in that regard. If you guys don’t know the song Even Less from from the Stupid Dream album, check it out. It’s another favorite of mine. It’s a little dark but a great song. Also, Black Dahlia and Remember Me Lover from The Incident are awesome. Loving the full album reactions. Keep them coming. Hope you enjoy the movie. It’s getting good reviews. Peace!

Super nice reaction from you guys! To me, In Absentia is definitely one of the best alt-rock album of the early 2000s. Such well balanced, diverse yet cohesive record. Stellar production (as always with Steven Wilson), great musicianship, very good songwriting. A feast for the ears.

PT was at their peak when they released IA. The best song from the IA sessions is not even on this album. Check out ‘Drown with Me’ on the IA Bonus Disc.

Great job! Can't wait to see these guys in Denver in September!

You folks are so courteous to the viewers. Thanks good sesh 👏🏾. Also great call on infected 🍄 ! Maybe do a reaction on becoming insane or heavyweight etc? I saw them live, it was a great set. Also dead space? We like the same things so much! Following on social! Also got some boards of Canada vibes from .3! I can’t wait till you cover their discography and then move on to his solo and more! The mix on this album is incredible. I believe it was nominated for a Grammy for mix. Also collapse the light into 😭

Keep coming back to this fantastic album, thank you Nicknlex or keeping it availabe 🔥🔥🔥

PT are absolutely GENIUS!!! This could be the ALBUM OF THE YEAR review 2021. You guys are awesome, cheers 🖤 Btw, Massive Attack are british trip-hop!!

Collapse the Light into Earth is one of my favorite PT songs. I've always thought it was about a friend, family member, or lover that has a terminal illness. He says he understands if it's their time, but he doesn't want them to go. He feels like he won't enjoy life as much without them. This is helping me because my dog has cancer and she's being put down at home on Sunday.

Lex, "What if I choose a bad song or a bad album", guess what there aren't any! With Porcupine Tree it's all great! You have so much delving to do!

Thank you so much for reacting to this album. I hadn't heard it for a while and you have rekindled my love affair with it. Your reactions are so original and interesting, long may you keep going. Incidentally, The Sound of Muzak was included in a compilation CD by Mercedes Benz which was used to demonstrate their in-car music systems. Also, if you imagined that PT weren't heavy in their earlier days I suggest listening to Radioactive Toy from 1992! All the best from the UK.

I'm so impressed that you guys did the whole album. I love coming back and enjoying this with you! You would like Signify and Up the Downstair and of course Stupid Dream. Thank you Nick&Lex!

Getting to see porcupine tree many times and Steven solo is a treat. Even standing less than 10 feet away when they played a gig in Atlantic City.

You both have no idea just how much I am enjoying spending this time with you, listening to this album. So much so, I am saving this in my watch later list, to keep so I can play this again sometime. I will be playing it on my large tv through my hi-fi and probably on headphones. I'm just using my computer at the moment, but it does have pretty good sound with the speakers I have for it. This was the very 1st P.T. album I ever bought and I became so addicted, I had their entire album releases with a few weeks. You are such good company for an old guy like me, who sits alone listening to music. Thankyou for doing this. X

Loving the air instruments. Was nice to hear your thoughts and see you guys enjoy the album. One of my favourites :) You get tons of recommendations in the comments, but my favourite new prog record that I can't stop listening to is Cavalcade by black midi. Came out about a week ago, it's freaking amazing

I'm Sooo, sorry I missed this reaction back in June.Ive been so busy. I decided to spend my evening with you too enjoying on of my absolute favorite albums. You two are so cute together(and smart). I live in the boonies of West Virginia where no one I know listens to P.T. I have a 92 acre "holler" and a massive sound system and I blew this review album with you two, UP! You two are so much fun compared too other reviewers. Thanks for a great evening.When you are ready to post live concert vids Try P.T's Live at Tilburg or Live at Albert Hall...Thanks again...great evening. ~TribalSkyes

Fantastic… Thank you ❤

We are right there with you Nick, this was my first PT album after I heard they were opening for YES in 2002.

That was my introduction to PPT too....but I loved it first time,....the whole album is magically wonderful!

My first time listening to this. The first 2 songs are great looking forward to the rest.

Damnation album by OPETH

Went through the whole album last evening. Always an enthralling journey, even after all these years. So nice to see you taking time to go through the album for the experience. If you haven’t already, try considering the Sound Awake album by Karnivool.

I see your Husband plays all kinds of air-instruments. A quite talented fellow there

Absolute masterpiece!

Não importa quantas vezes você ouça PT a reação vai ser sempre diferente e maravilhosa!!

I've not listened to this album for a few years now. It was great to listen again, and watch you guys react to it. This was PT's best ever IMO.

Oh my I clicked so fast when I get the notification! YAY my introduction to Steven wilson this Album is near and dear to me. Great reactions! one small comment there is a version of this album (now on spotify!) which was the deluxe release that included 2 extra songs: drown with me and chloroform which are two amazing songs! you should react to if you get a chance

I haven't even watched this yet, but I'm giving it a thumbs up now just for the simple fact that you're doing an entire Porcupine Tree album. Good choice, by the way.

So from the view count at the moment, I see that probably most of your viewers didn't know and will be shocked that you guys are doing the whole album :O. I didn't get a notification. What a treat! My personal faves are "Trains" and "The Sound of Muzak" (as it relates to what I think of the Radio format of the last 25 years, now that a few conglomerates own most radio stations), and the rest of the album have certain tracks that put me in a certain mood, or a mood I need (especially when creating playlists), but "Lips of Ashes" . . . that's a track that just transcends genres, its just a beautiful track with the ethereal sounds of instruments, even though the subject is pretty scary (and the "grinding drill" at the end; "I drill down, inside"). "Gravity Eyelids" is another that is unique, and Colin Edwin's delicate Bass "pulses/heartbeats". This was my first Porky Tree album, as I had heard a track on the TV series "Smallville" about a young Supereman. Each show they would feature new bands or vocalists, I don't remember which track (may have been "Blackest Eyes") but I said to myself; "Wow, this sounds very proggy!", and they'd show the artists at the end of the episode. Next day going to a local record store in West LA, there was that "cover" I saw on the show! It was on the original "Lava" record label, for a used price, took it home and was VERY surprised how strange and excellent it was. This was something different than I was used to. The "concept" is pretty frightening (See the Wiki-page for the album Nick & Lex), and a topic I was as curious about, much like Wilson (I've added a few tracks to a playlist entitled "Crime and Punishment"). You guys will definitely need to see the LIVE version of "Trains", and get a _laugh_ what happens ;). Got to see the band for the Deadwing Tour and Fear of a Blank Planet. I'll be just enjoying your reactions and journey through this album, so don't mind me . . . . . :D

I usually only listen to your "reactions" to the older music (because I'm older)... BUT, I just listened to the first song you played, and I immediately went to iTunes and bought it! These guys are amazing, and have been around for quite a while too.... not sure what I never heard of them before. Thanks for turning me on to this band! Regards, ALinCAL

That was my 1st time listening to Procupine tree: I really like it! I would of never known this band if it wasn't for you! I started following you because of Rush and now I watch all the content you put out! You guys mention the cello in there: you should react to 2Cellos Thunderstuck or Smooth Criminal!

Alexa, I loved when you said that "Trains" is the Tree tune you have listened to the most since initially hearing it during a reaction session. I think it is an absolutely perfect, seminal, and essential pop-rock song. You may be familiar with the RU-vid project from several years ago in which 50 or 50-plus musicians recorded and contributed their versions of "Trains". How many songs can claim that!

Michael Akerfeldt gave Steven the main riff for this. Great dynamics in this and the bouncy and light elements contrast so well with the heavy sections and all the time singing about a serial killer.

Someone may have said this but Muzak is the bland elevator music that you used to hear in department stores, elevators, phone holds etc. It is cheesy covers of popular songs done by a orchestra or bland singers. There was/ is a company, called Muzak LLC, that put out this music. It’s a mostly 60’s, 70’s and 80’s thing

My name is Eric so, and i recommanded every songs of PORCUPINE TREE !

Gavin Harrison (drummer) played as a session drummer with only a few weeks notice on this. Sound of Muzak drum take was the 1st or 2nd and when they were recording they were all smiles in the control room whilst Gavin laid down this dynamic groovy masterpiece. To get an insight into Steven's musical brain he has a podcast with Tim Bowness call The Album Years.

The first Porcupine Tree album I ever bought, and my favourite. There is no filler here. You're listening to it and thinking it can't get better... then Strip The Soul comes on and blows your mind... and then Collapse The Light Into Earth plucks every heartstring!

Fantastic album. Believe it or not they were even better live.

So glad you did the whole thing here even if it's not a concept album ! I encourage you to dig in their discography since 1995 - ain't that much attracted by the early work even if it's somehow pretty good - Hope you did not forget about doing the same kind of reaction for IQ's Subterranea. ;) Hugz

Love this album so much ,glad you like it, next whole album reaction 'Fear Of A Blank Planet'. ALSO Please - do video reactions to 'Anestesize' live in tilburg - also 'way out of here' - 'what happens now' - & 'Dark Mater' all from tilburg. Also 'Hatesong' live in Chicago from DVD Arriving Somewhere ( porcupine tree's jammin is next level!!!) - keep the good work up.

This is brilliant!

Catching up with these full album reactions while we have decent WiFi. It’s so spotty here in this New England campground and this morning a tree fell (was anyone around to hear it?) and took out power to the entire campground. Silver lining was the automatic reset of WiFi! So here we are and it’s In Absentia! One of my favorites by PT for sure. Others have mentioned that Drown With Me should have been on this but wasn’t and I agree, it’s a great song. I had the good fortune of seeing them live in Boston and they did Trains to the delight of the audience. They had the clapping part down! Nobody else out there is doing what you two are doing and that’s why I keep up with whatever it is you are doing. Hope you enjoyed the movie!

I've been trying to figure out which album to suggest next but there are so many to choose from!!! Can't go wrong with Fear of a Blank Planet though!!!!!!

This is a superb album and I own the 4 disc version of it but as someone else has mentioned on here Fear of a Blank Planet actually presses all my musical buttons :O

Steven Wilson has got such a great listening ear. He has done so many remixes and can add that touch of genius. The sound of Muzak is the music you hear around supermarkets, in elevators etc. Probably my favourite track. I've seen it played live over here in the UK.

I’ve never heard these guys, and I think they’re fantastic. If you like the less commercial feel then you will love EL&P “ Tarkus”, “Brain Salad Surgery “, and “Pictures at an Exhibition “ each totally different, and each is epic. This PT is great

Fantastic Thanks.

OK guys, loved your reaction! 👏🏾 you defintitely need to listen to "The Incident" and "Fear of a Blank Planet". Btw, haven't you guys considered doing a The Mars Volta reaction? You have to check out Amputechture, De-Loused in the Comatorium and The Bedlam in Goliath, really awesome albums.

every album of theirs is different musically.this is still one of their best.a great musical journey

First album I bought and love it.

The best four song opening sequence of any album IMO.

La verdad. Es emocionante ese final, ese colapso de la luz en la tierra. Todo este disco, en general. Pero, particularmente, ese final produjo en mí algo así como una sensación de trascendencia, de emoción liberada. Curioso el siguiente razonamiento: el cliché, o en su defecto esa frase hecha o prefabricada, de pensar que la música supone una experiencia universal pierde su consistencia, puesto que, precisamente, a diferentes personas en diferentes partes del mundo, nos produjo una sensación íntima, especial y decididamente única. Saludos y gracias.

Hi again Nick and Alexa. (-: You are a beautiful (not just physically) and wonderful couple, and quite lucidly very special humans. And in my opinion your taste in music is likewise very special! I was thrilled to see that you recently reacted to "The Who: Quadrophenia", as I am a huge fan of The Who (especially the soundtrack of "Tommy", which I love to sing!). Have you seen the movie "Quadrophenia" as well? I heartily recommend it; it's a classic with a kick-ass soundtrack! From my previous posts, you know what a fervent, devout fan of Porcupine Tree I am (I sometimes tell people I am a Porcupine Tree disciple.) (-: As such, I can't help but love Steven Wilson's eponymic work as well! I enthusiastically plead with you to do a couple of "doubles": "Raider II" (including the "Prelude" segment, which is seriously freaky and atmospheric, and would make a perfect intro in a horror movie soundtrack!), and "Song Of Unborn". "Raider II", I have read or been told, is about the BTK (Bind-Torture-Kill) serial killer in Wichita, Kansas. The song's distorted vocals are supremely effective, and the musicianship is as stunning as musicianship can be! Steven is a master of atmosphere and dark music, when he wants to be. (What a shame he is not recruited by movie producers/directors planetwide to write soundtracks for them). Please please include the original version, from "Grace For Drowning", which is for me still the best eponymous SW magnum opus, and the blistering live version from "Get All You Deserve", which I hail as the best concert video in the history of music. And, as with the mighty Tree, you will be exceedingly impressed by the musicians who accompany Wilson. I dare you to turn out every light you can then light a single candle before listening to and doing "Raider II". You'll know what I mean... LOL It is a nighttime song not a daylight song, for sure. The other double-reaction I heartily rec (and beg you for (-: ) is "Song Of Unborn": the original/studio version from the brilliant "To The Bone" album, and the very poignant live version from "Home Invasion". Both are on RU-vid. Advance warning: You both might be crying during "Song Of Unborn", especially during the "Home Invasion" version, which features a very evocative visual aspect as well (that's all about that - I don't want to include a "spoiler" here). I dedicated "Song Of Unborn" to my first-and-only great-niece just before Christmas '19, a few months before she was born. The song's lyrics are profound and perfect, and they are GENIUS. So often are SW's lyrical talents overlooked and overshadowed by his metahuman, interdimensional musical acumen, but he also is a gifted and fantastic lyricist, as Jim Morrison was. The melody of "Song Of Unborn" is so very special. "Raider II", including the "Raider Prelude" phase, and "Song Of Unborn" are starkly opposites, to say the least, and two of SW's best creations, in my perspective. Even if you don't react to them, please listen to them in your own time, away from your reaction channel. You will be very glad you did! They are must-hears, and too good to live without! On that, if only you knew how unbelievably good, and rich, the Porcupine Tree discography is, you would listen to all the band's songs in a weekend, without waiting to react to them on your awesome channel gradually, and progressively! I admire your amazing patience, and I also admire your doing a reaction channel. Thank you for reacting to great music for us your fans! Keep up the wonderful work! (Strangely - perhaps because I had not logged in for a few weeks, RU-vid unsubscribed me on my PC, so I resubscribed before typing this comment). Hopefully I am not unsubscribed on my cellphone too. -- Fondly, Cosmic Chris in Oklahoma

I'm glad you guys experienced 'In Absentia' from beginning to end. For me, it is the quintessential Porcupine Tree album even though 'Deadwing' has been my favorite of theirs for a while. You guys should do full album reactions to 'Deadwing', 'Fear of A Blank Planet' and 'The Incident.' You won't be disappointed. Peace

Dude....you better treat her right, all I'm saying. I never had a girl like my music, you are lucky!

Great to see a full album react and this is an awesome album despite the fact it does not have the set piece classic tracks that Deadwing and Fear of a blank planet do, but for a review you should take some repeat listens before attempting. Maybe if you do more Porcupine tree albums, and Deadwing and FOABP are obvious choices, then you could pick up your overall like and dislike review comments for the previous album on the front end of that? There are also Stevens solo albums to react to and ‘Hand cannot erase’ in particular rewards listening to in one hit as greater than the sum of its parts.

Hi guys, Enjoyed that! Early PT very like PF of the Meddle era (Try track 1 of Sky Moves Sideways) - SW does vary his range hugely!

47:40 : Congrats to your choreographer ! 🤩🤗

I love how they are smiling and grooving even in the darkest lines.

A great way to spend the morning while I work.I love this album. Nick, you're lucky. I can't get my wife to hear how great this band is. She had a hard time warming up to Radiohead, now she loves them, even bought the tickets to see them live. But Porcupine Tree, she won't budge. I don't get it, I think she can't get past the name. What can you do, it's all subjective.

There are a couple supplemental tracks to this album that came out on different versions. There’s a heavy version of “Collapse the Light into the Earth” it’s also called “Wet Ribbon” on different release (don’t ask, I have no idea why). There’s also an extended version of “Strip the Soul” if I remember correct it’s extended by over a few minutes. Anyway absolutely love your reactions, especially these full length ones. Stay well.

Blackest Eyes is one of my all time favourite riffs. It kicks arse!

It's okay Nick, I was totally crying too!

This album had a very similar effect on me like when I heard OK computer for the first time. When "Let Down" and "Exit Music" played, I almost cried because all the bursting emotions in my chest. Really beautiful album.

thank you so much...I very much like the smooth and sweet way you comment these albums. This one is on my top 5 best albums ever, heard it maybe 100 times. I wanted to say that your audio is very good, I have heard things that I did not before today. About the sound or Musak : it'a an american company that produced music for elevators, supermarket etc... and in that music the mixing was flat , so a lot of edges were lost....

this is a must have album for a drummer like me.

Probably my favorite PT album. Glad you two like it, as well. Did I hear you mention that you aren't all too familiar with Muse? Now, there's another brilliant band for ya. Muse may be the best live band I've ever seen ( and I've seen a ton of bands live; also PT ). If not the best, definitely top 5. No idea if Muse are notorious blockers, though. No bad albums, though. Favorite Muse albums of mine are Origin Of Symmetry and Absolution.

You guys should open a little video window for us to watch when you react to entire "Arriving Somewhere" concert video.

And once again, as before, from the Rush reaction a while back to this one.. another swooping light anomoly in your video beginning at about 2 minutes and 22 seconds above Nick's head, when he mentions being prepared, drinking water etc. Crazy that I found this twice. Anyway, back to watching your reaction.

Que envidia les tengo, qué no daría por volver a escuchar por primera vez este discazo

Hey Nick and Lex. It's Alan again!! I'm hoping you two can get back to some more Dream Theater reactions. You're also missing out on John Petrucci's latest solo album and Liquid Tension Experiment 3. Thanks for your awesome reactions!!

I love the two of you

This is one of my favorite PT albums. Frankly, they didn't put out much music that wasn't great. Would LOVE to see your reaction to Voyage 34.... definitely when Steven was in his Pink Floyd phase early on in his career. Thanks for doing this Nick and Lex.