Pilot Speed - "Put the Phone Down"
Formed by Todd Clark by putting out an Internet ad for a bassist, Pilot Speed is now a Canadian rock foursome with four albums under their belt. Formerly known as Pilate, the band changed their name in 2006 to avoid legal confrontations outside of Canada. Formed in 1999 in Toronto, Pilot Speed has just released their newest album, entitled Wooden Bones. Singer/songwriter Todd Clark says that on this album they attempted the more out-there art sounds for "pop hooks that the listener can grab onto."
With "Put the Phone Down" at least they have succeeded. It is a lovely bob-your-head, clap-your-hands ditty filled with spacey synth noises and a sing-along chorus. The vocals are an earnest mix of scraggly sincerity and dough eyed pleading. Like a cleaned up J Mascis morphed into Stephen Malkmus pleading with his prom date for forgiveness. It is a perfect date-night soundtrack for emo kids lying alone in their bedrooms.
Hear more at their official site, and of course, their MySpace page.
Drug Rug - "Pick Your Pen Up Lucy
Listening to "Pick Your Pen Up Lucy" is like digging through the leftovers of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music filtering it through the Beach Boys catalog and covering it in Moldy Peaches. It sounds ancient and new. It is dirty and un-listenable and so incredibly beautiful. It makes me smile like seeing my wife sleep late on a lazy summer morning.
Drug Rug consists of friends Thomas Allen and Sarah Cronin plus a revolving host of others. Their debut, self-titled album came out in 2007 to a fair amount of critical acclaim and enough fame to keep them going. Their sophomore LP, Paint the Fence Invisible comes out July 28 on Black and Greene Records. Check out their MySpace page for more information, and songs.
Article comments
1 - Connie Phillips
Hey Mat, thanks for compiling all the hidden gems together in one column. Sort of reminds me of the Random iPod column you use to do, only these are all new to me.
Totally cool!
2 - Mat Brewster
Thanks Connie. I was going through all those songs anyways I figured it was logical to put up the ones I liked. Hopefully I keep doing each week or so.
Have no fear, the Random Shuffle will come back again...someday.
3 - El Bicho
that's part of the charm is its random appearance. some frequent writers should follow suit