The Sky Moves Sideways

The Sky Moves Sideways

Cover art by Claudine Schafer
Studio album by Porcupine Tree
Released February, 1995
Recorded June, 1993-July, 1994
Genre Progressive rock
Psychedelic rock
Space rock
Length 65:31
Label Delerium
Producer Steven Wilson
Porcupine Tree chronology
Up the Downstair
(1994)		 The Sky Moves Sideways
(1995)		 Signify
(1996)
Remastered Edition
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

The Sky Moves Sideways is the third studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released in February, 1995. It has been compared to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here because of their similar structure[2]; both albums have extended pieces at the beginning and end, which are the halves of a single song.

The Sky Moves Sideways was the first Porcupine Tree album to be released in the US, and the first on which Porcupine Tree was actually a band rather than simply a pseudonym for Steven Wilson. This transition took place while the album was being recorded, so two of the tracks - namely "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder" and "Dislocated Day" - are performed entirely by Wilson, while the full band appears on the remainder of the album (including "Stars Die", a UK single which was added to the US version of the album).

In 2004, a new, two CD version of The Sky Moves Sideways was released, along with a similar re-release of the previous album, Up the Downstair, featuring newly recorded acoustic drums by Gavin Harrison on tracks which previously had only drum machines and other electronic percussion programmed by Wilson.

There are thus three distinct versions of this album - the original UK version, the US version, and the 2004 remaster - no two of which feature the same track list, or the same version of "Moonloop".

Contents

Track listing

European release

  1. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 1" – 18:37 (Steven Wilson)
    • "The Colour of Air"
    • "I Find That I'm Not There"
    • "Wire the Drum"
    • "Spiral Circus"
  2. "Dislocated Day" – 5:24 (Wilson)
  3. "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder" – 5:40 (Wilson)
  4. "Prepare Yourself" – 1:54 (Wilson)
  5. "Moonloop" – 17:04 (Porcupine Tree)
  6. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 2" – 16:46 (Wilson)
    • "Is...Not"
    • "Off the Map"

US version

"The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 1"
1. "The Colour of Air" – 4:39
2. "I Find That I'm Not There" – 3:47
3. "Wire the Drum" – 6:18
4. "Spiral Circus" – 3:56
5. "Stars Die" – 5:01
6. "Moonloop" – 8:11
7. "Dislocated Day" – 5:24
8. "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder" – 5:51
"The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 2"
9. "Is... Not" – 12:01
10. "Off the Map" – 4:43

Besides the addition of "Stars Die", the different running order and the removal of "Prepare Yourself", the version of "Moonloop" on this edition is less than half the length of the one on the UK release. Note that the two parts of the title track on this edition have been split into a number of sections.

Expanded edition

Disc 1:

  1. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 1" – 18:39
    • "The Colour of Air"
    • "I Find That I'm Not There"
    • "Wire the Drum"
    • "Spiral Circus"
  2. "Dislocated Day" – 5:24
  3. "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder" – 5:40
  4. "Prepare Yourself" – 1:58
  5. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 2" – 16:48
    • "Is...Not"
    • "Off the Map"

Disc 2:

  1. "The Sky Moves Sideways (Alternate Version)" – 34:42
  2. "Stars Die" – 5:01
  3. "Moonloop (Improvisation)" – 16:18
  4. "Moonloop (Coda)" – 4:52

The song "The Sky Moves Sideways (Alternate Version)" is actually 34:42 instead of 34:37 as it says on the back of the Expanded edition. Also the version of "Moonloop" here has three minutes of additional material previously available only on an EP, and is split into two tracks. Note that this is the only version of The Sky Moves Sideways which includes both "Prepare Yourself" and "Stars Die". This particular version of "The Sky Moves Sideways" has been cited by Wilson as his personal favorite out of all of his albums.

3LP edition

A triple vinyl edition was released in 2004 by Headspin Music record label, including a 7-inch single with two versions of the song "Men of Wood", the first was taken from The Sky Moves Sideways recording sessions and the 2000 mix was previously included in the Stars Die: The Delerium Years 1991-1997 compilation.

Side one

  1. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 1" – 18.39

Side two

  1. "Stars Die" – 5:01
  2. "Dislocated Day" – 5:24
  3. "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder" – 5:40
  4. "Prepare Yourself" – 1:58

Side three

  1. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 2" – 16:48

Side four

  1. "Moonloop" (improvisation) – 16:18
  2. "Moonloop" (coda) – 4:52

Side five

  1. "The Sky Moves Sideways" - alt ver part 1 – 16:36

Side six

  1. "The Sky Moves Sideways" - alt ver part 2 – 18:01

Bonus seven-inch single

  1. "Men of Wood" - 1994 Mix – 3:35
  2. "Men of Wood" - 2000 Mix – 3:35

Personnel

Production & Art

External links

References

  1. ^ "allmusic ((( The Sky Moves Sideways > Overview )))". www.allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r224260. Retrieved 2009-11-24. 
  2. ^ "allmusic ((( The Sky Moves Sideways > Overview )))". www.allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r224260. Retrieved 2009-11-24. 
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