So I Listened To The Pineapple Thief's New Album

[Plasmatopia]

I think they were the only band I walked out on at the 8 or so Nearfests I attended.

I didn't walk out but I wanted to.

[gpeccary]

I kind of liked the first album Harrison played on. To me, he just elevates everything he's on. This album, I got three songs in and turned it off. The first tune sounded like Tim Bowness was singing on it, which immediately turned me off. Just not my cuppa.

[Gizmotron]

Yes, plus he is credited as co-writer on all songs.

Thanks!!

[Mota]

I just finished listening to the entirety of Variations on a Dream and the Smashing Pumpkins vibe does go through the whole album.

They do come across as a Smashing Pumpking tribute band for their first couple of albums, but it eventually fades into the background and they become their own band.

[Klonk]

I got the new one because of Gavin which turned out to be not such a great purchase strategy I mean, there's some nice songs, but it's mostly pretty dull. Not enough punch for me.

[Klonk]

I think they were the only band I walked out on at the 8 or so Nearfests I attended.

I stayed, but got fidgety a few times. Not enough to walk out on, but close I remember there were a couple of young fans there with TPT song lyrics written all over the clothes they were wearing.

[Steve983]

This guy sums it up

[markwoll]

This guy sums it up

Pretty good review.

[LeFrog]

This guy sums it up

I agree: a band that's always been "nice" but never "great", although it always seems they have the potential to make that truly great record that never comes.
I also agree that Dissolution is their most satisfying album to date. It has more fast-paced songs and less of their usual dirges. To me, it's the record where Harrison's rythmical creativity has improved Soord's rather predictable compositions the most. I felt this didn't really carry over to the follow-up and what I'm hearing about this new one does not make me expect any change.

[Poisoned Youth]

TPT threads used to sink like a rock until Gavin joined the group. Now they get more attention, but it’s often from those that were not originally fans of the band. So the replies are generally about failed expectations or about how amazing Gavin is.

Soord is who he is. TPT aren’t proggy prog, and he isn’t Steven Wilson. I happen to prefer the heavier, proggier, more stretched out version of the band from 15 years ago, and disagree they never created albums that transcended their sound or expectations. But that time has passed.

[Splicer]

TPT threads used to sink like a rock until Gavin joined the group. Now they get more attention, but it’s often from those that were not originally fans of the band. So the replies are generally about failed expectations or about how amazing Gavin is.

For my part, I'm always interested in trying to understand why other people like a certain artist when they don't click for me. So I keep trying in the hope that I'll "get it". In all honesty, my original post had no other agenda than the fact that this was in my mind and I felt like posting something so I did.

[Splicer]

Pretty good review.

It summed it up just with about double the amount of words in each sentence than necessary.

[Poisoned Youth]

For my part, I'm always interested in trying to understand why other people like a certain artist when they don't click for me. So I keep trying in the hope that I'll "get it". In all honesty, my original post had no other agenda than the fact that this was in my mind and I felt like posting something so I did.

No worries. I was speaking generally based on my observations and not singling out you for starting the thread or your opinion.

[Splicer]

No worries. I was speaking generally based on my observations and not singling out you for starting the thread or your opinion.

No issue on my part. I sometimes get anxious about wanting to start threads if I think a topic might have been covered without me knowing about it.

[Zeph]

TPT threads used to sink like a rock until Gavin joined the group. Now they get more attention, but it’s often from those that were not originally fans of the band. So the replies are generally about failed expectations or about how amazing Gavin is.

Soord is who he is. TPT aren’t proggy prog, and he isn’t Steven Wilson. I happen to prefer the heavier, proggier, more stretched out version of the band from 15 years ago, and disagree they never created albums that transcended their sound or expectations. But that time has passed.

Interesting observation. I like Dissolution, but the other albums with Harrison are imo. inferior to their earlier and more fast-paced stuff.

[XTC123]

Pleasantly surprised to see The Pineapple Thief mentioned on a prog site. And every time they are compared to The Smashing Pumpkins their stock seems to rise, as just seen on their European tour, with many venues selling out.

In case you are unaware a North American/Canadian tour, which also takes in Mexico and Chile has been announced for November/December time

[polmico]

Figured I should give this album another spin this morning as I secured a ticket on their upcoming tour. This release got buried under a pile of other stuff including the new Porcupine Tree live album. (It’s difficult for me to completely ignore the parallels between the two bands. This isn’t necessarily just about sound or personnel. I discovered both bands around the same time, so personal history is there.) It’s a good album. Very knotty and dense. Harrison seems to take Soord’s songs and find rhythmically interesting things to do with them. That is likely a misrepresentation of the actual writing process but seems like a quick way to understand Pineapple Thief in their current configuration.

I am looking forward to the show.

[XTC123]

Just been listening to the YouTube review above. And yes the guy gives it a 7 and is fairly complimentary about the album and the band but not once did he mention the lyrics. Its always about the sound and atmospherics. I do find that one strange and maybe its where I go wrong in my approach to listening.

[polyandy]

I've tried to get into TPT with every new album. Great musicianship, beautiful recording, but there's something too smooth and slick for me - the first word that comes to me when I listen to them is "flat". But when I heard the single "Every Trace of Us" I was excited about this new album. This song actually has some interesting chord changes, and some MAJOR chords for a change to keep things from being relentlessly dreary. But I haven't been able to get through the rest of the album - too much work!

[XTC123]

Another release is Luminescence a Bruce Soord solo album. I have listened to and enjoyed it a lot. Similar to The Pineapple Thief it does transcend genres and does require you to listen to the lyrics unlike the guy in YouTube video on an earlier posting who only seems to enjoy music and ambience.