"Postcard" is the first single from ''

Grace for Drowning ''Grace for Drowning'' is the second solo studio album by Steven Wilson, producer, songwriter, and frontman of Porcupine Tree. It was released by Kscope on 26 September 2011 as a double album, and being his first album after Porcupine Tree’s ...

'', the second solo studio album by the English musician

Steven Wilson Steven John Wilson (born 3 November 1967) is an English musician. He is the founder, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter of the rock band Porcupine Tree, as well as being a member of several other bands, including Blackfield, Storm Corrosi ...

. It was released digitally on 10 October 2011. The single includes the album version, a live piano/vocal version, a remix by Scottish

new prog Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed "progressive pop", the ...

group North Atlantic Oscillation, and a remix of another track from the same album, "Index".

Reception

Reception for the song has been generally positive, with critics praising it for being more melodic and accessible than much of the ''Grace for Drowning'' album. William Ruhlmann of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

interpreted it to be a song about lost love, writing, "In the relatively sparse lyrics that Wilson sings with a calm, British-accented tenor, he seems melancholy at first, apparently suffering from the aftermath of a romantic breakup. 'There's nothing left for me to say or do,' he declares in 'Postcard'." Brice Ezell of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...

'' described it as one of the most accessible, melodic, and strongest songs of the album. Similarly, ''Metal Buzz'' described the song as "Wilson's attempt at

Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...

", and ''Alternative Matter'' compared it to music from

Blackfield Blackfield is a collaborative music project by the English musician and founder of Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, and Israeli rock musician Aviv Geffen. Together, six albums have been released under the moniker. The first two records, '' Blac ...

, Wilson's melodic

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...

side project. ''American Aftermath'' called it a "gorgeous

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...

" that "could fill even the coldest shell of a person with emotion".

Track listing

# "Postcard" (Album Version) - 4:28 # "Postcard" (Live Piano/Vocal Version) – 3:12 # "Postcard" (North Atlantic Oscillation Remix) – 4:38 # "Index" (Necro Deathmort Remix) – 5:01

References

{{Authority control 2011 songs 2011 singles Steven Wilson songs 2010s ballads Rock ballads Songs written by Steven Wilson