"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. The album received a nomination at the 54th Annual G ...

'', the second solo studio album, by

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

rock musician Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as "rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States and ...

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 Corrosio ...

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

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group

North Atlantic Oscillation The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a weather phenomenon over the North Atlantic Ocean of fluctuations in the difference of atmospheric pressure at sea level (SLP) between the Icelandic Low and the Azores High. Through fluctuations in the ...

, 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 music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' 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, fi ...

'' 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 band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...

", 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 singer Aviv Geffen. Together, six albums have been released under the moniker. The first two records, ''Blackfi ...

, Wilson's melodic pop rock side project. ''American Aftermath'' called it a "gorgeous ballad" 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 singles 2011 songs Steven Wilson songs 2010s ballads