Brad Birzer, Carl Olson, and Tad Wert are all big fans of Bruce Soord (check out Brad and Tad’s earlier dialog on the deluxe reissue of The Pineapple Thief’s first 7 albums!). Bruce has released his third solo album, Luminescence, and so, of course, we had to share our thoughts on it.

Tad: Brad and Carl, I really enjoy Soord’s solo work; sometimes I think he saves some of his best songs for it! They tend to be more lowkey and relaxed than his music with The Pineapple Thief – more straightforward rock/pop. I’ve been listening to Luminescence quite a bit, and I find it very charming. “Olomouc” is a winner, in my opinion, with its lush string accompaniment. On the other hand, the stripped-down (and aptly titled) “So Simple” is a real gem of acoustic beauty that ends too soon. What are your first impressions?

Carl: Gents! A couple of quick thoughts about Soord’s impressive, beautiful album. I expected it to be “good,” but I’ve become a bit obsessed with it, having now listened to it at least 30 times or more. The songs are subtle, but perfectly constructed. The playing and production are both exceptional: warm, intimate, engaging. There are a lot of layers, but also a lot of space, which is no small feat sonically. I especially like the combination of electronica sounds and beats with acoustic guitar (see “Lie Flat”). Vocally, Soord is both understated and emotive in perfect pitch (both musically and emotionally). Who knew a “prog” guy would create such a remarkably good pop album?

Brad: Tad and Carl, great to be talking with you both!  And, what a beautiful album to discuss.  I only started listening to it about a week ago, but I’ve been listening to it non-stop.  Carl, I will admit, I’m not surprised that Soord–a prog guy–could create such a remarkably good pop album.  The album, for what it’s worth, reminds me very much of mid-period Tears for Fears, especially Raoul and the Kings of Spain.  Soord, like Roland Orzabal, is really a master of mixing beautiful melodies in complex ways.  Tad, I think “charming” is exactly the right word for this album.

Carl: I cannot speak to the Tears for Fears comparison (although I completely believe you!), but will bring up two artists that this album brings to mind, in very positive ways. The first is Charlie Peacock, a very eclectic American singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist, etc., who is known for his work in contemporary Christian music, but has worked in jazz, country, Americana, and more. He’s a brilliant producer/writer, as can be heard on the 2021 album “Skin and Wind,” which mixes electronic and acoustic instrumentation—including strings—brilliantly, in the service of concise songs filled with longing and questioning, just like Soord’s fabulous album. The other is the better-known Duncan Sheik, especially his first three albums (1996, 1998, and 2002), which were quite successful commercially. Their voices are similar, and songs such as Soord’s “Instant Flash of Light” is very “Sheik-ish,” right down to the really lovely small chamber strings. These comparisons are, in my book, very high compliments. 

Tad: Holy cow, Carl, your evocation of Charlie Peacock brought back some nice memories! I was very much into his music in the early to mid-90s, and now that you mention it, there is a lot of similarity between his style and Soord’s. And, Brad, you also made a connection I hadn’t thought of, but is very true: TFF’s Raoul and the Kings of Spain is a worthy ancestor and  influence of this album. 

Carl, you mentioned Soord’s use of electronica, and I’d like to jump off of that to say a little bit about another song I really, really, like: “Nestle In”. It begins with a police siren wailing, and as it becomes slightly distorted, a gentle wash of electronica begins to pulse. Soord’s vocals are mixed up front, and if you listen on headphones, it’s as if he were singing right at your shoulder. Whoever is playing drums on this track is outstanding – beautiful fills as Soord sings “The storm is approaching/And no one dares to look”. The distorted siren returns, and the song is over. I know my description makes it sound like it is cacophonous and noisy, but it isn’t at all. It’s oddly comforting, as a song entitled “Nestle In” should be.

Brad: Tad, the first time I heard “Nestle In,” I was immediately sure that a police car had just passed by, and I offered up a quick prayer for the person involved in whatever altercation there might be!  

Then, I realized my mistake.

Also, Tad, I should note that I think both Orzabal and Soord share an absolute earnestness in their music.  I especially think the influence is strong with Tears for Fears’ “Falling Down,” arguably the most earnest (the beautiful) song Orzabal has written.

Carl, thanks, too, for such good insights.  I’m not familiar with the artists you mentioned, but it sounds like I should be.

I must admit, as much as I love the entire Soord album, I’m most partial to the album opener, “Dear Life.”  The song just immediately grabs me and wants me/begs me/asks me to listen to the rest of the album.  

I like the lyrics, too:

This sight

Barely changed

Just the shadows cast over our remains

With the wounded leaves

We’re still clinging on for dear life

Don’t wish it away

Don’t wish that it will all be over

In the sweetest blink of an eye

This light

The reddest glow

Barely time to dry those saddest eyes I know

After all we have seen

We’re still clinging on for dear life

For this dear life

They’re not only nice lyrics, but they match the music, perfectly.

Carl: All three of us had a similar experience with “Nestle In”! I live in the country and we never heard police sirens. But when the song first came on, I was out of my chair and opening the door: “What is that…?”

I continued to be really riveted by the combination of intimacy and space in this album. Tad, you highlighted this perfectly in saying it’s like Soord is singing at your shoulder. It would be fascinating to talk to Soord about how he recorded and produced the album. It sounds so incredibly good. 

Every song is excellent, but “Lie Flight” is probably my favorite, at least at the moment. It’s deceptively simple, but with a wonderful drums/bass sound that really locks you in. I tend to like lyrics that allow multi-interpretations/levels, and these certainly fit the bill: 

Finally I’ve made some sense of it all

How could I not have known this all before?

I’m coming home

Is it too late for me?

It plays so differently with one eye on the soul

It could be about a romantic relationship. Or could it be about something more spiritual, pertaining to God and transcendence? “It plays so differently with one eye on the soul” is so good; it’s both simple and very mysterious. And maybe that’s this album’s greatest attribute: it’s immediate and accessible, but really mysterious at the same time. 

Tad: Okay, since we began this discussion, I bought a hard copy of Luminescence (if I find an album I really love, I don’t trust streaming services to keep it always available). I’ve had some time to go over the lyrics, and they seem to be documenting the collapse of a relationship. There is a consistent theme of loss and regret running through every song. However, I like the tack you take, Carl, and I’m going to assume there’s a higher yearning involved here.

Also, that drummer I singled out for praise is Soord himself! The only instruments he doesn’t play are the strings that accompany him on several songs. 

I have one more thing to add to our conversation – I have fallen in love with two songs near the end of the album: “Stranded Here”, and “Read to Me”. To my ears, they go together, because the acoustic guitar line from the former flows seamlessly into the latter. Soord has overdubbed a couple of acoustic guitars in this mini-suite, and their interplay is simply wonderful.

Gentlemen, it looks like this is a good place to wrap things up. Gentle readers, please take our advice and give Bruce Soord’s Luminescence a listen!

Here’s the video for the first single, “Dear Life”: