Banner Pilot cont.
A quick background check reveals that Banner Pilot started in 2006 out playing their take on dark, midwesty sounding punk rock a-la Jawbreaker, the Alkaline Trio and the Lawrence Arms with a fucking drum machine (they’ve since acquired a live-flesh drummer). Some of the dudes used to be in Rivethead, an outfit that also boasts members of Dear Landlord. One of the guys works at Wells Fargo or Target or something. One of the guys was the studio bassist for all the Off With Their Heads records. They used to be on Go Kart, who put out their debut full-length, Resignation Day, before they signed with Fat who dropped the aforementioned Collapser in 2009. There. We up to speed? Okay, then let’s get this baby up to 88 and check out the future.
Heart Beats Pacific, described by the band as “Collapser on steroids” was recorded at the Terrrarium by Jaques Wait, who also recorded Off With Their Heads, Dear Landlord, and The Soviettes. When pressed for a blurb about the HBP, Banner Pilot said:
“Whenever a band starts a new album, they have a choice to take a
step backwards…. Or take a step forwards. We chose to take a step
backwards. That gave us more room to jump two steps forward. What does that
mean? Better songs, but still in the same vein as before. A few new things
that make the album less straight-forward, but not in a weird way. Thicker
guitars, and an overall better sound. We even cracked out a grand piano for
a four-count-em-four note piano part. New things, but we don’t abandon or
ignore our old sound.”
It’s a fancy way of saying “Collapser on steroids” if you want my opinion, but few people ever do, and besides you know artists, always jib-jabbin’ away about harmonies and notes and instruments and shit like that.
Where was I? Oh yeah, the touring cycle for Heart Beats Pacific is gonna take these dudes to CMJ, Riotfest and a trip to the Fest in Gainesville with none other than labelmates Dead To Me. Sources close to the band have expressed that there’s gonna be more touring on the horizon after that, so get out there and check out Banner Pilot on their triumphant return from hibernation. An earlier draft of this bio even said “grab your Camus Cliff’s Notes and your Budweiser Zubas” and uh, well, I like that, and since this is ending now I just thought I’d throw it in here too.
