SOMEONE HERE IS MISSING

Yes, PINEAPPLE THIEF sounds like an offspring of Steven Wilson, but the boys keep growing, putting out very listenable--even engaging--music. I really loved "Tightly Unwound"--their first album that began to express a little originality. This latest, "Someone Here Is Missing" continues to show the PThs branching out into their own sound. There are still many PT moments (Bruce Soord's voice is SO similar to Steven Wilson's that it's hard NOT to compare them), but there are enough truly distinctive and memorable musical moments to help PTh to perhaps, finally, earn their wings, to sever their umbilicus, Siamese twin connection, or whatever it is they had going on. I really like the variety of song feels and styles represented in this collection (again, not unlike a PT album listening experience), the variety of instrument sounds, and the melodic vocals (and some awesome harmonies). I do not, however, yet like this album as much as "Tightly Unwound." Still, I think it deserves at least a three--maybe a four star rating. "Excellent" or "good, but not essential." Some will not like the electronic programming. Okay, a nice addition to one's prog collection.

In time where everyone (and everything) sounds like clone of someone else, be it Gabriel, Wilson or Anderson (Ian), I realized that I'll rather not pay attention (much) to these traits and in my reviews and music approach, I will be more focused on how actual music sounds (not like what) and how I like it.

Pineapple Thief is beast of burden for me. This means that it should be good, but the result is only partially right in achieving this status.

Annoying programming is opposite of being helpful, but fortunately, it's not heard so often. Songs are melodic and pleasant, there's not problem on my side. Reminding Gazpacho (their Night album, only in a little bit faster pace) and Muse to some extent, but there is bigger acoustic feeling.

After spending few hours of listening this CD and thinking what to write here, I've decided that this could be all that I wanted to say. This album is interesting, there's no dispute in this matter. I think that it will attract most of listeners.

4(-), could be better if not for all this electrification business that I simply couldn't take so well.

For years i've felt like I was the lone voice on this site telling any who would listen how good this band is.Yes i'm a fanboy although i'm not as rabid as many of their fans are (I can tell you some stories). They still have that blend of RADIOHEAD, SMASHING PUMPKINS and PORCUPINE TREE thing happening which is probably why most Prog fans don't dig them. This latest album is without a doubt their best record yet.They've added a little more heaviness but kept the emotion and great lyrics.The album cover is cool of this guy looking out the window with his arms folded covered with paper notes. As you open the booklet inside each page you turns to reveals more and more what these notes say.

"Nothing At Best" builds to a heavy sound then settles back and vocals arrive before a minute. Heavy outbreaks come and go. What a great track ! "Wake Up The Dead" opens with a beat as vocals join in. It's louder 2 1/2 minutes in, in fact it's pretty intense. "The State We're In" has this cool guitar line as vocals join in. Drums a minute in. It all stops for a second then returns with emotion. "Preperation For Meltdown" opens with electronics as guitar then vocals join in. It kicks in heavily before 2 1/2 minutes then settles as contrasts continue.

"Barely Breathing" is led by strummed guitar and vocals before the drums join in. "Show A Little Love" has this in your face drum/bass section with vocals. It kicks in before a minute as themes are repeated. "Someone Here Is Missing" opens with acoustic guitar and fragile vocals. Drums and a fuller sound kick in quickly. How good is this ! "3000 Days" kicks in quickly then it settles before 2 minutes. Vocals follow. Incredible sound here. It kicks back in after 4 minutes. "So We Row" opens with precussion-like sounds as guitars join in. Vocals 2 minutes in as it settles some. It's a little experimental before 5 minutes then it kicks back in at 6 minutes. Love how Bruce sings "Row, row, row, row..." over and over.

A top five for 2010 for sure.

Hail To The .......no just kidding Someone Here is Missing is the strongest album so far from Pineapple Thief. Bruce Soord does sound similar too to Steve Wilson at times but sadly the comparitive monikers do not go away. They should cos these guys really do rock on their own turf." Nothing At Best" possibly the finest song on the album, with great instrumentation all round and cutting lyrics. The sound is more spongy with fuzzy vocals at times. " Wake Up The Dead" has that addictive sound to it again with some awesome drum work and dizzy stereo flicks. I would love to hear this album loud on a really classy sound system. The production is so clean. " Show A Little Love" has great guitar licks, spacey keys and great vocals. And that is just discussing three tracks out of ten. I could go on, the whole album is a winner, powerhouse energy and nice bevelled smooth production. " The Sate We're In" could be a huge single if it was marketed properly " So We Row" closes off the set with some great Floydian sound effects before building to a manic frenzy. This is Pineapple Thief's finest album by far, essential music.

Finally we have a Pineapple Thief album that doesn't send me off to a comforting nap. The band added a good chunk of power and heaviness to their sound, something that makes them sound even more like a Radiohead meets Porcupine Tree clone, but it is exactly that bit of power they needed to make their emotive music come alive. And luckily this is one of those rare cases of cloning where the quality of the result compensates for the lack in originality.

Pineapple Thief combines the noisy 'cool' of indie-rock with progressive elements.The result is rather poppy (even slightly techno-tock at times), but the combination proves to be very fertile. Instantly likeable but ultimately forgettable. Not an album I've kept in rotation for very long.

Besides of Peter Gabriel-era Genesis endless clones (usually tagged as "neo-prog") there are more fresh trend in cloning - Steven Wilson projects clones. This trend still doesn't have own name, but quite easily could be recognized from almost first album's sounds.

I believe fans of simple, melancholic pop-rock with electronic arrangements will find this album quite attractive. Musicians are competent, songs have something what could be counted as melodies, vocalist's voice is dreamy and even romantic in moments. You can drive your car (if you have one, or if you are old enough to have driving license), make your homeworks,etc. and listen this album. Really not too much annoying background sound.

Yes, to be more attractive guys adding some (very stereotype) heavy rock elements to their sound. Not like their music really needs it, but possibly it's more like salt and pepper in your everyday soup.

From positive side I must to say, that comparing with myriads of their market competitors they are really above average in sense of musicality level and even arrangements. And for sure they are full head higher of such simplified pseudo-prog releases, as Gazpacho. Hey, beside of synth they even have some scratching guitars (not too much, they would never shock your Grandma if she will hear what kind of music you're listening).

All in all, nice indie-pop band with few proggy moments, targeted to indie-pop fans with some interest to a bit more progressive music, than their regular menu is. My rating is 2+, hardly interesting album for true prog rock fan

This was, I think, my first 2010 new album purchase of the year, and I have held off from reviewing it until quite late in the year, mainly to give it a number of listens to see if it will grow on me and if I could start to enjoy it. Regrettably, I have not.

Actually, if I were a great fan of indie and post rock, or certainly writing a review for such a site, then this would probably rate at least a good album. However, on both criteria, I am not. This is a prog site, and i have to say that the only prog related reason this album is on the site is because of the painfully obvious similarities to Muse & Radiohead. I am not a fan of the former, so cannot really comment. I certainly do love Radiohead, and the simple fact of the matter is that that band do this type of stuff in a vastly superior manner to Pineapple Thief.

There are many culprits on this album, but if there are any worse derivative tracks than Wake Up The dead, then I would like to hear them. Basically, this is Yorke and greenwood, plus production effects, without the genius associated with those two.

If you have to own every single album by this band, then you will need to buy this. I do not.

Two stars for a decent enough (but not that good) indie album, but one that contains barely a hint of any form of progressive rock whatsoever.

With The Pineapple Thief's 2010 release 'Someone Here is Missing', we come to their 8th studio release, and with some great albums and some mediocre albums under their belt, one is never quite sure where any one album is going to land until you listen to it. The band has never really been 100% progressive, though they have had some excellent forays into the genre, and their style of alternative art rock is quite intriguing at times. Many people have compared the band to 'Porcupine Tree' or 'Radiohead', however, even though for me they remind me more of the latter band, mostly in vocals than anything else, they do have a sound of their own, and it is always a step or two ahead of your typical alternative rock.

It's also interesting to note that most of their average ratings on ProgArchives come out around 4 stars. There is a reason for that. You have half of the reviewers claiming they are mediocre band, and others who are rabid fans that feel that their music is quite excellent. I tend to land right in the middle of those two extremes in that, for the most part, I like their sound, but there are times when I feel like it is just okay, and would rather listen to something else. I do have my favorites by them, like 'Variation on an Dream' and 'Tightly Unwound', but others I have a hard time sitting through because they are just not unique or challenging enough.

'Someone Here is Missing' is one of those that is nice to listen to once in a while, but not when I am in a progressive mood. That is the main problem I have with it. The album cover hints at a progressive album as the cover art is done by Storm Thorgerson, the same person that did the cover art for Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon', but other than that, it seems this is about the only tie to progressive music on this album. Other than that, the album is full of nice, melodic and pleasant tracks. Bruce Soord's at his best in producing his Thom Yorke style vocals, but in a more accessible way. The music, for the most part, is more in the band's average music, interesting and pleasant, but nothing outstanding.

Now, there are a few really great tracks here, and they are the longer ones. For example, 'Preparation for Meltdown' is a great mix of electronics and heavy guitar riffs, and it ends up sounding more like the Porcupine Tree side of the band. The 'average' sound of the first 3 tracks on the album get lifted to another level by this track, as you reach a new level of dynamic usage as the band stays out of the trap of repetitiveness and explores some more experimental and heavy sound. This one goes down as one of their best. If only the band could consistently put out music as great as this, I think their ratings would be higher and more consistent.

The problem is, that after a great track like 'Preparation for Meltdown', the music returns to that more 'average' sound. It sounds good, but doesn't elevate things to the next level. 'Barely Breathing' is a nice acoustic driven melody, and quite lovely with expressive vocals, but can be easily forgotten after. The album starts to sag again at this point, returning to the more electronic-based sound of a poor-man's Radiohead with the challenge taken out. Things don't get stellar again until '3000 Days' and the psychedelic sounding 'So We Row'. The best tracks are the 3 longer ones, proving that the band does best when they are allowed to expand their songs and are not locked in the time constraints of the 3-4 minute tracks.

The album is good, but not great, except for those 3 tracks mentioned and as far as progressive music is concerned. It is enjoyable, it just tends to sag in a few places wehre things just aren't that interesting. Fortunately, the thing that saves the album are the 3 longer tracks, and so when the album is playing, I end up playing it in its entirety. But they do have better albums. This one ends up being more average than excellent.