Though perhaps not as well known as the other prog band that has the initials "PT," The Pineapple Thief has been a notable player in the prog scene since they formed in 1999. As is standard for most prog bands, they've evolved rather drastically over the years, but have always had a leaning towards more art rock and indie tendencies and bear a striking similarity to Radiohead. That said, the band has always maintained a close connection to the metal world. The brains behind The Pineapple Thief, Bruce Soord, filled in for Katatonia on their acoustic tour in 2014, collaborated with Katatonia frontman Jonas Renkse on Wisdom of Crowds, and has done 5.1 surround sound mixes for several metal bands, including Kataonia, Tesseract and Opeth.
The band's latest outing, Your Wilderness, is a much softer affair than some of The Pineapple Thief's previous albums, which means it is also a nice return to form for them. While All the Wars had a crunchier, alternative edge to it, its 2014 follow-up, Magnolia, was a bit more toned down and showcased Soord and the gang's softer, more illustrious side. Your Wilderness continues down this path, containing eight tracks that build slowly upon themselves and ultimately, make for a very dense and satisfying listen.
"In Exile" begins with a minimalistic drum groove before Soord's angelic croon cuts through, along with a synth, bass lick and soft guitar lick. It's a sentimental tune, and one that is deceptively catchy. The track that follows, "No Man's Land," carries the listener to its crescendo by way of Soord's voice and a haunting acoustic guitar melody before the full band kicks into a funky little jam session. "Tear You Up" is perhaps the heaviest (relatively speaking, anyways) and most straightforward of the eight tracks, propelled by a slick riff that's borderline Muse worship. Electronics, subtle orchestration and even a clarinet weasel their way into certain parts of Your Wilderness, fulfilling The Pineapple Thief's desire for experimentation and refusal to be easily classifiable.
Each of the songs found on Your Wilderness utilize the band's penchant for lush instrumentation to full effect, often creating a mood and atmosphere that builds into a goosebump-raising climax. Each individual musician of The Pineapple Thief plays a crucial role in this compositional brilliance, but special props have to go to Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree, who produced, recorded and performed the drums on Your Wilderness. The man is a true virtuoso and master of his instrument, and whether he's laying low in the pocket or showing off his chops, he plays for the song first and foremost, and adds a completely new dimension to The Pineapple Thief. Let's hope for more collaboration in the future.
The band strikes a great balance between softer moments ("That Shore") and more upbeat, brit-pop tunes ("Take Your Shot"). Furthermore, they write melodies that are among the most haunting and memorable of the year. By prog standards, Your Wilderness feels like a relatively short album, clocking in at just over 40 minutes, but its brevity makes it feel like a much more focused effort than their past few albums, and ultimately works to its benefit. This is not an album to listen to if one is looking for overtly technical passages or shocking musicality; The Pineapple Thief pride themselves on their compositional mastery and subtlety, and it is these nuances that make for a very melancholic and relaxing album in Your Wilderness.
Score: 8/10
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