Ok...people need to give this album a chance...its in the top 5 of all time for me and I'm gonna review the album...
1. Blackest Eyes -- Probably one of the best opening to an album in the history of rock...starts off hard edge metal, it leads you on to think the whole song is metal-esque. It slows down and sings great lyrics, my personal favorite is "It's so erotic when your makeup runs" The soft part then goes back into the metal part and makes you bang your head! Great song!!! 5/5
2. Trains -- Arguably, the best song on the record. The closest thing I can think of to the beauty of this song is probably APC's 3 Libras. A complete change from the hard edge of Blackest Eyes. Listening to Steven sing on this, you can tell he poured his soul into it...a painfully torturing song that pulls you in (everyone I have ever played this for says this song is great, even people who don't like PT) My favorite line in this "When I hear the Engine Pass, I'm kissing you wide, the hissing subsides, I'm in luck...when the evening reaches here youre tying me up, i'm dying in love, it's ok" ****ing incredible song! 7/5!!!!! GO DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
3. Lips of Ashes -- Mainly just an Acoustic Guitar playing the same hook over and over with some chimes or other kind of string instruments. Very pretty and melodic, you can find yourself relaxing after the emotional overload from Trains :) I give this song a 3/5 Not a bad song, but not a great one.
4. The Sound of Muzak -- PT being political on this one. All about the fakeness of Music today...I love the line "Music of Rebellion makes you wanna rage, but its made my millionaires who are nearly twice your age" Good political song with solid guitar. I give this a 4/5.
5. Gravity Eyelids -- Very beautiful song that starts off slow with some haunting vocals and very little guitar. Mostly a mellotron in the beginning...Steven gets 4 vocal parts going to create kind of a harmony...very nice. Favorite Line "I've been waiting for hours, lets the salt flow and feel my coil unwind" I like this song...gets kinda harder at the end, but still, a very beautiful song 4/5.
6. Wedding Nails -- An instrumental track that kinda sounds like a Zeppelin song in the beginning (or at least I think so) Rockish and kinda fun...though, I think it goes on too long and probably could have been shortened, but it is a rockin' instrumental...for this I give a 4/5.
7. Prodigal -- Another one of my favorites on this record. Kinda slow and a guitar part of it sounds like the heavy part in Face of Melinda by Opeth. The song is about being depressed and trying to get over it, but it's failure (or at least I think) It's a sad song, but it's still pretty good. I love the chorus "Rain keeps falling down the glass, the good times never seem to last, close your eyes and let the thought pass" I like it, though, it is a little depressing. 4/5.
8. .3 -- Not one of my favorites...has a simple cool bass line in the beginning but Steven says like 3 sentences in the song, but nothing really special about this song, it is filler basically. But, its not a bad song if you want to chill out... I give it a 2/5.
9. The Creator Has a Masterpiece -- vocals sound a lot like Beck, kinda strange song, but some bad *** drumming and guitar on this one. Very face paced, but pretty cool song, but I think it is still kinda lacking. I give this song a 3/5.
10. Heartattack in a Layby -- VERY sad song, but great imagery in the song and great lyrics. Mostly piano and light guitar...the vocals echo and have some harmony towards the end...the backround vocals at the end sing "She waits for me, Home waits for me" and he sings about how he needs to get back to his woman and he lived his life too fast. So, basically, he's dying, yet he still sings "We'll grow old together"...very moving song, it's hard to describe, but I think its really beautiful. 5/5.
11. Strip the Soul -- They actually made a video for this song for MTV. Probably has one of the coolest bass lines ever!! Makes you nod your head to it...starts off with just bass and drums and then goes into some heavy guitar...very cynical and hard song, I love the line "I can use, I abuse my muse I made them all". Good rock song!! I give this a 5/5! Though, I think it goes on a little too long though.
12. Collapse the Light into Earth -- VERY beautiful, kinda Coldplay-ish. Just a piano and some effects later on, sounds like an orchestra comes in. The Vocals echo when he sings, giving the song more depth IMO. Very beautiful way to end the record. 5/5.
This is my first review, I know its not perfect, but I hope I have convinced some of you to get this great CD!!! I give In Absentia a 5/5...great combination of soft and hard, gives you a very ecclectic blend of great music. Steven Wilson deserves a pat on the back for this CD, it has changed my life!
GO BUY IT!! :thumb:
