Customer Reviews

Tightly Unwound

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A friend of mine introduced me to The Pineapple Thief and, always being interested in checking out new music, I went over to their page on Last.fm and checked out a few samples. Intrigued by what I heard, I decided to pick up the latest release "Tightly Unwound."

On my first listen, I couldn't fully absorb the songs because all I could think was "This really sounds a lot like Radiohead." Not that that is a bad thing, of course, but I suppose I was looking for a little more variety. The album opens with some very strong and memorable tracks in "My Debt To You" and "Shoot First." The remaining songs on the album are all solid in their own way, building upon the midtempo grooves established in the first two tracks. While I enjoy listening to the album, I don't hear a whole lot of raw creativity, but I do hear excellent songwriting, pristine production, and exceptional performances.

If you are a fan of Radiohead (as I am), then you will definitely enjoy this disc. If you are looking for something that builds upon Radiohead and charts some new territory, you might be a little disappointed. With that said, I still recommend this disc because, as another reviewer pointed out, the album does grow on you the more you listen to it.

Where to start, I first was introduced to The Pineapple Thief with their album 12 Stories Down and was blown away. I quickly acquired a couple other albums and was equally as pleased with what I heard. Now after hearing "Tightly Unwound," it's clear to me that this group has hit their stride.

Tightly Unwound will certainly be received well by current Thief fans, but more importantly, it will surely attract new fans with its increased accessibility. The sound is markedly less "spacey" than their previous releases and eminates that familiar in your face rock n' roll attitude, shown in particular with songs like "Shoot First" and the epic "Too Much to Lose." But do not fear, this album still has the familiar ambience of previous Thief albums; their scarcity just makes them more beautiful when they do arise!

I do agree that their music shows a clear nod to Radiohead, but (for me at least) they definitely have their own sound that differs from Radiohead in that it is obviously a lot heavier sounding. Radiohead just can't rock like The Pineapple Thief!

Anyway, BUY THE ALBUM and tell all your friends about it! This is one of music's best kept secrets and it pains me that the Hannah Montana's of the world are thriving while The Pineapple Thief is stuck in the underground!

I have not heard much from this band so I can't compare this to their other works. Some call them progressive, but I would classify them as a good alternative rock band, that reminds me of a merger of Radiohead, Muse, and Syd Barrett. For the most part this disc is mellow, most of the songs have the same tempo and all have a gloomy sound to them, but there is a splash of crunch on a few tunes. At first this didn't floor me, probably because I wasn't listening close enough. But if you're patient this is a really good disc and maybe not that mellow either. What do I know? Check it out.

No matter how hard I try, I could never stand Radiohead or NIN. They are way too noisy. Too much fluff not enough music. This however, is a completely different ball game altogether. Music here is absolutely breathtaking! A Lot like the stuff from Katatonia and Porcupine Tree but not a copy cat by no means. Just the caliber of highest quality tunes. If you never heard of this band or did not listen to this album. You have been missing out. Don't waste anymore time. Keep an open mind and if you have an eternal thirst for beautiful music, I promise you would be gravely satisfied. Last 15 minute track "Too Much To Lose" sums it all up. There is just too much to loose if you haven't listened to these guys. Another awesome band in the Classic Rock/Prog Rock genre and I hope they continue to make music like this in the future and very soon they will get their proper recognition. Enjoy the music! Later guys...

As an old time Prog Rock fan from the Soft Machine through VDG to the present this album is well worth your time and money. Prog Rock is ever evolving and the current influence of "metal" if done with "restraint" is a wonderful thing indeed. Tightly Unwound is a tribute to its past Prog Rock roots with the influence of Prog Metal. It begins with a wonderfully soft, mellow acoustic song and proceeds to build in intensity and complexity as any great Prog album should. Ever aspect of this album is a joy - music and lyrics will keep you rivited to your speakers and as with all great Prog albums the more you listen the better it gets. If you are a fan of porcupine tree you will love this album

This is the second Pineapple Thief album that I have purchased, the first being "Variations On A Dream" from several years ago. Although I like that album a lot it is obvious the band has advanced significantly with this later release. The band's sound is kind of like Radiohead meeting Porcupine Tree. If you like either of these bands you will probably enjoy this disc. "Unwound" features 9 tracks with two of them clocking in at over the 10 minute mark. Bruce Soard is the main man behind all of the Pineapple Thief projects and he continues to improve as both a songwriter and singer. Overall this is a very enjoyable modern progressive rock release from a band that deserves more recognition.

This is a deliciously disturbing, lusciously arranged, and wildly imaginative collection of songs. Haunting melodies, dynamically intense from crushing to whisper, heavenly and gorgeous to driving and insane sometimes all at the same time. Listen to the 30 second samples and expect a thousand times the intensity and emotion of imaginative, unpredictable songwriting.

Most of the other comments are correct when they say these guys sound like Radiohead. I would add that they also have a sound of Porcupine Tree. My opinion is that they are better than Radiohead but not as good as Porcupine Tree. This particular CD is OK but there is nothing exceptional here like you would find in Porcupine Tree. I was actually not particularly impressed with this CD after hearing some of their other music on Live365. I would give them another chance but I am hoping that this is not an example of their best music.

Unraveling the threads of emotional ties, Tightly Unwound weaves together a virtual tapestry of the human experience and then rips it apart at the seams with the precision of a finely tuned snare drum. "My Debt to You" interlaces the first couple of knots in this aching ode to emotional obligation, while "Shoot First" painfully anticipates the needle to the heart, as rapid fire thrusts of guitar tear at the spun moral fiber. "Sinners" is a righteously Indignant and hellishly beautiful pattern of behavior that scoffs at the idea of following strict patterns of thinking. "Tightly Wound" comes undone in glorious explosions of sound and colour, creating a painful dream filled with comforting illusions, followed by "The Sorry State", which is a vivid image of vaguely defined abject despair, wallowing in a mess of flailing synthetic chords neatly wrapped around every last suicidal note. The music of "My Bleeding Hand" is held taut and in parallel order to the loosely defined lyrics that are nevertheless clear in their intent, and "And So Say All of You" clearly states its question of self worth as seen through the eyes of needles looking at an image hung in an exalted position above fragile expectations. "Different World" and "To Much to Lose" are both finely woven masterpieces that stretch across the length of time in timeless fashion. The happy existence found in the loosely knit illusions of "Different World" is both sad and pathetic. The music is languid and harsh and as hypnotically soothing as a metronome swinging guillotine-like above those dreamy and dewy filled eyes. The raising and lowering sequence of "Too Much to Lose" is wound onto the emotional spools in a deliberately slow manner, initially creating a picture of unselfish love, while internally the threads are torn and frayed. Guitars, Bass, Drums and keys thrash up and down like the bobbins in a sweat factory, and the end result is one of the best creations ever to have sprung from the musical loom of Bruce Soord, the singer, guitarist and creator of all that is The Pineapple Thief.

I've not stumbled across a CD like this in ages. Great mix, moody, mellow, intricate and polished. Not as abstract as some Radiohead, but not mainstream either. I do hear some progressive rock influences, not concerned with tradition song forms. I am anxiously awaiting the next CD. Great stuff.