Punknews.orgPunknews.org Logo
Review Navigator

BackForward

Features

 

Contests

 


Reviews



Hey you! Do you like the Lawrence Arms? Jawbreaker? The Larry Arms? Chicago pop-punk? The Lawrence Arms' early stuff? The Lawrence Arms? TLA's Ghost Stories? The Lawrence Arms? The Lawrence Arms?

Maybe you get the point.

Banner Pilot reside from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but one listen of their 8-song demo would lead you to believe the band are regulars at the L&L, or perhaps take residence in the North Side or any number of crappy apartments in the Windy City. Their demo, aptly titled Demo, is littered with just about every trait that may've led you to fall in love with the Arms in the first place: Three-piece fronted by utterly gravelly vocalist? Check. Craggy pop-punk sound via a heavy Jawbreaker influence? Check. Rough, but still plenty audible/listenable recording quality? Check most definitely (though some of the tracks sound like downright bubbly MP3s downloaded at 92 kbps [hey "Columbia Lows!"]). Echoy movie clip just right in the mix? Even so (the more fast-paced "At West End"). The only thing missing is a smooth, boyish compliment to Mr. Kelly's spitting image (note, if you dudes are reading this: THIS LAST ONE ISN'T ACTUALLY PROBLEMATIC, OKAY?). At certain points you can kind of tell it's a drum machine making up said playing on the disc, but it doesn't detract too much.

From the opener "End of Night" (which musically reminds me of Saves the Day's "Cheer" for some odd reason) to the stressed, appropriately worded "say goodniiiight" in closer "River City Blackout" it's almost like a shotgun salute to everyone's favorite drunken trio. "Raincheck" is another of the demo's best tracks, as it has a cool hook and clever rhymes for its chorus ("so unforgettable (sorry) / I was unavailable, wish I could've been there with you").

While there isn't a whole lot of defense on the disc proving the band is otherwise no such clone, what they do, they do it well, and as far as I can tell, are one of -- if not the -- first bands drawing so heavily from TLA, a fairly literate and well-respected band on their own merits. With the growth, better production and a good label behind them, Banner Pilot could definitely unleash a truly impressive (and more original) album of its style. For now, I'll enjoy this, the year's bastard little cousin to Cocktails & Dreams.

MP3s
Demo (download full album)



People who liked this also liked:
Dag Nasty - Can I SayPatti Smith - HorsesTed Leo and the Pharmacists - Shake The SheetsThis Bike Is A Pipe Bomb - Dance Party With...Fifteen - BuzzGorilla Biscuits - Start TodayDead Fucking Last - Proud To BeLatterman - No Matter Where We Go..!Fifteen - There's No Place Like HomeHüsker Dü - New Day Rising



Please login or register to post comments.
What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
  • Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
  • Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
  • Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
  • Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 1, 2005 at 12:33 PM (EDT)

    Im into the Minneapolis scene.. and well, I never heard of these fucks...so I checked them out, and rest a sured. We have a lot better coming from our frozen wasteland.

    Posted by wehavecomeforyourchildren on 2005-09-30 22:46:39

    these guys sound enough like a thousand other bands as much as they sound like the lawrence arms. if they told me they had never even heard the lawrence arms, i'd believe it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 30, 2005 at 9:53 PM (EDT)

    for fuck's sake...

    this doesn't sound TOO much like the Larry Arms or Jawbreaker. Of course, those are influences but... christ, from the review, I thought this was going to be a direct rip-off.

    Posted by inagreendase on 2005-09-30 13:15:32

    StD's version more than the Descendents, yes.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 30, 2005 at 12:04 PM (EDT)

    "Saves The Day's Cheer"

    You mean their Descendents cover?

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 30, 2005 at 10:28 AM (EDT)

    hey look I know two band names to compare bands with this musical and vocal style with. Allow me to pull one out every other sentence. Awesome.

    Posted by killyouridols on 2005-09-30 03:19:17

    jawbreaker.

    Posted by kenjamin on 2005-09-30 01:59:44

    corpseofmymotivation is just pissed his lawrence arms influenced band hasn't gotten reviewed yet. You guys are pretty good though. Hit me up if you make it to jersey.

    Posted by inagreendase on 2005-09-30 00:51:24

    I can't take a punk band with a drum machine seriously. It really does take away from the sound.

    Well, it was just for this recording. They have a human behind the skins now (weak pun not intended).

    Posted by corpseofmymotivation on 2005-09-30 00:46:33

    I can't take a punk band with a drum machine seriously. It really does take away from the sound.

    © 1999-2006 Punknews.org • Terms of Use • Privacy • About • ISSN 1710-5366 • RSS RSS Icon