Why you may soon hear of IdiotPilot

cleanbluesky · 24 Dec 2005 at 19:28

http://www.idiotpilot.com/

Strange we should meet here

I have been listening to this album straight through for the last few days, and think it is excellent. The best parts of it are the originality, passion and beauty within the songs - very rare at the moment I would say.

The entire album is based around simple idea, and executed with respect for the feel of the song. The music is written by two people, percussion is handled by programmed beats - and their instruments are guitars and synths, which leads to a highly synthetic and almost retro sound on a lot of the songs, coupled with heavy and satisfying hard rock.
The vocals are handled by both of the IdiotPilot members, one usually responsible for the calm bits and the other for the inevitable screams.

The album itself has been hard to get and usually labelled as an import, but it seems supply is starting to flow.

Go to their site, check out the sounds...

Franck · 24 Dec 2005 at 19:57

Been hanging round with a few of my mates who are really into hardcore recently and this was one of the few things they listen to that I liked.

A good mix of hxc, elctronica and indie. Definately worth the time to check out the site

Sepheh · 25 Dec 2005 at 01:38

Have known about the band for a while, have never really 'got them'

Carzy · 19 Jan 2006 at 04:17

I just got a hold of this album. I never thought I'd say this, but screaming has actually ruined what could have been a great album (from my initial listening). There's potential in this album, but for me, the screaming really ruins it. I think it might just be that I'm not a big fan of his screaming style, but for me, it really doesn't work. Shame really, because it's a promising sound. Maybe it'll grow on me.

SidewinderINC · 19 Jan 2006 at 11:27

i think it'll take me a while to get into these guys, as carzy has said, i think for this band the screaming has ruined it on first listens...

i cant help but thinking stereophonics mixed with an unknown something when i listen to a day in the life of a pool shark!

cleanbluesky · 19 Jan 2006 at 13:38

Probably the most ironic album intro ever though...

Carzy · 19 Jan 2006 at 14:12

I'm listening again at the moment. The thing that gets me is that the screaming just seems in the most random places, like it really has no need for it to be there. The style of the songs really doesn't require it.

cleanbluesky · 19 Jan 2006 at 15:54

Carzy said:
I'm listening again at the moment. The thing that gets me is that the screaming just seems in the most random places, like it really has no need for it to be there. The style of the songs really doesn't require it.

thiking back to an interview I saw with them (which then sponsored me to get the album) the idea is that it provides contrast - one does all the melodic bits and the other does the screaming

Carzy · 19 Jan 2006 at 16:02

cleanbluesky said:
thiking back to an interview I saw with them (which then sponsored me to get the album) the idea is that it provides contrast - one does all the melodic bits and the other does the screaming

Believe me, I have hundreds of albums with the screaming vs singing style, but in most of the cases the screaming fits in with the rest of the music. The Radiohead-esque electronica (also reminiscent of The Postal Service) really doesn't call out for screaming, that's the difference I think.

He's not a very good screamer either. I think you can be good at it, and bad at it (maybe people will disagree with me). Listen to A Day In Black and White, Yaphet Kotto, Five Minute Ride, Bleed The Dream, Alexisonfire, The Bled and Glassjaw for examples of good screamers. IdiotPilot is almost too indie sounding to have a screamer.

It's growing on me slowly, but I already know it won't be an album I'll end up loving, will just be one I like.

cleanbluesky · 20 Jan 2006 at 13:54

Carzy said:
It's growing on me slowly, but I already know it won't be an album I'll end up loving, will just be one I like.

I love it if only because it is very original.

I think probably the best song to begin understanding the entire album is Arrhytmia - its one of the most accesible on the album.

I was once explaining Tool to my friend, and she asked me to pick a single song to introduce the album to her - I remember choosing "Disposition" off Lateralus and I still think it was the best choice...

penski · 21 Jan 2006 at 10:33

There is definitely good screaming and bad screaming. Listen to Opiate by Tool for an intro to good screaming.

Bad screaming will also ruin your throat VERY quickly. I've been bellowing like a mofo since I was around 12 and it has resulted in the loss of part of my actual singing range...going from high to low, there's a noticeable jump from mid-range to low and vibrato.

BUT...I've never had polyps or anything other than the odd bout of tonsilitis (which I'd probably get anyway).

Actually - go and buy everything by earthtone9 - polyrhythmic, immense, beautiful, quasi-tribal (at times) and Karl Middleton has one of the greatest vocal ranges of all time.

THAT's how you do the singy/screamy thing

*n