To make it 10 years in the fickle music industry, and still fly relatively under the radar means you must be doing something very right or very wrong. In this case, in the past 3000 days, The Pineapple Thief has done some things very right, and created a loyal fan base in doing so. With their latest “3000 Days,” they do right by their fans again by packing highlights from the last 10 years into this stunner of a two-disc set.
Dramatic and layered, in this prog-rock outfit the lyrics and vocals often take a backseat to the melodies and textures on the tracks. When the vocals are featured, Bruce Soord sounds like Thom Yorke’s brother, well…. errr….first cousin or a close relative. The Pineapple Thief definitely has a Radiohead vibe, which is a huge compliment but also works a little to their detriment. It takes away a few points on the creativity meter, and they sometimes hover so close to Radio territory that it leaves you wanting something fresh. However, the re-mixed, re-mastered tracks sound amazing and exhibit such great talent for songwriting and composition that it still leaves a satisfied feeling.
The first disc opens with standout “God Bless The Child,” which has layers of guitars, handclaps and simple, yet effective lyrics. It’s one of those rare tracks that you will probably want to listen to again and again after the first time it hits your ears. The song “Remember Us” is the longest at about 16 minutes, and starts gently taking listeners on a trippy journey. Disc two opens strong with “The World I Always Dreamed Of,” which starts with pop-tinged vocals that evolve into swirling instrumentals.
This set definitely gives you plenty of Pineapple for your buck. The majority of the tracks clock in over five minutes long with three going over 10. Yet, unlike most things in life, you get quality right along with quantity.
Words: Lori Bartlett
