Far and wide (The Pinapple thief)
To say that The Pineapple Thief’s new album explores the state of the world and humanity in this distressing context is to state the obvious, the subject is clearly on everyone’s lips, behind every drum beat, every guitar or bass line, from rock to metal, pop, hip-hop, and post-punk. But the band has been exploring its feelings about this troubled world for quite some time now, and the tone of this new album makes it an important piece of the puzzle (get the reference?), as well as a cornerstone of their discography, coming as it does at a time of label change, the band having left the legendary Kscope for InsideOut.
So, starting with “New World Order,” we explore this global momentum that’s constantly accelerating, but where is it headed?, a momentum that requires constant adaptation and often leaves us perplexed. Progressive rock takes on an almost pop-rock feel with a catchy chorus on this opening track, but make no mistake: “Hold the Ashes” comes charging in with its ultra-effective drumming, one of the new album’s hallmarks. Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) showcases the full range of his talent here, alternating between surgical precision and understated subtlety in his drumming, and not a single track is left out. Just listen to “Still Living,” a sort of melancholic ballad with incredible guitar work that goes straight to the heart, carried by a rhythm section of incredible finesse and precision. This album oscillates between the musicality and dreamlike quality of a Pink Floyd reimagined in the style of early Porcupine Tree (“God Knows” is a gem, with twirling drums and bass supporting a sleek, stunning guitar line, and what can one say about “Who Wants It?”). Suddenly, without warning, the soaring melodies, driven by Steve Kitch’s keyboard, are so beautiful they’ll bring tears to your eyes, as on “The Empty Space,” one of the album’s emotional highlights.
On this new album, The Pineapple Thief wanted to highlight the instruments and the talent of each musician in conditions close to a live performance, without any frills. It must be said that they’ve succeeded. The orchestration is understated and effective, with each instrument interacting with the others without overdoing it, and the vocals, simple yet incredibly effective, are more embodied and organic than ever. Bruce Soord’s guitar and vocal work is stripped down to the bare essentials, bordering on the perfection of a nearly acoustic approach. Here and there, it brings to mind the work of Gazpacho, venturing off the beaten path.
In an era of layered sounds and excessive digital processing, The Pineapple Thief marks a return to the roots of rock, progressive rock, and even their own career, and succeeds in highlighting what makes this band one of the spearheads of today’s progressive rock scene, far removed from trends and ego clashes: a clear vision, immense skill, and extraordinary musicality, as heard on “Scattering like flies” (that bass line by Jon Sykes!) or on the closing track “No exceptions,” with its almost jazzy drumming that opens with a guitar solo that’s both uninhibited and fragile.
Everything comes together here to make this highly anticipated Far and Wide proof that the English are far ahead and possess a technical and emotional depth (“Through the Noise”) capable of absorbing the desolation of this world and, in return, delivering the irrepressible and sublime hope of giving birth to something new within it. From the art of making a richness and precision of composition, now a rarity, seem simple and obvious, to the album’s understated, if not stripped-down, artwork. Don’t be fooled by appearances! This album is nothing less than a little gem of humanity. Be sure to catch them live on their upcoming tour...
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