The Pineapple Thief are one of those bands that made a lot of progress the last few years. Many CD's, EP's and live shows really increased their public support. The band, consisting of Bruce Soord (guitar, vocals, keyboard), Keith Harrison (drums), John Sykes (bass) and Steve Kitch (keyboards), decided to change their music a bit. Instead of long and deep emotional songs they changed their musical course. By doing so they hoped to get a better grip on the international progressive rock scene. That's why you'll hear a new band on Someone Here Is Missing. Listen to the opening track Nothing At Best with heavy rocking guitars in the vein of a heavy up-tempo Porcupine Tree- song. The lyrics have something mystical; in my opinion this is a good dance song in the best U2- tradition. The drums sound like an exploding machine gun in a war game. Well, this is quite a surprising start. Wake Up The Dead is a bit longer, but has the same musical structure with a heavy and sudden end. The State We're In is a stereophonic curiosity: from the left box you'll hear the electric guitar and from the right box Bruce's voice appears singing his passionate lyrics about love and despair. I have to admit this man is a real poet! One of the longest tracks is the threatening named Preparation For Meltdown, a more traditional PF-song with many changes of tempo and a heavy break in the middle-section. The next song Barely Breathing also has a gloomy title. It's a tranquil song with only acoustic guitars and piano; an oasis of rest after all the forceful electric guitar sounds. Show A Little Love is a kind of song in the vein of The Sound, one of my favourite English new wave bands and the title track has the same structure: vigorous and danceable guitar licks ending surprisingly tranquil. In 3000 Days, the influence of guitarist The Edge (U2) is obvious. It's a song with many changes of tempo containing a heavy rocking guitar. So We Row is the final song and one of my favourites; a sensitive track that has the typical depressive lyrics of Bruce Soord. Again the middle-section of this short epic piece contains an explosion of heavy noises. I don't know if Bruce Soord wanted to gain some new friends, but if he did I have no doubts about his goal. Someone Here Is Missing is a new musical adventure for The Pineapple Thief, but also for its listeners. I would describe the music on this album as progressive rock with a bite. You should try this one at home as they say in a well-known TV-commercial. ***+ Cor Smeets (edited by Peter Willemsen) Where to buy? |
