Lightbulb Sun is the sixth studio album by the British band Porcupine Tree, released on 22 May 2000 on East Rock. It follows Stupid Dream from 1999, and the two records share a more melodic, pop-minded approach, a step away from the abstract instrumental sound of the band's earlier work. It was reissued in 2008 on CD, DVD-A surround sound and vinyl.

The album falls into two halves, with "The Rest Will Flow" and "Hatesong" marking the divide. The first half leans into the band's melodic, song-focused side, while the second turns more experimental. It's a useful place to hear Porcupine Tree balancing progressive and alternative rock before the heavier sound of their 2000s albums, which began with In Absentia in 2002.

Lightbulb Sun: tracklist and credits

10 tracks · 56:21

Tracklist

  1. 1Lightbulb SunSteven Wilson5:31
  2. 2How Is Your Life Today?Steven Wilson2:46
  3. 3Four Chords That Made a MillionSteven Wilson3:36
  4. 4ShesmovedonSteven Wilson5:14
  5. 5Last Chance to Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is RecycledSteven Wilson4:48
  6. 6The Rest Will FlowSteven Wilson3:24
  7. 7HatesongColin Edwin and Steven Wilson8:26
  8. 8Where We Would BeSteven Wilson4:12
  9. 9Russia on IceBarbieri, Edwin, Maitland, Wilson13:04
  10. 10Feel So LowSteven Wilson5:18
Produced by
Steven Wilson, Dave Gregory
Recorded at
Foel Studio (Llanfair Caereinion, & No Man's Land, Hemel Hempstead, Britain), No Man’s Land, Christchurch Studios
Recorded
November 1999 – January 2000
Mixed at
No Man’s Land
Engineered by
Steven Wilson, John Waterhouse
Mastered by
Chris Blair
Photography
Luigi Colasanti Antonelli, John Foxx
Labels
East Rock, Snapper
Length
56:21

Line-up

  • Richard Barbieri · synthesizer, Hammond organ, Rhodes piano, clavinet, mellotron, percussion
  • Colin Edwin · fretless bass, bass guitar, bass, drum machine, bağlama, gumbri
  • Chris Maitland · drums (drum set), percussion, background vocals, tom-tom
  • Steven Wilson · guitar, piano, mellotron, vocals, hammered dulcimer, lead vocals, harp, sampler, banjo, percussion
  • Lisa Betteridge · violin
  • Emmeline Brewer · cello
  • Stuart Gordon · violin, viola · guest
  • Sarah Heins · viola
  • Katy Latham · violin
  • Nick Parry · cello · guest

Singles

  • “Four Chords That Made a Million” · 1 May 2000
  • “Shesmovedon” · 10 July 2000

From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.

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Releases and pressings

How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
SourceDateNote
MusicBrainz22 May 2000
Wikipedia infobox22 May 2000
Wikidata22 May 2000
UK / Europe release22 May 2000earliest UK or European date
16 editions
DateCountryLabelBarcodeKind
2000KREast Rock8809053139024other
2000ILKscope0636551284127other
2000GBSnapper Musicother
22 May 2000GBKscope636551282727original
February 2001GBSnapper Music636551284127other
21 April 2008GBKscope802644810225other
21 April 2008GBTransmissionother
8 July 2008GBTonefloatother
12 November 2008JPWHD Entertainment, Inc.4582213912562other
2011GBBurning Shedother
16 October 2013JPWHD Entertainment, Inc.4582213915556other
8 July 2016GBKscope802644737928other
8 July 2016XWKscopeother
8 July 2016XEKscope802644737928other
October 2017XEKscope802644896519other
2021XETransmission802644722221other
Cover art sources

deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)

SourceSizeVerdict
deezer ✓1200×1200upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
fanarttv1000×1000upscaled
coverartarchive500×500upscaled