If forced to choose a favorite band, Porcupine Tree is the band that most frequently tops my list. They’re a perfect amalgam of progressive rock and metal, the two genres I most love. Firesideometer’s fearless leader limits Mix-Tape Monday playlists to an hour, and with a band that often has tracks over ten minutes, that makes a list of the “best” tracks nearly impossible. Given those constraints, I offer these nine tracks as an introduction to those who are uninitiated or want to dig deeper.

‘Fear of a Blank Planet’

The opening title track from what everyone (but me) considers the band’s best record lays out the concept for the album: how modern life leads us to disengage. We’re starting out with a banger, continuing the style that was brought about on In Absentia and Deadwing, which we’ll visit later.

'Blackest Eyes’

This is the album that delivered Porcupine Tree into the stratosphere: major label, new drummer in Gavin Harrison, and a harder edge musically, a result of Steven’s role as producer on Opeth’s seminal Blackwater Park record. This was my introduction to the band and changed my musical life. It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty years.

'Even Less’

“A body is washed up on a Norfolk beach, he was a friend that I could not reach.” So begins the stunning opening track from what I consider to be the band’s best record, Stupid Dream. Bold riffs, excellent drumming from Chris Maitland, Richard Barbieri’s moody keyboard washes, Colin Edwin holding down the low end, and Wilson doing a David Gilmour in the solo.

‘The Start of Something Beautiful'

Deadwing paired the heavier edge with a bit more of a pop sensibility, but you wouldn’t know it from this track. Barbieri’s keys really come to the fore along with Colin Edwin’s bass to create an enchanting intro that segues into the heavy chorus. I highly recommend the live version on Arriving Somewhere… that really showcases the brilliance of Gavin Harrison and features longtime touring guitarist John Wesley on guitar and backing vocals.

‘Cure for Optimism’

Porcupine Tree are well-known for having some of their b-sides as good as or better than album tracks, and this one from the Lightbulb Sun sessions is one of their best. Essentially a solo Wilson track, it consists only of some moody keyboards with acoustic guitar, but it is powerful.

‘The Blind House’

The Incident is a bit of a divisive record in the PT catalogue: even the band themselves find it to be one of their lesser records, and it was after this cycle that the band went on a 12-year hiatus. It’s not my favorite of theirs, but I think it’s a far stronger record than its reputation suggests. This track opens the record (aside from a short intro) and presages the rest: darker, heavier guitars and a little less prog, but with all of the band’s hallmarks.

‘Lightbulb Sun’

And this song is nearly the polar opposite of the preceding track: a light, airy, and almost downright touching memory of a childhood illness. It features a great solo into the outro that is not what you’d expect from Wilson, but it really works. Not their best record as a whole, but I absolutely adore this song.

‘Harridan’

Over a decade after The Incident, this track was released as the first single and served as our first indication of what to expect from Closure/Continuation. Starting off with an almost funky bassline played by Wilson (who played all of the guitars on the record), one wonders if this is going to be like his last two solo records. But, at the 3 minute mark, you’ll find some of the heaviest guitar work since ‘Anesthetize’, and Harrison shows why he’s one of the best drummers in the world. Add in Barbieri’s trademark keys and you have a track that feels both modern and familiar.

‘Dark Matter’

PT started off as a bit of a lark, with Wilson both revering and taking the piss out of progressive rock and psychedelia. After a couple of records in that vein, Signify was a transitional record that bridged the gap from that psychedelic past to the more rock-oriented progressive style for which they’re now known. This track closes out the record and is a perfect finale, especially the stinger at the end. The band’s still feeling each other out here, but this is one of my favorite songs in their catalogue.

And there you have it: eight albums worth of material distilled into an hour. Once you’ve taken to these, there are a few excellent live albums with versions of songs that I actually prefer to the studio takes (Anesthetize is a must!), and a few albums pre-Signify that are a bit patchier and require more patience. If it turns out that Closure/Continuation is their last, we'll always have their incredible catalogue.