Doing a follow-up to the excellent ‘ Variations on a Dream' was never going to be easy.  An ambitious successor was quickly brought out - ‘ 12 Stories Down' was the ‘unofficial' third album of The Pineapple Thief.  ‘Unofficial' since it was limited to 1000 copies and not released commercially.

Since 2004, this offering foreshadowed the ‘official' version released this year on Cyclops records.  A definitive version that is now available, after a number of delays and which is clearly seen by its principal writer Bruce Soord (vocals, guitars) as the only version worthy of being heard.

If 12 Stories Down was quite a long, complex album scattered with gems and with the added bonus disc, 8 Days Later (written and recorded over the course of one week – each track reflecting the mood of its composer, Bruce, on each day) then ‘ 10 Stories Down' makes for a more effective and concise ensemble. 

 More effective, since the tracks that are kept to create the 10 stories are clearly the most accessible; like ‘Oblivion' and its likeness to the Smashing Pumpkins or the ‘tubesque' ‘Prey for Me.' The arrival of ‘Wretched Soul,' which was merely a small bonus on the first version, can only be appreciated here – this version is amongst one of the most powerful and best produced songs by The Pineapple Thief.  Here the band venture into the realms of Muse, with vocal effects and an absolutely furious guitar solo. 

The album is more concise since, with the exception of the other bonus tracks that one finds here, which took second place on ‘ 12SD' and weighed in at more than 15 minutes, the long twists and turns that resemble ‘ Variations' are gone…  Say ‘goodbye' to the long, ‘Slip Away' and ‘Take our Hands', which showed a developing taste for lengthy instrumental passages… 

 On the other hand, we would not have had anything against a refined version of the excellent ‘Catch the Jumping Fool!' 

 As to the production of the album itself, Bruce Soord, helped by Steve Kitch has emphasised some pieces with subtle additions.  The first beneficiary of this expert touch is ‘The World I Always Dreamed Of' with its new unstoppable melody in the background in the form of an electronic bip.  This takes on a whole new dimension and puts itself up for the best piece by the band thanks, at the very least, to its fly away finale.

 By the same token the long litany that is ‘I Will Light Up Your Eyes, parts I & II'  sees itself gripped by an electronic rhythm and beautiful effects, right from the beginning, which fill even the quietest moments of this track. 

‘10 Stories Down' , although built around ‘12 SD' is clearly distinguishable thanks to this excellent production and the fact that it is certainly a more balanced album.   It enables The Pineapple Thief to move towards mainstream and away from prog, whilst retaining the unique sound of the band – the unstoppable melodies and the voice of Soord.

Julien Monsenego - 2/10/05