10 STORIES DOWN

Wow. I caught Pineapple Thief at the 2005 Marillion Convention. I thought they were a good band but they needed more live experience. The result of that gig however, was a visit to their website and a preorder of 10 stories down. I'm glad I did. This album is a solid example of their style and very reminicent of Porcupine Tree. Check it out!

This album is a distinctly average set of neo-prog tunes by a band that seem to be wildly overrated by the prog scene. They are certainly a little derivative of Porcupine Tree but nowhere near in the same league. Try and get a listen to this band before purchasing, they are not as magical as they've been portrayed.

I have to tell you this band are a real find. This album has it all--fantastic structures,soaring guitar riffs and great melodies plus great lyrics. This is prog rock for 2006. Having seen them live last week I can recommend them unreservedly--they deserve much more exposure. Variations on a dream is still excellent too and with a new album out this year in the summer the future is very bright.

Fantastic.

The Pineapple Thief - 10 Stories down

The Pineapple Thief always amused me with their fairly uplifting songs. Being a mixture of pop music and prog instrumentation, the songs might fool the average listener to think they are not listening to anything special at first, but after repeated listens one notices the various layers of sounds and melodies.

As I mentioned earlier on I always have the feeling that the music presented here is uplifting. If you take a deeper look at the lyrics and the meaning of these texts, one might judge otherwise though. I guess it is simply the overall mood that makes me feel happy when listening to this album. Even the very mellow ballads do not sound depressing for a bit, maybe a bit melancholic with a twist of hope.

The slightly longer songs are the ones that require most listens to explore their beauty, but these are most likely the better tracks on the album. Although, I must admit it depends on my mood which songs I prefer.

The World I always dreamed of is a fairly typical Pineapple Thief song. Its composition features various changes in instrumentation. The song is basically split in to two different parts. The first is a mellow song with crystal clear guitar playing and some weird keyboard fills in the background. But at about four minutes in, the mood changes into a built-up with new instrumentation. The keyboards and string section are the instruments that really shine in this section.

But the most special song on this album is the epic closing track Light up your Eyes. The fact that this song progressed from a 3.41 min long version on the rushed out "12 Stories down" release to a 15.17 min suite, spanned over two tracks, on this "10 Stories down" album. This song features basic, but effective lyrics, which work as a good support for the brooding atmosphere. The further the song progresses, the more instruments -and thus melodies- come into the picture. The song includes a few breakdown parts, especially in the transition sequence between part 1: I and part 2: Who. The second half of this 15 minutes long suite has a more acoustic approach. This is also typical for this band; they incorporate a lot of acoustic parts in their music. The suite ends with a heavy, for Pineapple Thief standards, instrumental section, which really rocks.

10 STORIES DOWN is my second Pineapple Thief acquisition, and it's likely to be my last.

While I had liked their previous release (2003's VARIATIONS ON A DREAM - see my review), I find listening to this latest effort to be tedious in the extreme. The disc is aptly titled, because the ten tracks (or "stories") presented here (track 11 is a continuation of track 10) really bring me down. (Perhaps "ten stories" is the minimum height you might want to jump from, to ensure success in forever removing the memory of this dismal stuff from your head....)

Lyrics mean much to me, and these feel like an adolescent suicide note set to music - and it's dreary, repetitive music, at that: the proggy traces and influences that lifted VARIATIONS above the norm are woefully absent. Instead, we get what might result if you locked those cheery souls Morrissey and Robert Smith in a bare room, limited them to a diet of bread and water (the latter heavily spiked with downers), and ordered to write some songs, with no uplifting or humourous material allowed.

10 STORIES DOWN gives you unrelentingly whining, wrist-slittingly-depressing lyrics and vocals, and limp, generic music that all sounds much the same. Main "Thief" Bruce Soord moans about how he wants "something to live for" - I don't know if his lyrics are autobiographical, but a look at PT's website informs me that he's recently married. Hopefully his new bride will give him a reason to "keep breathing."

What a bleak disappointment! Collectors and fans (hopefully on Prozac) only! Why not add some musical variety and HOPE next time, Brucey?

Coming after the outstanding 'Variations on a Dream' this had to be good.

It is!

It's what might be called a 'grower', with first imressions being 'this is good' but after a few plays, the thought turns to 'this is brilliant'.

Whilst overall not so 'proggy' as 'Variations', the music has a different sort of beauty and each song gives a different facet every time one listens to it.

I don't like to go on at length about individual tracks, preferring to make a general recommendation and let others judge for themselves.

However, I could not finish without mentioning the last track, 'Light Up Your Eyes'.

As with 'Variations', in my opinion PT have left the best track to last and this serves to leave you wanting more!

A great CD and thorughly recommended (particularly if you like that group that has the same intials and is almost as good!)

4.5 stars.

The pictures in the liner notes of each member of the band jumping off of a building looks really cool. This was the hardest PINEAPPLE THIEF record for me to get into. It's more mature then past albums with less guitar and energy. Their sound is becoming more their own now.

"Prey For Me" has this ten second bombastic intro before Bruce's vocals come in and I can't help but smile. His vocals are accompanied with acoustic guitar. Violin 2 minutes in.The chorus rocks out pretty good, while the verses are dreamy and beautiful. "Clapham" has some piano and strings in it. It sort of has the same style as the opener only a lot more laid back. "Wretched Soul" has processed vocals and a great beat.This is a catchy tune with some more dreamy passages. "The World I Always Dreamed Of" is a fantastic song with PORCUPINE TREE sounding synths and acoustic guitar. "Start Your Descent" is a beautiful, melancholic song with violin, and believe it or not accordion. "My Own Oblivion" is kind of funky to open with processed vocals. This is a heavier song with a good beat to it.

"It's Just You And Me" is spacey with lots of synths until we get a good guitar solo then it's back to the dreamy sound. "The Answers" is a slow paced, mellow, laid back tune. It's very relaxing with some violin. "From Where Your Standing" is more upbeat and actually is a catchy, radio friendly song with some aggressive guitar 3 minutes in. "Light Up Your Eyes" is divided into two parts consisting of over 15 minutes of music. The first part is "I Light Up Your Eyes" while the second part is "Who Light Up Your Eyes".This is the best song I have heard from the band so far.The way the first part builds to an emotional high is incredible. To the way it relaxes to almost nothing.This contrast continues throughout. Amazing violin melodies as well.The second part has a real PORCUPINE TREE feel to it. This album just continues to grow on me. Barely 4 stars though.

Edit : October 14/2011 Well I just purchased the remixed and remastered version of this album and they've added a bonus disc called "8 Days Later" which was on the original "12 Stories Down" release. I should mention that "12 Stories Down" was released in a hurry and the wrong master was used for it. It sounded bad enough (Bruce said it was crap) that the band recalled all of the sent out cds and eventually re-released it as "10 Stories Down" which was my original review here. I want to touch on the bonus disc here which I feel is better than the first one. I would say the first one is my least favourite PINEAPPLE THIEF album but certainly with this bonus disc of material it's raised my appreciation for the overall recording. Still this is a low 4 stars.

First up is "Sunday : Crash" with samples and strummed guitar then it kicks in around a minute.Vocals before 3 minutes. "Monday : Sleep" is an instrumental of gentle guitar to start as drums and bass join in. Mellotron-like sounds 2 1/2 minutes in. Love this track. "Tuesday : Haboob" is even better with the picked guitar as a beat and atmosphere join in. It kicks in hard at 5 minutes. Nice. Great tune. "Wednesday:The Snail Song" has strummed guitar early on. We get a calm before 1 1/2 minutes then vocals and guitar come in.Excellent ! "Thursday : Fifty Four" kicks in hard then settles back as these contrasts continue. "Friday : 5 Minutes" is a vocal track as the piano comes and goes. Guitar before 3 1/2 minutes. "Saturday:Reverse" is an instrumental that begins in an experimental manner. Drums before 2 minutes.There's silence before 4 1/2 minutes then it kicks back in with some raw guitar. Cool song. "Sunday : King Street" opens with piano as acoustic guitar joins in then drums after 2 1/2 minutes. A beautiful track.

I do believe they've finally got this album the way they want it (haha). And the final result will make PINEAPPLE THIEF fans very happy.

Compared to VOSD, 10 Stories Down is a very different group, when it comes to its line-up; with only ex Vulgar Unicorn man Bruce Soord remaining from two years previous. However musically things haven't changed much, as Soord is still the only songwriter of the group and has kept the band's propos pretty well the same. Sonically, however there are a few subtle differences: the group is now a quintet with two guitarists players and two keyboard players, each instrument having their "specialist", with Soord cumulating both instruments, but the drumming style is more mainstream as well. On the content, beit lyrical or songwriting however, 10SD is much in the line of previous album, dishing out some fairly neo- prog clichés along the Radiohead lines, mainly due to Soord's voice and its depressive objects of discussions throughout this present album.

Actually if I mentioned this "Radiohead" sound-alike similarity, I find that very remark very-much more relevant to this album, especially well shown in the depressive (even suicidal) artwork of the booklet, where the quintet is shown jumping of the roof of buildings. So this "Radiohead thing" that permeates PT's music is now becoming all too encumbering (I only know this one and VOAD) and I find it close to intolerably derivative. I was never a fan of Soord's "inspirations" (VU especially), but here it sounds almost like a will to leach from Thom Yorke emo-styled music.

Apparently coming in two more versions, the first being a 4-track EP (4 SD) and the other an extended version (12SD), the former having the merit of being short, the latter (most likely even more expensive), probably pushing you of the building's rooftop for being even more depressively long.

I guess that the many different releases of this work can upset more than one fan. And I am one of these. The band could have released one excellent album out of all these attempts to market (cash in?) their work.

The long opener ''Prey For Me'' is an excellent song: fully in the tradition of ''PTh'': fine and melancholic vocals, repetitive guitar, excellent rhythm. Somewhat derivative of ''Echo & The Bunnymen'' (but I quite like those ones who are maybe ready for an inclusion). An excellent start should I say.

Another highlight IMHHO is the great and rocking ''Wretched Soul'':

The melancholic and ''Radiohead'' sound is of course inevitable. But ''The World I Always Dreamed Of'' is much more than a pastiche. It is a truly strong number which conveys such a nice feeling?A great mix of rock and acoustic music: this is one highlight of the album. As far as I am concerned.

Of course, the mellow vocals might be embarrassing after several songs. But this is PTh. Along with their catchy rock they can also be moving. Don't get me wrong though: this album is not a jewel. Some of the tracks performed are just not on par and sound as fillers (''Start Your Descent'').

Their infectious pop-rock music can be fully appreciated during ''My Own Oblivion''. Catchy vocals, heavy and powerful background music. A strong number indeed. More like this one would have been needed to make this album a real good one. But on the contrary, one has to swallow some weak numbers towards the ends (I'm not talking about the long version of ''Light Up?'').

I am not a deep ''PTh'' fan. I only consider them as a good rock band. As such, three stars for this album is legitimate to my ears.

10 stories down is arguably the least progressive album from Pineapple Thief. The mood stays melancholic and introspective. Clapham has a decent melody and flair. Wretched Soul balances between cresciendo alternative rock and mellow part. Start your descent is an acoustic track with guitar and violin which does not progress much. I will light up your eyes might look promising with its 7 minutes, however there is not much going on and it is a repetitive track. The last regular track Who will light up your eyes does not shine with ambitions either: it has a calm start and a repetitive motive in the end. Overall, this album should have been shorter as there are not as many ideas as on other PT albums. The bonus tracks are worth hearing but certainly not necessary.

With this album, The PT sounds more authentic, as it was already the case with Variations, but i find this one even better, more energetic, the release was confusing beacause there was 2 different album plus an EP and it's a shame cause material on every discs was good, they could have actually released a doucle album with this different stories down, startind with ground floor from the EP, the songs that have been pu aside on 10 stories down like slip away, take our hands which are 2 atmospheric good songs, the world turn grey, a beautiful mid tempo song with nice backing vocals by a female guest, the catchy Will you be There and Catch the Jumping fool plus th eshort version of Light up your eyes... Then we have 10 stories down with a great starter Prey for me , I particularly like Start your Descent, another highlight is the world I always dreamed of with nice arrangement and a beautiful ending, but I used to find the song boring a while ago. From where you're standing is weakest song, not a bad rock song though, Another favorite of mine is Wretching soul and the Light up your Eyes (part 1) I'm still not satisfied with the order of the songs on 10 stories, I've done my own including songs from 12 storis on you tube^^ A last word on 8 days later : it's clearly stronger than 8 days from Variations and has some good songs, my favorite tracks are track 2, 5 and 8. 4/5

It took The Pineapple Thief two tries to finish the record they wanted, as "12 Stories Down" was later renamed, remixed and remastered to become the definitive "10 Stories Down".

And finally, we find what was the best album of the band up to that moment, surpassing all their previous attempts and finally reaching the level of quality that was already guessed in the three previous albums but that did not really materialize.

The album is not very progressive but it does offer us a dramatic, intense British indie-prog rock, with a very homogeneous quality in terms of composition, and it offered us classic songs that are still an essential part of the band's repertoire.

Fortunately, the group would continue to grow on successive albums until they reached the status they hold today, but "10 Stories Down" is a full-length with few flaws and without a doubt one of the best of their pre-Gavin Harrison era.

Highly recommended, especially for lovers of albums like "Lightbulb Sun" by Porcupine Tree or "A Fine Day to Exit" by Anathema!

Best Tracks: the first five songs are very good. After that, I especially like I Will Light Up Your eyes.

My Rating: ***