Idiot Pilot: Wolves

Idiot Pilot
Wolves
Warner Bros.
2007-08-03

Sounding far more British than their mailing address of Bellingham, Washington would indicate, Idiot Pilot bring with them a grand, epic-like style to several of these songs, including “Last Chance” which resembles a lighter version of Angels & Airwaves. There are plenty of electronic or atmospheric effects throughout, but the payoffs are the meaty, tactile choruses found in songs such as the intense “Elephant”. The first real tune that leaps out at you is the leaner, terribly tight “Retina and the Sky”, which sounds like the perfect child born out of The Cure and Suede. The group always puts a different spin on things, especially on the meandering, moody “Good Luck” which sounds like Coldplay with an axe to grind. Crisp and rarely giving in to jam-like proceedings, Idiot Pilot steer the record along quite nicely with the stellar “Red Museum”, bringing to mind Taking Back Sunday complete with terse, guttural howls. It’s a far cry from the conclusion of “Theme from the Pit” featuring some soft jazz accents.

RATING 6 / 10