Usually, when a band has been around for over 15 years, the sheer volume of music they’ve produced can be quite overwhelming.  Of course, Tool are the exception rather than the rule with a meager 4 studio albums since 1992, but thankfully, Porcupine Tree have released enough material to keep fans occupied for ages.  Even better is the fact that I have favorites that span as far back as their first album that came out in 1992.  However, since I hadn’t the slightest clue on what a Porcupine Tree was back in 1992, I’m partial to the more recent stuff.  Also new to this list: links to full songs on Last.fm or YouTube where available. Just click the song name.

10. Lightbulb Sun - LIGHTBULB SUN - 5:33

9. Drown With Me - IN ABSENTIA (BONUS TRACK) - 5:22

8. Radioactive Toy - ON THE SUNDAY OF LIFE/STARS DIE - 10:10

7. Dark Matter - SIGNIFY/STARS DIE - 8:52

6. Arriving Somewhere But Not Here - DEADWING - 12:02

5. Anesthetize - FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET - 17:43

4. Trains - IN ABSENTIA - 5:56

3. Piano Lessons - STUPID DREAM - 4:22

2. The Sound of Muzak - IN ABSENTIA - 4:59

1. Blackest Eyes - IN ABSENTIA - 4:23

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Total Playing Time: 79:22

Honorable Mentions: The Start of Something Beautiful (Deadwing), Even Less, A Smart Kid (Stupid Dream)

This list betrays my affection for In Absentia and Stupid Dream.  While I think those are two of the best albums that PT has put out, Deadwing and FoaBP come pretty damn close.  As opposed to the Tool playlist, this one will actually fit on an 80-minute CD since I chose Lightbulb Sun as #10 over Even Less.  Rest assured, I didn’t do it intentionally.  I only counted up the playing time after I had settled on the top 10.  By some weird coincidence, the four tracks that exceed the 8-minute mark are all bunched together in between the shorter ones.  That leads me to the reason I love PT so damn much - they can do long, proggy tracks and shorter, poppy/radio-friendly tracks with equal ease.  Steven Wilson’s production is the sweet icing on the delicious cake that is the skillful instrumentation.  I feel this list is a diverse mix - you have the more acoustical ones like Trains and Drown With Me but you also get the hard rockers in Blackest Eyes, Anesthetize (middle section), and Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (second half).

This list was at once easy and difficult to compile.  On the one hand, I’m highly attracted to a good bunch of the top ten which made it easy to come up with the first 6-7 tracks on the list.  On the other hand, it was incredibly difficult to complete the list and organize it after #1.  Tracks such as Strip The Soul, Fadeaway, Nine Cats, Sever, Mother and Child Divided, Buying New Soul, Synesthesia, Pure Narcotic, and Way Out Of Here were all very close to making the top 10 (+3).  Anyone looking to expand beyond the “official” list, should try out the songs I just mentioned.