Porcupine Tree - Trains

Artist: Porcupine Tree
Album: In Absentia (2003)
Track: Trains

Introduction:
The piece opens with acoustic guitar. I get the sense that there are two guitars playing at once. One is panned to the left speaker and the other to the right. I can hear small nuances between the playing in each side of the stereo image (strength of accent, string noise etc.).

Vocals:
After a short introduction, vocals enter the piece. He is singing quite softly - I can hear some of his breath with each lyric, the “ess” syllables are quite loud. As part of the build up a “feedback” type of noise filters its way into the mix. A fairly wet reverb is added to the vocals, the reverb and delay can clearly be heard with the “gel” in the lyric “sixty tonne anGEL”.

Drums:
Drums enter with a fill that compliments the rhythmic accents of the guitar’s strumming pattern. It is played between the kick drum and snare / crash cymbal. Note the groove in this song is slightly unusual. The downbeat for the most part is on the “four and” of the bar (one eighth note earlier than conventional rock). The drums in this song make use of many sounds within each loops of the pattern. There are many 1/16 note variations across open hi hats and rack toms filled in between the back beat. The “human element” of the drumming is quite relevant (varying strength strokes and seemingly improvised bars. The panning of the drums is set from the perspective of the drummer. The open hi hat is clearly heard on the left while the ride cymbal is heard mostly on the right. The kick drum, snare and rack toms are central. This panning helps the accents of those open hi hat notes cut through.

Layers: 
Entering with the drums is an electric acoustic guitar and electric bass. The string noise and strumming of the acoustic guitar still cuts through the mix making an interesting texture. In the climax before the break, I can hear multiple vocal overlaps (overdubbing). A new set of percussion is introduced in this break. I can hear a shaker and some other “clip clap clop” (a programmed sound of some sort).

Pan solo: 
The guitar solo during this section is panned to a large degree on to the right side. In a build and lead out of this section a synthesized or sampled sweep can be heard. It grows in volume and lifts in pitch until it is broken by the other instruments. 

Release: 
In Absentia was released on Lava Records (a sub label of UMG). It was produced by Steven Wilson, the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter for Porcupine Tree.