Porcupine Tree avoids classification.

Singer and guitarist Steven Wilson hesitates while trying to pinpoint his band's style. "I think we try to create our own genre," he said. "It's a sophisticated kind of music. It has to be listened to. You have to immerse yourself."

Porcupine Tree takes the stage at the Bryce Jordan Center tonight, opening for Yes during what is only Porcupine Tree's third trip to America. On the two earlier tours, Wilson said the band only played in major cities. Now though, the London-based group is traveling throughout the country, opening for Yes and playing headlining shows.

The band landed the opening slot after Yes heard an advance copy of its new CD, In Absentia, which was released last month.

"I'm a big fan [of Yes]," said Wilson. "It's the kind of music I grew up listening to and was inspired by."

Wilson cites bands from the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix to Joy Division and the Cure as influences, and he talked of a time when bands were defined by albums and not by singles or videos.

"You really felt that the album was the prominent art form. I think that era ended with the advent of MTV," he said.

With In Absentia, Wilson said, "I think that in our own little way we're trying to start a revolution of our own. We want people to think about the album."

Although when the band started out more than 10 years ago it was more instrumental, Wilson said it has constantly evolved. "Earlier it was more about texture and sound. Over the years I've gotten more into singer-songwriters and vocal harmonies," Wilson said. "For a time I didn't know how to work it into a Porcupine Tree album without it sounding contrived, but I think we hit on a way to do that."

Andy Karp, vice president of A & R for Lava Records signed Porcupine Tree about a year ago after being a fan for a long time.

"I just thought that it was beautifully arranged and played with a very literate and lyrical bend to it," said Karp, who also signed Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker. "It's just really good music that hits you viscerally."

In Absentia is Porcupine Tree's first album on Lava.

"We would never sign with a major label who expected us to change," Wilson said. "I think that it's really a timing
thing. I think people are ready for sophistication to come back into rock music."

Karp agreed. "I really think that for a band like this there's a whole new generation of people out there," he said. "They may not be aware of the Pink Floyds or the Zeppelins or the Genesises, and this could be something new for them."

With the backing of a major label, Wilson said that the band has been able to bring its whole stage show to America for the first time. It includes two video screens that, according to Wilson, play "very surreal imagery, which supposedly illustrates some of the subjects going on in the songs."

Wilson originally started Porcupine Tree in the early '90s as a solo project. "I didn't know anyone else who wanted to play the same kind of music I wished to play," he said. "To make things more interesting I created this whole mythology about the band just really to give people something to write about."

Eventually though people wanted to see the mythic band play live, and Wilson formed a real band from people he had worked with previously.

And now, Wilson said, "[We released] the best album we've ever made, because in the past we were restricted by the underground label budget." Karp readily agreed, "If you just take the time to sit down and listen to it, it will speak to you."