The Pineapple Thief are a progressive rock band who started out way back in 1999 as a solo outlet for the music of singer/songwriter/guitarist Bruce Soord.
So, if you are already sensing the Porcupine Tree comparisons here — right down to those damned PT initials — then welcome to the club. As was the case with PT's Steven Wilson, The Pineapple Thief's Soord followed a remarkably similar path — eventually recruiting a group of like-minded musicians to make his solo project, The Pineapple Thief, into a full time band.
But before you get your panties into a bunch over this, the comparisons basically stop there. And rather than refer to Pineapple Thief as a lowercase "pt," we shall henceforth call them "TPT." Just so we are straight here...
3000 days is an anthology of the seven albums that TPT have released since 1999's Abducting — which was for all intents and purposes a Bruce Soord solo album. Ten years, 3000 days later and, well you get the picture...
The last mention that I'll make of the Porcupine Tree connection here is the fact that TPT signed to K-Scope Records — who brought this release to my attention — upon the urging of none other than Steven Wilson. Just what I need, another prog-rock obsession, right?
Based upon this two-disc sampling of The Pineapple Thief, I have to admit that, yes, I will very likely be looking further into these guys. What can I say?
On songs like the opening "God Bless The Child" for example (taken from a 2006 album called Little Man), Soord demonstrates an undeniable knack for a simple, yet effective melody — even as the song is drenched in layers of acoustic guitars, handclaps, and distinctly exotic, Indian-sounding percussion. So far, so good.
Next, from last year's Tightly Unwound, comes the song "Shoot First." It starts innocuously enough with a rising drum roll, before breaking into a gorgeous burst of guitars and layered harmonies. And I am finding myself getting increasingly hooked. TPT definitely know which buttons to push.
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