signify

1 denote or connote; "`maison' means `house' in French"; "An example sentence would show what this word means" [syn: mean, intend, stand for]

2 convey or express a meaning; "These words mean nothing to me!"; "What does his strange behavior signify?"

3 make known with a word or signal; "He signified his wish to pay the bill for our meal" [also: signified]

English

Verb

1. To give (something) a meaning or an importance.
2. To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.
3. an overt or implicit display of one’s freedom in the presence of inmates or convicts.

Translations

• Finnish: merkitä (1), tarkoittaa (1)

Translations to be checked

• ttbc Spanish: señalar, suponer, representar, significar

Signify is the fourth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released in September, 1996. It was the first album that frontman Steven Wilson recorded with a full group of musicians on board from the beginning. Previously he had been recording albums primarily as a one-man band with help gradually from other musicians. A number of the songs (albeit in demo form) were debuted live on the The Sky Moves Sideways tour before being recorded. The song "Every Home is Wired" has been covered by Polish electronic group Cabaret and included in their single Electric Chair Song. The full quote from the background words of "Idiot Prayer" can be heard on the song Trippin' by SRM.

Track listing

1. "Bornlivedie" (Wilson/Barbieri) – 1:41
2. "Signify" (Wilson) – 3:26
3. "The Sleep of No Dreaming" (Wilson) – 5:24
4. "Pagan" (Wilson) – 1:34
5. "Waiting (Phase One)" (Wilson) – 4:24
6. "Waiting (Phase Two)" (Wilson) – 6:15
7. "Sever" (Wilson) – 5:30
8. "Idiot Prayer" (Wilson/Edwin) – 7:37
9. "Every Home Is Wired" (Wilson) – 5:08
10. "Intermediate Jesus" (Wilson/Barbieri/Edwin/Maitland) – 7:29
11. ""Light Mass Prayers"" (Maitland) – 4:28
12. "Dark Matter" (Wilson) – 8:57

The 2004 re-issue on Snapper Music (2003 on Delerium) contains a second disc of demos from the Signify sessions, titled Insignificance. It is a remaster of a cassette originally available only to subscribers of the Porcupine Tree info service "Transmission". The tracklist is:

1. "Wake As Gun I" – 3:29
2. "Hallogallo" (Neu! Cover) – 3:37
3. "Signify" – 3:27
4. "Waiting" – 6:56
5. "Smiling Not Smiling" – 3:49
6. "Wake As Gun II" – 2:06
7. "Neural Rust" – 5:53
8. "Dark Origins" – 6:54
9. "Sever Tomorrow" – 6:04
10. "Nine Cats" (Acoustic Version) – 4:08

Some of the tracks are working titles of songs that were later included on the album (i.e. "Dark Origins" and "Sever Tomorrow") whilst others were not included (i.e. "Wake as Gun I" and "Wake as Gun II").

Musicians

• Steven Wilson - guitars, piano, organ, mellotron, samples, tapes, banshee guitar, drum programming, chimes, musical boxes, vocals
• Richard Barbieri - synthesisers, Hammond organ, Prophet V/System 700 electronics, piano, tapes, texture, sequencers
• Colin Edwin - electric bass, double bass
• Chris Maitland - drums, cymbals, percussion, vocal harmonies, drum loops, keyboards and voices on "Light Mass Prayers"

Reviews

Professional reviews:

• Metal Hammer - Were Porcupine Tree called something like Camel, Pendragon or even Marillion, they would be deemed unfashionable and universally reviled. Instead, their last single featured heavily in the indie charts, despite the fact that this, their fourth and rather splendid album contains lengthy instrumental progressions, low key vocals and song titles like "Pagan", and "Sleep Of No Dreaming".

• Q - Beneficiaries of a modest critical hoopla, The Porcupine Tree occupy a curious musical netherworld wherein prog rock crosses swords with the scum-stained rifferama of grunge and ambient dance styles.

• The Big Issue - Not following any recognised style, their stuff is more like variations on several themes, Signify being no exception.

External links

• Porcupine Tree Official Website
• Signify at Snapper Music

References

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