Episode 174 - Porcupine Tree Part 5, The Sky Moves Sideways

Episode 174 – Porcupine Tree Part 5, The Sky Moves Sideways This episode dissects an album that divides opinion. Joe warmed to it despite feeling it stepped back from *Up the Downstair*. Paul and Ken acknowledge early sketches of the band's future sound—Steven Wilson's compositions show promise—yet the record often fades into background music rather than commanding attention. The group examines the album's structural comparison to Pink Floyd's *Wish You Were Here* and debate whether it's intentional influence or derivative. They praise individual musicianship and standout moments (that haunting flute melody in "Phase 1" is genuinely stunning), but critique excessive length and slow development. **Key takeaway:** *The Sky Moves Sideways* captures a band still learning to work as a cohesive unit. It's not terrible—it's a growing pain revealing Wilson's evolving vision. The question: *what comes next?* Curious about how Porcupine Tree evolved from here? **Listen now** to hear the full technical breakdown and storytelling analysis. BlueSky: @progpala.bsky.social X: @progpala Instagram: www.instagram.com/progressivepalaver/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3…cJ_7Z__w/featured Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt