Last week I sat down with Pilot Whale and saw the course of song perfection.  Though the album was created before the band got the process down pat, I jumped at the chance to give the whole album a listen on its own to see what the band was trying to create for their live shows.  New Recitals to Attend is the band’s first full length album and will be the first of many. Ryan (guitarist) has stated the band plans to do only full lengths, which is a music to my ears as well as other Pilot Whale fans.  New Recitals to Attend is a cohesive gift sent down from music heaven, ideally coupling Jon’s soft vocals with a variety of instruments as well as drumming by Jake, back up vocals and slapping of the bass from Brian, Sean’s stroking of the keys, and Ryan plucking those guitar strings.

“Milky Way” is a good song to open the album with.  It’s composition is refreshingly simple (but in no way boring), getting you hooked in and wanting to hear what else is to come.  Following this is “Blue Skies” which has dubbed by the guys at the most pop sounding song on the album.  Though this is true, it shows the band can go with a different song style and not lose what they’re all about.  “Floating Satellite” introduces piano and violin to the mix, creating a melancholiness to song yet not managing to make it sound depressing (which is hard to do).  Horns and banjo’s come into play in “Sparro’s Recovery” and “Page I’m On,” something not typical on an “indie” album but a great addition. Besides the banjo’s and horns, New Recitals gives beautiful instrumental transition tracks like “Chin Up” and melodic instrumental intros like in “Burnadette’s Conquest.” And then there’s “Atmosphere,” a song that reminds me of good, old memories of friends, crushes and the innocence of youth.

New Recitals is a definite reflection of who the guys in the band are as individuals. Each song off the album offers you something a little something different while still keeping the album as a collective piece of art, just as each band members offers a different personality while still managing to work so well together.  The band’s versatility is shown through their positive lyrics and ability to keep true to themselves despite the variation in song style. The guys in the band remind of friends and the album reminds me of memories. Coincidence? I think not!  Look out for New Recitals to Attend, coming soon!

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