*. The Pineapple Thief .* (Remaster + Bonus)

Album: What We Have Sown (2007)(Remaster 2012 + 2 Bonus)
Genre: Prog Rock (Crossover Prog)  /  UK

I've been a fan of this band from the beginning and have often felt like a lone wolf on this site crying out their praises. So it's almost shocking to see 45 ratings already for this cd,and with them signing to a bigger label(Snapper) the future looks bright for Bruce and the boys. It doesn't hurt either to have Steven Wilson recommend this album does it ? Bruce sent Steven a copy of this cd before it was released moving Wilson to recommend to Snapper that they sign this band. "All You Need To Know" opens with mellotron-like waves as strummed guitar and vocals arrive. Drums 1 1/2 minutes in as the sound gets louder. A minute later the electric guitar sounds fantastic as mellotron-like sounds and drums continue. I fell for this song the first time i heard it. "Well,I Think That's What You Said ?" opens with a percussion/violin melody. Vocals are Yorke-like as they arrive a minute in. Guitar 2 minutes in.The drums take over 4 minutes in, and then it ends experimentally. Great track ! "Take Me With You" opens with drums,synths and violin as mournful vocals come in again sounding like Yorke. Guitar 2 1/2 minutes in match the vocals. A spacey interlude 4 minutes in before Bruce comes back vocally with more passion. "West Winds" opens with spacey sounds. The song gets some structure 2 minutes in as drums and guitar create a slow paced melody. The drums take the lead and dominate 5 1/2 minutes in. Some aggressive guitar joins in over a minute later as it gets intense. It becomes pastoral 8 minutes in to the end. "Deep Blue World" in my mind is a tribute to Bruce's "little man", making it a very emotional track to say the least. Strummed guitar,violin and reserved vocals lead the way,drums come later. Remarkable song. "What We Have Sown" is the over 27 minute finale. It opens with echoes. Yes it does sound like the PINK FLOYD song of the same name. That changes a minute in when heavy drums and a full sound arrive. Cool guitar melody before 3 minutes. A calm 4 1/2 minutes in as echoes are back. Piano a minute later and then waves of synths 6 minutes in with light drums. Vocals for first time 6 1/2 minutes in. This continues until mournful guitar melodies come in before 11 minutes. Piano takes the lead 12 1/2 minutes in before electronics arrive. Drums 15 minutes in as it's building,now guitar is added. Guitar becomes very passionate. Piano and electronics take over again before 20 minutes and drums come in a minute later. Processed vocals after 21 1/2 minutes are brief,although they return again briefly 2 minutes later. A hypnotic beat with electronics continues until the song is over. Funny but my favourite songs are the 4 shortest tracks on here. Maybe that's because they're more like PINEAPPLE THIEF of old,i don't know. Still this is a solid 4 star album but not one of my favourites from the band. Review by "Mellotron Storm" (Prog Archives).

RATING:  8 / 10

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