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Idiot Pilot

Wolves

(Warner Bros.; US: 3 Aug 2007; UK: Available as import)

Review [1.May.2008]

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:

Originally from Cape Breton, MacNeil is currently writing for the Toronto Sun as well as other publications, including All Music Guide, Billboard.com, NME.com, Country Standard Time, Skope Magazine, Chart Magazine, Glide, Ft. Myers Magazine and Celtic Heritage. A graduate of the University of King's College, MacNeil currently resides in Toronto. He has interviewed hundreds of acts ranging from Metallica and AC/DC to Daniel Lanois and Smokey Robinson. MacNeil (modestly referred to as King J to friends), a diehard Philadelphia Flyers fan, has seen the Rolling Stones in a club setting, thereby knowing he will rest in peace at some point down the road. Oh, and he writes for PopMatters.com.


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Idiot Pilot - Retina And The Sky
Related Articles
1 May 2008
Most were hoping that Idiot Pilot would play to the strengths of their debut to produce a top-notch follow-up; in reality, they've played to their weaknesses and come out with a sophomore that is little more than average.
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