Post Description

The Pineapple Thief - All The Wars  
Country of Origin: UK 
Format: CD 
Record Label: Kscope 
Catalogue #: N/A 
Year of Release: 2012 
Time: 45:03 

Tracklist: Burning Pieces (4:13), Warm Seas (3:57), Last Man Standing (5:10), All The Wars (3:46), Build A World (3:57), Give It Back (7:01), Someone Pull Me Out (4:00), One More Step Away (3:09), Reaching Out (9:53) 

After eight albums (nine if you include the limited 12 Stories Down release), four EPs, one compilation, a digital live album, three remasters, a 7" single and numerous appearances on compilation albums we arrive at All The Wars, the latest release from Bruce Soord and his band of Merry Men, aka The Pineapple Thief. Over the past 13 years, the Thief, if I may be so presumptuous, have gradually been ascending the prog rock ladder, from humble beginnings as, essentially, a one-man band, to the fully fledged gigging unit that now prevails. Always interesting and always worthy of attention, the band have achieved a status such that each new release is hotly anticipated. Such is the case with their 2012 offering, All The Wars. 

My impression was one that the band had decided to play it decidedly heavy, with lots of guitars, monstrous riffs, and unrelenting sonic assaults. However, repeated exposure has revealed, a greater degree of subtlety and a surprising breadth that was not immediately so apparent when I first played the album. Three songs are immediate standouts. The title track itself, somewhat ironically the least rambunctious of the album, with guitars of the acoustic variety, piano and string backing, is a fantastically melodic number with a great lyric. Secondly Someone Pull Me Out, the most unique number of the bunch, and also, coincidentally, another 'low key' track on the album with lots of harmonies and a quietly haunting beginning and ending. Finally, Reaching Out, the album closer, the pièce de résistance, the prog epic. A wonderfully scripted piece of music that throws everything together swirls it around with a big baton and sits back and gloats in its self-evident glory. Building from a gentle start (does it show I like my Pineapples on the softer side?) through an orchestrated section, with real 22-piece orchestra, that brings to mind pieces assembled by The Beatles, before finally the electric guitars gain prominence to bring the track, and the album, to a close. 

But what of the riffs and guitar cascades I hear you cry? Well the remaining tracks (or at least five of them) have them in abundance. The opening of Burning Pieces will lull you into a false sense of security with a gentle series of chords, some tapping on the hi-hat and a minimal amount of guitar feedback when the dual guitars come through. And continue to make their presence known thenceforth. For best effect this song should be played loud! Warm Seas may sound like a Mediterranean enough title, holidays on the beaches, picnics in the sand, kind of thing, but don't be fooled, even though the lyrics are pleasantly lovey-dovey enough, the music has a much more aggressive bent. 

Last Man Standing may not initially have so much power and forcefulness and is probably the most 'traditional Thief' sounding tracks, one that gets under the skin and leaves a lasting impression, rather like a musical ring worm. The repeated riff of Build A World is in great contrast to the slower tempo of the song and the half spoken/half sung vocal delivery by Soord. The feedback laden solo adds yet another contrast with a swooping great 'string' part wrapping everything up, containing things in a cocoon or crotchets and minims. Give It Back is another riff monster that drives along merrily and cleverly subverts the asummed demand of the title to a statement of intent. Layers upon layers with twists, turns, stops, starts, chants, cacophony, crescendos and an abrupt ending that is as unexpected as it is expected. Shortest track on the album, at a little over three minutes, is One More Step Away and is a ballad that obviously bypassed my initial assessment of the album. Not exactly a three-minute pop song (good thing? Bad thing?) but a lovely little number all the same. 

So more of what The Pineapple Thief have become known for? Well in some ways yes, but in many more ways, no. There is no denying that the band have carved niche for themselves and have developed a sound that is recognisably their own. But unlike a lot of bands, each album has its own unique ambience and style within their own little PT universe. Even if differences between albums are more representative of a slow and gradual evolution than any cataclysmic change, the changes are all welcome, neither better nor worse, just different, which makes for a good and interesting release. 

As a postscript, the album is also being released as a limited edition double CD digibook. The bonus album contains acoustic renditions of six tracks from All The Wars (Burning Pieces, Build A World and Give It Back are excluded), a new recording of Light Up Your Eyes (originally released on 10/12 Stories Down and the otherwise unreleased Every Last Moment. As these tracks were not included with our review copies of the album I'm very much looking forward to hearing them! 

Conclusion: 8 out of 10 
And probably an additional mark for the bonus CD! 

MARK HUGHES