Even if some prog gurus only tolerate complicated, psychedelically worded, fiddly stuff and proclaim it as prog, they are wrong in their one-sidedness. To them I say “don't be afraid to hate me”.

After the commercially successful album Magnolia, this is a "back to the roots" album. These roots are branching out more and more, and that's a good thing. The whole thing is garnished with guests like John Helliwell from Supertrampt (clarinet in the jazzy "Fend for Yourself"). Symphonic elements come from CARAVAN's Geoffrey Richardson. Gavin Harrison on drums brings a touch of Porcupine Tree into play, easily recognizable in "Take your Shot" and "Tear you up". Darran Charles from the Godsticks also contributes to the album with electric guitar.

The first song, “In Exile,” puts us in a progressive mood. “In Nomansland” hits the melancholy and makes me ponder. Very nice. From the middle of the song, things get much faster. But all the other songs are well thought out and perfectly coherent. I just can't find anything that doesn't fit. The 8 songs are melodic, gentle, then “harder” and much more progressive. With The Pineapple Thief, I like this perfect sound best on CD. No crackling, no dust and no static discharges. Vinyl is of course not a bad choice, if perfection is too much for you, just go for it (I say to all vinyl gurus: “don't be afraid to hate me”). The CD version is plain cardboard, with a white back. An eight-page booklet is included.

Songs I particularly like: “In Exile”, Take your Shot”, “Fend for Yourself” and “The final Thing on my Mind”.

Everything is produced with crystal-clear clarity, I can't find any flaws. The musicians are good, Bruce Soord's singing is just good. Grey melancholy, best enjoyed in the light rain on a worn veranda. And that's exactly the point: With all the smooth production, the Thieves manage to create this mood in the listener again and again with every listen. I think that's great. I don't actually like it perfect, but with The Pineapple Thiefs I love it.

Prog, ambient, art rock and minimal music. The Pineapple Thief succeeds in doing this here. And really well. What I don't like so much are the bonus songs on this CD.

The photos are all from my CD. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.