2012 Top Ten: 3 The Pineapple Thief - All The Wars

There was no doubt that The Pineapple Thief were going to find it hard to follow up their superlative 2010 release Someone Here Is Missing, but this year's All The Wars comes damn close to matching it...

The band's brand of "indie prog" is hugely enjoyable and invigorating, with punchy guitars, mournful voclals and foot tapping percussion, the only thing missing is the overt use of synths that to my mind pushed the last album into the stratosphere. That said they do rope in an orchestra to help out on the album and the classical strings do add a lovely atmosphere to songs like Last Man Standing and Build A World.

Despite high expectations, The Pineapple Thief (unlike others) didn't fail to deliver. It is hard to pick one track over another on the album but if I had to pick a couple for a Best of... compilation it would be the title track and Burning Pieces (or possibly Give It Back or maybe Build A World...)

I managed to catch the band at The Fleece in Bristol in September and the band were superb with a brave set that largely comprised of material off the last two albums. If you get the chance to see them on tour you will not be disappointed...