Band: The Pineapple Thief
Release: All The Wars (Album)
Release Date: Out Now
For years now, The Pineapple Thief have been working relentlessly on what you currently see before you. They have been using this time to find their style, perfect their craft and tour mercilessly to build a loyal and dedicated following – the way that a talented and honest band should, a work ethic that seems to set them apart from many others.
It was the band’s 2010 release ‘Someone Here is Missing’ that gave them the nudge towards the level of recognition deserved. Now back with their second full length release in ‘All The Wars’, it’s probably time for The Pineapple Thief boys to start thinking about their ridiculous demands because this will no doubt push them further towards the spotlight.
From the very beginning, ‘All The Wars’ is a pretty special release. The album opener and title track really grab the attention but not in a way that you expect or even really notice at first. It starts off simply with a slow and uncomplicated acoustic guitar and frontman Bruce Soord‘s haunting yet soothing tones and it’s only when the rest of the band, along with a 22-piece Czech orchestra, join in that you fully take notice of the track as a whole.
If you know anything about The Pineapple Thief, you’ll be fully aware of the intense and haunting nature that they do oh so well, and thankfully, this is no different. The whole album is an intense affair which switches between anger and frustration to pained and haunting. ‘Burning Pieces’ and ‘Last Man Standing’ are prime examples of songwriting which are clearly fuelled by pent-up anger. These are without a doubt the heaviest tracks from the album and as such stand out in terms of their heavier content and darker lyricism.
Compare these with tracks such as ‘One More Step Away’ and ‘Someone Pull Me Out’ and the versatility in the band’s songwriting abilities becomes very clear. These may be slower, softer and arguably easier on the ears, but they too are packed to the brim with raw, passionate emotion. If nothing else can be said about ‘All The Wars’, it really is a rollercoaster of audible emotions packed into 45 minutes.
‘All The Wars’ is one of those albums that, whether it gets the attention it deserves (and it deserves a decent amount of attention!) or not, you can guarantee this will still be getting a regular play by its purchasers 10/15 years down the line.
8/10
Reviewer: Amy Jones
