So I Listened To The Pineapple Thief's New Album

[Splicer]

Clearly this is not for me. Melancholy alt-rock with melodies I can't remember. That pretty much sums it up. I've tried over and over to get into them and I honestly don't hear it.

Then I went back and listened to Variations on a Dream (2003). Aside from the fact that at times the vocal lines remind me of Smashing Pumpkins, this album is a lot more melodic than what I hear now. It's still melancholy but has a kick to it at times. I'm not saying it's Prog the way my brain listens for the genre, but I enjoy it while I'm listening to it. There's that. I guess the Smashing Pumpkins connection in my brain doesn't hurt either.

[Progatron]

My favourite is What We Have Sown, a few years after Variations on a Dream. Try that one if you haven't heard it, and see what you think.

[3LockBox]

I really wanted to like this band because of their sonic resemblance to Porcupine Tree. I liked Someone Here Is Missing ok because they seemed to have remembered the "rock" part of the genre. Their next release, All The Wars rocks in spots but not enough. Subbsequent releases are more of the same melancholy, shoe-gazer stuff. I was hoping drummer Gavin Harrison would light a fire under them but no. They make Marillion seem ebullient by comparison.

[mozo-pg]

I saw Pineapple Thief at a small church in Ottawa two year ago. I thought Gavin brought the music to higher levels and Bruce remarked that at the show. Not everything they do is a gem but there is decent music.

[MudShark22]

... I was hoping drummer Gavin Harrison would light a fire under them but no. They make Marillion seem ebullient by comparison.

Gotta remember this.

[Splicer]

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

[Digital_Man]

This is a band I need to explore more. The only thing I have by them is Tightly Unwound which so far I only listened to once but it sounded pretty good. An interesting thing about them is that initially they were just called Pineapple Thief but added "the" in front of it to avoid confusion with the other PT.

[Poisoned Youth]

IMO, the height of TPT is the span of five albums from Little Man, Sown, Unwound, and Someone Here is Missing through All The Wars. Their sound was a mix of indie/alt-rock, hip to the heavier Porcupine Tree vibe, with one foot in the Radiohead camp, the other in the emo camp.

Their earliest works (Unicorn and 137) also have a really nice Radiohead influenced vibe to them, which later (on Variations and Stories) started incorporating the softer sides of H-era Marillion, PTree, and maybe even Muse.

Their work since that time has been a mixed bag for me. It's a bit more laid back, a bit more singer/songwriter. I can't get into Magnolia or Your Wilderness much at all. However, Dissolution is certainly on par with any of their best work. Versions of the Truth isn't bad either. I haven't heard the new one yet.

Give it Back is also a nice way to reimagine TPT's older music through the lens of Gavin Harrison. I would always recommend the 2006-2012 period first, but I would definitely recommend Dissolution and Give It Back from the Gavin era.

[Zeph]

I haven’t heard their last album, but I also prefer their earlier works and have listened to them quite a lot back at the time where I listened a lot to Porcupine Tree.

Versions of The Truth from 2020 didn’t interest me at all, but Dissolution from 2018 is pretty good. Don’t think I’ve heard Give it Back from 2020 either.

[polmico]

I'm really enjoying the new album. There's a nice synth sound and presence, Soord's voice sounds great, Harrison's drumming is (as you'd expect) amazing--heck, there's even a little slap bass!

The band never felt like a band when Soord was the sole primary writer. Harrison has absolutely elevated this band. Don't get all the comments about the music being too shoegaze-y. I think there's a lot of verve, a lot of tension that never quite gets released.

[Steve983]

I had their early albums Variations On A Dream and 137 back about 20 years ago. Ultimately I got bored with them, one or two really good songs but the rest is just trying to be as good but ends up being all samey. If anyone can recommend their 'best' album I will gladly give it a go but so far no luck.

On a brighter note I would recommend Bruce Soord's latest solo album Luminescence which is really very beautiful so might be worth a try for some like me who have only been disappointed by TPT.

[SteveSly]

I don't have the new album yet, but am a pretty big fan of these guys and own most of the catalogue.

[seatrain]

I have given their new release a couple of spins and am really enjoying it.
I personally tend to enjoy their softer and more melancholy side.
My favorite release of theirs is Your Wilderness.
Also i am very fond of Bruce Soords solo releases.
I understand that their music is not ever ones cup of tea .

[moecurlythanu]

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

[Steve983]

My fave TPT song

[spacefreak]

Strongly tied to the alt.version of Porcupine Tree and with a nod to Radiohead, they soon became a bore to my ears. I personally have only kept the 3000 Days compilation for the very rare occasions that I feel listening to something by them.

[Splicer]

Strongly tied to the alt.version of Porcupine Tree and with a nod to Radiohead, they soon became a bore to my ears. I personally have only kept the 3000 Days compilation for the very rare occasions that I feel listening to something by them.

I guess it's because the era of Porcupine Tree I liked was Signify and Radiohead I never liked. For me the latter's music was just there without any melody my ear could find.

[markwoll]

I gave it a listen, and I like it. A nice mix of melancholy and up tempo rocking.
It's what I expect from Soord & Co. and I approve.

[Poisoned Youth]

I had their early albums Variations On A Dream and 137 back about 20 years ago. Ultimately I got bored with them, one or two really good songs but the rest is just trying to be as good but ends up being all samey. If anyone can recommend their 'best' album I will gladly give it a go but so far no luck.

My advice is to sample some of the music from Tightly Unwound, Someone Here is Missing, and All the Wars and grab whatever vibes with you.

[Gizmotron]

Clearly this is not for me. Melancholy alt-rock with melodies I can't remember. That pretty much sums it up. I've tried over and over to get into them and I honestly don't hear it.

Then I went back and listened to Variations on a Dream (2003). Aside from the fact that at times the vocal lines remind me of Smashing Pumpkins, this album is a lot more melodic than what I hear now. It's still melancholy but has a kick to it at times. I'm not saying it's Prog the way my brain listens for the genre, but I enjoy it while I'm listening to it. There's that. I guess the Smashing Pumpkins connection in my brain doesn't hurt either.

Is Gavin Harrison drumming on the record? If so, I am in, no matter what the material. if not, y’all have me thinking this is a pass.

[Steve983]

My advice is to sample some of the music from Tightly Unwound, Someone Here is Missing, and All the Wars and grab whatever vibes with you.

Thanks, will give them a go.

[Crawford Glissadevil]

My wife likes Pineapple Thief. They kind of bore me.

[Splicer]

My wife likes Pineapple Thief. They kind of bore me.

My wife likes singer-songwriter artists and I want to be dead when I listen to that. Then again, she likes Sleater-Kinney and other riot grrl bands and that's a little more interesting.

[Progtastic]

Is Gavin Harrison drumming on the record? If so, I am in, no matter what the material. if not, y’all have me thinking this is a pass.

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

[kenschwartz]

After 2 listenings, my thoughts are: if you are a fan (and i am), you will like it.
But this is not going to convert any non-believers.

Hope they come back to N.A. after the European Tour (and bring McStine as the opener).