STORM BRINGER (goto website)

Pineapple Thief is:
Bruce Soord, Nick Lang 7 The Dead Romeos.

The tracks are:
1. Private Paradise
2. Drain
3. What Ever You Do - Do Nothing
4. No One Leaves This Earth
5. Punish Yourself
6. Everyone Must Perish
7. Judge The Girl
8. Parted Forever


The first track 'Private Paradise', starts the whole thing off, and is a wonderful track, nice melody and quite catchy in places and is about a relationship that has turned sour. The acoustic guitar rhythm simply sounds great and coupled with the drum machine with some superb guitar/synth sounds giving the track lots of atmosphere.

The vocals sound a bit like Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins). This track has a very tight rhythm and some stunning guitar work throughout and finishes off with just drums playing which kind of runs into track two...

'Drain', is once again similar to the first track, quite pacey, tight rhythm and some excellent guitar.

The third track 'Whatever You Do, Do Nothing', is a track that gradually builds up with some excellent guitar and keyboards, then it mellows out with some nice echoey effects used on the vocals to good effect. Once again, a catchy chorus and lots of acoustic guitar.

The next track 'No One Leaves This Earth', starts off with some atmospheric keyboards sounds before going into a keyboard sequence, while other keyboards sounds are going on as well. Then another keyboards sequence is added with a bassier sound to it, then drums are added and in comes some spacey keyboards sounds. Then it all quietens down to a softer sound. The vocals give the track quite a haunting feel, then a terrific guitar solo come in, the music then
quietens down again and this time there's a keyboard solo with lots of atmospheric sounds around it. then there's more of the haunting vocals and more atmospheric spacey sounds to finish.

'Punish Yourself', is a nice acoustic mellow track with a strong melody. The music gets louder for the chorus, which once again is very catchy. The track has plenty of changes in mood, tempo and direction along the way and the guitar work is excellent throughout. Just before the end the music dies and a keyboards sequence come in and this continues into the next track...

The sixth track Everyone Must Perish' , carries on from the previous track and acoustic guitar is added. Then in come some sampled Middle Eastern voices and the sound of bongo drums. Added to this is some atmospheric key and then finally some excellent guitar work. Then gradually the instruments are taken away and as the music fades away your left with just the sound of the Middle Eastern voices.

The next track 'Judge The Girl', starts off with atmospheric voices, echo effect guitar sounds, and then other instruments are added one by one, guitar, drums and then bass to the rhythm. Just before the vocals come in the echo effect on the guitar is taken away and then the track then builds up for the chorus. Once again the track features some excellent guitar work and there's also a terrific solo too. This is quite an up-tempo track once it gets going and has quite a sudden ending.

The final track is 'Parted Forever', and is the longest track on the album. Starts off with intricate acoustic guitars to which electric guitar and piano are added. The vocals on this track appear to be quite a bit softer and towards the middle there's' a change in mood when the guitar work really shines, then it's back to more acoustic guitar and vocals. Later there's some more excellent guitar work and then towards the end its acoustic guitar with atmospheric sounds and subdued vocals and then more acoustic guitar and atmospheric keyboards and yet another stunning guitar solo.

Well, if you haven't guessed it already, I think this album is brilliant. One of the best progrock releases this year so far. To some degree you could say that there's some resemblance to other bands such as Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins and Porcupine Tree, but personally I think fans of the above and fans of good progrock will love the album.
What are you waiting for, GO OUT AND BUY!!!
Highly Recommended!!!

Released by Cyclops Records (CYCL 079)
33a Tolworth Park Road, Tolworth, Surrey, KT6 7RL.
The Pineapple Thief web site can be found at:
http://www.droom.nildram.co.uk/pineapple/

back to review index

PROGRESSIVE WORLD

Review courtesy John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg

For those of you who know what's happening on the current"progressive" market, then a band like Vulgar Unicorn is a must. Sadly, up until now the band has only released two albums (Under The Umbrella and Sleep With Fishes both on Cyclops records) on which their music can stand the test of time as being a perfect mix between Porcupine Tree and Radiohead. The third album keeps on being postponed which can lead to incurable side effects! The band actually recorded some material destined for the third album, yet Cyclops found those songs too "dance oriented" which means those recordings will probably see the light of day soon under the banner of Divadroid (listen to some of the sound files on www.droom.nildram.co.uk ).

Now out of the blue comes Pineapple Thief, brainchild of Bruce Soord, guitarist with Vulgar Unicorn. On Abducting The Unicorn you can expect the same kind of music you will find with "big brother" Vulgar Unicorn, complemented with a healthy dose of Smashing Pumpkins! The powerful drum sound of Nick Lang is necessary in order to break through the "wall of sound" guitars (sorry neighbours!). The floating psychedelic is apparent during "What Ever You Do, Do Nothing." This influence is even more present in the acid-drenched"Drain" which sounds as if the guitars are trying to attack you from all corners of the room. In "Everyone Must Perish" you'll find another of those typical sixties elements by means of Indian singing. Get the incense out of the cupboard, dear, I'll be right with you! The acoustic simplicity can be found all over the intro to"Judge The Girl," whilst a little piano and snareless drums make this song a soothing whole, which contains the best of Porcupine Tree (and of course Pink Floyd). Silence before the storm because towards the end of this song it all gets more and more aggressive.

If this album is an example of what is to be expected in the new century then things look very interesting indeed. Damn they do !

More about Abducting The Unicorn:
Released: 1999
Label: Cyclops
Track Listing: : Private Paradise / Drain / What Ever You Do - Do
Nothing / No One Leaves This Earth / Punish Yourself / Everyone Must
Perish / Judge The Girl / Parted Forever
Musicians:
Bruce Soord - guitars, keyboards, samples, vocals, angry girlfriend
Nick Lang - all the rest


© Copyright 1999, 2000 Progressive World
Review © John Bollenberg

back to review index

MUSIC BOX

PINEAPPLE THIEF - ABDUCTING THE UNICORN
CYCLOPS 99
-
Here we have a really nice c.d. I have never heard anything like this before. If i must compare them with
an other band it will be Porcupine Tree. Psychedelic prog pop when it is best. Very odd arrangements
and strange harmonies. PT are Bruce Soord, Nick Lang and "The Dead Romeos" ?! Captain Brix have
done the production. I like this c.d. a lot. The music is very hypnotic in some parts. Very suggestive. Try this CD if you want something challenging for your mind.
Grading: 7,5

back to review index

MOJO BLURB - SEPTEMBER 1999

'Pineapple Thief's intriguing debut springs to life from the creative embers of the imploding Vulgar Unicorn. Recorded in a Yeovil terraced house home studio, its provenance is low key but by no means low-fi. Big on tunes, propelled by layered acoustic and electric guitars, the album ranges through winsome psychedelia, electro-charged freak outs, power ballads, mystic mantric incantations and rockers to boot.

It all harks back to an era when progressive rock was a progression from the blues, but has enough Radiohead, Mansun and a dash of the Pumpkins to make this band one to watch.'

back to review index

BLAH3.COM by Don Waller ( www.blah3.com )

LETTERS FROM THE END OF A RELATIONSHIP

Pineapple Thief: 'Abducting The Unicorn'
Cyclops CYCL 079
by Don Waller

The nice thing about doing a music zine is that every once in a while, I'm treated to a glimpse of talent that hasn't yet reached the public eye. Such is the case with this CD from Pineapple Thief. Bruce Soord had released 'Sleep With The Fishes' as half of the band Vulgar Unicorn two years ago. When 'Fishes' failed to perform up to expectations, Vulgar Unicorn shifted their focus to opening Dining Rooms Studios, but they soon found that the demands of recording other people's music was not their cup of tea. Bruce then decided to change the band's name, bought a house in Yeovil and moved the studio into his spare room, and he and Nick Lang set about recording this CD on New Year's Day of this year.

What a pleasant surprise this album is. 'Private Paradise' sets the tone, and its while its 10-minute-plus running time makes it prohibitive for radio, it reveals a songwriting talent that is unafraid to take as long as it takes to get the point across. Soord sounds like Billy Corgan with a more highly developed melodic sense and a high range that soars where Corgan would begin to break. 'Paradise' describes a relationship gone sour, and Soord's vocal captures perfectly the rage and recrimination that's part and parcel of such a situation. 'Drain' further defines the breakup, with Soord revealing that the affair has taken away any claim he may have to himself. The pace of the album to this point is like a tidal current, moving the listener through nearly the first twenty minutes of the recording before you know it.

'Whatever You Do, Do Nothing' could be desribed as breezy musically, were it not for the resigned nature of the lyrics. Pineapple Thief augments their bass/drums/guitar attack with some nice touches such as oboe on this one, and the addition of a more classical instrument takes nothing away from the propulsive nature of the track.

The instrumental interlude 'No One Leaves This Earth' reminds me in a way of New Order's more keyboard-driven later work, and it gives Pineapple Thief a chance to show their considerable chops. The Dead Romeos contribute samples and loops throughout the album, and they're at their most effective on this track. Soord's guitar work is simple yet gritty, and some of the longer instrumental passages on the CD let him stretch out and develop his ideas fully.

'Punish Yourself' is probably the strongest track on the entire CD, and its simple chord progression supports Soord's strongest melody. This song creates the atmosphere of sadness and resignation that comes after it's been revealed that love alone is not enough, and the harsh chorus sets a stunning contrast to the delicate verse.

The end of any relationship causes doubt after the fact, and 'Judge The Girl' finds Soord questioning his decision against the album's most angular track. The edgy tremelo guitar becomes the engine that drives the tempo of the song, and this one is another great setting for another thoughtful guitar solo.

'Parted Forever' is the final word on the breakup, and it's framed by a muted classical guitar that signals the finality of the word goodbye. Soord's voice sounds drained and resigned at this point, and the song is the perfect conclusion to an extremely emotional album. The UK press has made comparisons to Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead, and the comparisaons make a certain amount of sense given the territory Pineapple Thief has chosen to work in. But all great rock builds upon the past triumphs of others, and Abducting The Unicorn does just that. And anyone who looks only at the comparisons is missing the talent that Bruce Soord and Pineapple Thief possess. And to overlook Pineapple Thief's talents in the face of such a musically and thematically complete album would be nothing short of foolhardy.

You readers in the States may have to look long and hard to find this album in the import racks (US distribution, to my knowledge, has not been finalized at this point), but Abducting The Unicorn is an album well worth seeking out. It is, in a word, stunning.

For more information on the band and RealAudio clips from the album, you can visit Pineapple Thief's website . And if you can't find the album in your local record store, you can order Abducting The Unicorn from the site as well. I highly recommend it.

back to review index

ALLTHINGSPROG by Mike Eldon

Abducting the Unicorn (Cyclops 1999)

It has been a couple of years since Vulgar Unicorn released their second cd for Cyclops & in that time the band had their own recording studio. The band name was dropped as it sounded like a "concept album" style band. Work started on the third cd, under the name of Divadroid , which turned out too dance orientated for the Cyclops label. So guitarist Bruce Soord bought a cheap terraced house & turned the spare bedroom into a studio (cool!) & work commenced on this cd at the start of the year. Thankfully Sir Malcolm Parker approved the first three tracks & another Cyclops masterpiece was on it's way. For the next three months the band shut themselves away, with no food, no sleep, no Nintendo & no Simpsons, until this superb project was finished. I was totally blown away as soon I played this cd & if you have an open mind, this certainly should win record of the year. This release is no ordinary prog release & if you see bands like Porcupine Tree, Ultrasound, Sleepy People, Dark Star, Suriki & Radiohead as the way forward then this is for you. This is loud & Indie with just enough hint of prog roots to keep you interested. Forget The Verve & Oasis this is the Brit sound every one should be listening to...but sadly won't. I loved the stark sound of Anekdoten in the early 90's & now this is the perfect sound to end the decade Perhaps not as varied as VU, where you never knew what was going to happen next! First track to be written was the opener Private Paradise, which took ages to record complete with many re-mixes before the album deadline. One victim from this recording was Bruce's favourite Yahama 6 string acoustic guitar last seen flying through the air towards the studio wall, after a "domestic"! This opener is a confident number that just struts around the room & after a few plays you'll be up there with your air guitar, snarling & pouting...believe me! I can't wait to have this cd blaring out from the car & boy will the neighbours know I've got this album! Drain kicks in following the mood of the previous track, the drum beat between the tracks barely gives you a chance to catch your breath. What Ever You Do - Do Nothing sounds like it could have come from the last Porcupine Tree cd, with it's dreamy spiralling sound that simply floats around. Nick Lang (keyboards, drums & programming) gets a chance to shine with the electronic instrumental beat of No One Leaves This Earth, sort of a cross between FSOL, & Prodigy We're back to the indie sound with Punish Yourself & it's easy to imagine the band on-stage at some big festival on a warm summers evening, the stage lights on, the sun going down, the crowds singing along to the chorus of this. If Radiohead can make it big then there's no reason why PT cannot follow in their footsteps. Another instrumental beat follows entitled Everyone Must Perish before leading us to Judge The Girl, a frantic number that will put the strobe lighting on overtime! With excellent bass from Mark Harris, I just don't know whether to join with imaginary bass, guitar or drums! Now for the supreme masterpiece......the others are merely masterpieces! Parted Forever, a 25 minute piece that left the band emotionally drained because of it's intensity, a week long piece of work, only recoverable by episodes of The Simpson's & bottles of vodka. This simple piece begins quietly, before building up to some amazing guitar from Bruce. This piece builds & builds like some P- Tree classic, ha this is the prog sound we've been patiently waiting for! And what a reward this is...soaring guitar is an understatement. The cd finishes with a gentle piece, with Bruce in Roger Waters mode providing a soothing end. One thing I would love to know is how Bruce managed to record such a loud record in the bedroom of his terraced house! If this release succeeds then Bruce will record more...so it's down to you to make sure that he does! All we need now is for Malcolm to be brave & release the Divadroid album.

If you do buy this cd I would be very interested in your opinion. The Pineapple Thief web site can be found at: http://www.droom.nildram.co.uk/pineapple/

back to review index