Far and Wide by The Pineapple Thief, a 2026 album.
Far and Wide comes after ten years and seven albums with drummer Gavin Harrison, whom we know well for his work with Porcupine Tree and King Crimson.
This decade of concerts around the world and strong studio collaboration pushed the quartet to create a record that captured the energy and spontaneity of their live shows.
The band that recorded Far and Wide in 2026 is the same one that worked on the beautiful It Leads To This in 2024. The quartet, stable since 2017, is made up of:
Bruce Soord – Vocals and guitars
Gavin Harrison – Drums and percussion
Jon Sykes – Bass and backing vocals
Steve Kitch – Keyboards and synthesizers
The album explores themes of unease and weariness about the state of today’s world. Frontman Bruce Soord (also the author of a beautiful solo record this year, Ghosts In The Park) immediately expresses his disorientation and frustration in the face of global chaos. Some tracks speak of a loss of shared reference points, others turn this frustration into a kind of challenge, marveling at the human ability to survive one more night amid the disorder.
Compared to the previous “It Leads To This”, which was more layered and complex, this new record is barer. Bruce Soord has kept overdubs to a minimum. At most he uses two guitars at the same time, and even the backing vocals are more restrained. This lets each instrument stand out and creates a more intimate, immediate atmosphere.
Another key feature is the dynamic contrasts. The album alternates delicate acoustic moments, with Soord’s melancholy voice, with sudden heavy explosions that, by contrast, create an effect of great power.
Gavin Harrison’s drumming is, as always, at the center of the songs. His style is geometric, yet at the same time fluid and full of polyrhythmic interlocks. He constantly dialogues with Jon Sykes’ tight bass lines, giving the songs an incredible push even in the quietest moments. Steve Kitch’s keyboards aren’t there for virtuosic solos, but to create cinematic atmospheres and subtle electronic textures that fill the space left open by the guitars.
It’s an album that stays true to modern, melancholy progressive rock, but comes closer to the live rock energy.
These are what I consider the highlights of this record.
“New World Order”, the track that opens the album. Bruce Soord gives us a very gripping guitar riff that pairs perfectly with Gavin Harrison’s geometric groove. It’s an excellent introduction to the band’s new, more rock and direct sound.
Then there’s “Hold the Ashes”, a truly touching and personal track by Soord, dedicated to the passing of his father the year before. Musically it’s dark, yet enveloping, and it delicately addresses themes like mortality and emotional legacy.
“God Knows” is another strong song, driven by a powerful tribal drum and a heavy, aggressive guitar riff. The interesting thing is the contrast: the initial heaviness suddenly dissolves, making room for a whispered piano and Soord’s angelic voice.
But the masterpiece of the record is, in my opinion, “No Exceptions”. This closing track is the album’s artistic peak.
It unfolds with incredible compositional patience. It starts in deep darkness, with only Soord’s evocative voice, then a muted drum part and a guitar solo hanging in the void gradually join in. Around the fifth minute, the song explodes: all the tension and unease that have built up are released in an urgent, fiery, liberating burst of distorted guitar. Instead of a pompous or predictable ending, the band shows immense class by bringing the song back to its initial melodic calm, slowly fading out as Soord sings of the wonder of having survived one more night in the chaos of the contemporary world. It’s not just a song, it’s the perfect synthesis of the emotional journey that defines the entire album.
Far and Wide is one of their most inspired works of the last ten years. Bruce Soord decided to strip the songs of too many frills and layers, and the result is a record that breathes, with crazy dynamics, and that highlights the quartet’s fantastic interplay in perfect symbiosis with Gavin Harrison.
Sure, those who love tracks with a thousand time changes or hyper-complex suites typical of traditional prog might find this work too direct at first, but with a few listens you discover all its beauty. Excellent!
For fans
The Pineapple Thief have announced two Italian dates for the “Far and Wide” European Tour 2027, in support of the new album. The tour features an extended show with unreleased tracks and classics.
Rome: Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone, Sala Sinopoli, Saturday 17 April 2027 at 20:00. The theater acoustics enhance the group’s sound.
Milan: Alcatraz, Sunday 18 April 2027 at 21:00. The club setting suits the new, minimal and energetic rock direction of “Far and Wide”.
Tickets on sale on TicketOne
My Version
Label: Inside Out Music – IOM773, Sony Music – 19958452211
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Europe
Release: 2026
Tracklist
A1 New World Order
A2 Hold The Ashes
A3 Still Living
A4 God Knows
A5 This Empty Space
B1 Scattering Like Flies
B2 Through The Noise
B3 Who Wants It?
B4 No Exceptions
Lineup
Bruce Soord – Vocals and guitars
Gavin Harrison – Drums and percussion
Jon Sykes – Bass and backing vocals
Steve Kitch – Keyboards and synthesizers
