Of the New Day

Last updated
"Of the New Day"
Of the New Day Porcupine Tree.webp
Single by Porcupine Tree
from the album Closure/Continuation
Released8 March 2022
Recorded2011–September 2021
Length4:43
Label Music for Nations
Songwriter(s) Steven Wilson
Producer(s)
Porcupine Tree singles chronology
"Harridan"
(2021)
"Of the New Day"
(2022)
"Herd Culling"
(2022)

"Of the New Day" is a song by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, released on 8 March 2022 as the second single in promotion of the band's eleventh studio album Closure/Continuation . The track was released alongside a music video. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Background and composition

According to front-man Steven Wilson, "Of the New Day is a song of rebirth, emerging from the darkness", further elaborating by stating how It sounds deceptively simple, a recognisably atypical Porcupine Tree ballad. That is until you realise that the length of the bars is constantly changing, flipping between bars of regular 4
4
time to 3
4
, to 5
4
to 6
4
, 11
4
, so that the track never settles into any steady time." [5] [1]

Wilson also noted how the track is something the band could do very well, stating how the band could come up with "a basic idea that’s almost intellectual or mathematical". [5] [6]

Reception

In a review of Closure/Continuation, David Rodriguez of Everything is Noise enjoyed the track, calling it a calm, ballad-esque track. They had also noted the gimmick of constantly changing time signatures, saying it's fitting given the topic of change, evolution, and rebirth. [7] Another review of the record by Thom Jurek of AllMusic enjoyed the track, stating that the track asserted itself as a "spacious ballad" that spirals into "angular prog", "blurring time signatures", and harmonics before "returning to the lithe, keyboard-centric melody". [8]

Emma Johnston of Classic Rock described the track as a "psychedelic swirl" that gives way to the next track, "Rat's Return". [9] Another positive review of the track by Steview Chuck of The Guardian noted that "despite the budding sophistication of his solo work, the Wilson of Porcupine Tree remains a better musician than lyricist, but there’s a sense of chiaroscuro at play within the sensitive chord changes of Of the New Day that assures us he is no mere technical genius, and that a heart beats beneath Closure/Continuation’s flash and flair." [10]

Brad Sanders of Pitchfork described the track as a strangely paranoid sounding ballad in a similar-vein to earlier tracks such as "Lazarus" and "My Ashes". [11] Brice Ezell of PopMatters praised the track. They called the track a gorgeous tune that justifies the band's reunion on its own, also interpreting the track's lyrics as about the "now tenuous time for Porcupine Tree". [12]

Personnel

Personnel per album liner notes [13] Porcupine Tree

Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porcupine Tree</span> English progressive rock band

Porcupine Tree are an English rock band formed by musician Steven Wilson in 1987. During an initial career spanning more than twenty years, they earned critical acclaim from critics and fellow musicians, developed a cult following, and became an influence for new artists. The group carved out a career at a certain distance away from mainstream music, being described by publications such as Classic Rock and PopMatters as "the most important band you'd never heard of".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fear of a Blank Planet (song)</span>

"Fear of a Blank Planet" is a Porcupine Tree song released in 2007. It appears as the first track on the album of the same name.

<i>Nil Recurring</i> 2007 EP by Porcupine Tree

Nil Recurring is an EP by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, released on 17 September 2007 through the band's online store. The standard version of the mini-album is composed of four tracks written during the Fear of a Blank Planet recording sessions and was completed over the summer of 2007. The EP's title, which stems from the opening instrumental track on the EP, was actually derived from an unreleased demo written during the Fear of a Blank Planet recording sessions, called "Always Recurring". Although the band never formally released the song, lyrical and melodic elements of the track were reused in the closing piece of the EP, "What Happens Now?".

<i>The Incident</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Porcupine Tree

The Incident is the tenth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. It was released as a double album on 14 September 2009 by Roadrunner Records. The record was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album and reached the Top 25 on both the US and UK album charts. It was the final release to feature Colin Edwin on bass as well as the last one from the band before an extended hiatus that lasted until 2021.

Storm Corrosion was a musical collaboration between Swedish musician Mikael Åkerfeldt of progressive metal band Opeth and English musician Steven Wilson of the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. Åkerfeldt and Wilson began a longstanding musical partnership in 2001 when Wilson produced Opeth's fifth studio album Blackwater Park. The two began writing together for a new project in 2010, releasing their self-titled only studio album in 2012 through Roadrunner Records.

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Closure/Continuation is the eleventh studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. It is their first since 2009's The Incident. Despite public uncertainty of the band's future after frontman Steven Wilson's focus on a solo career in 2010, the album was recorded intermittently in complete secrecy among Wilson, Gavin Harrison, and Richard Barbieri across the course of the following decade, without longtime bassist Colin Edwin. With the COVID-19 pandemic putting members' separate plans on hold, the band found time to finish the record in September 2021. Towards the end of the year, the band's reformation was announced, alongside the album's release date of 24 June 2022. Four singles were released ahead of the record—"Harridan", "Of the New Day", "Herd Culling", and "Rats Return".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harridan (song)</span> 2021 single by Porcupine Tree

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<i>Closure/Continuation.Live</i> 2023 live album by Porcupine Tree

Closure/Continuation.Live.Amsterdam 07/11/22 is a live album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released on 8 December 2023. The record is the second major release since the band's return in 2021. It features the band's concert to a sold out crowd at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands on 7 November 2022. The set list of the concert features every track from the standard edition of the band's most recent studio album Closure/Continuation. Alongside the album, a concert film documenting the performance, was also released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herd Culling</span> 2022 single by Porcupine Tree

Herd Culling is a song by progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released on 20 May 2022 as the third single in promotion of the bands eleventh studio album Closure/Continuation. The track was released alongside a visualizer and later, on 1 September 2022 a music video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rats Return</span> 2022 song by Porcupine Tree

"Rats Return" is a song by British-progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, it was first released on 17 June 2022 as the fourth and final single in promotion of the bands ninth studio album Closure/Continuation. It was released alongside a music video.

References

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  3. Kennelty, Greg (2022-03-08). "PORCUPINE TREE Streams "Of The New Day," Announces North & South American Tour Dates". Metal Injection. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  4. Porcupine Tree - Of the New Day (Official Lyric Video) , retrieved 2023-11-16
  5. 1 2 updated, Jerry Ewinglast (2022-03-08). "Porcupine Tree release video for Of The New Day and announce US tour dates". louder. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  6. "Porcupine Tree drop "Of the New Day" amid announcement of North and South American tour | Metal Insider". metalinsider.net. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  7. Rodriguez, David (2022-06-23). "Porcupine Tree - "CLOSURE / CONTINUATION"". Everything Is Noise. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  8. Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic , retrieved 2023-11-16
  9. Johnstonpublished, Emma (2022-06-24). "Porcupine Tree's gorgeous comeback album is an elegant and accomplished treasure". louder. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  10. Chick, Stevie (2022-06-24). "Porcupine Tree: Closure/ Continuation review – reunited prog-rockers remain emotionally detached". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  11. "Porcupine Tree: Closure / Continuation". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  12. "Porcupine Tree: Closure/Continuation (Album Review)". PopMatters. 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  13. "Porcupine Tree - Closure / Continuation". Discogs. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-15.