Search - Idiot Pilot :: Wolves

A strong follow-up with a smoothed out sound

rj | New York, NY | 10/04/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Idiot Pilot's debut, Strange We Should Meet Here, sounded like a mixture of Radiohead, Postal Service, Blood Brothers and flourishes of hip-hop thrown in for an unexpected sound that seemed to work despite how strange it sounds on paper.



Wolves is an excellent followup, a bit softer overall than Strange We Should Meet Here, most of the tracks sound like the Title Track from Strange, with interchanging sections of soft synths, bleeps and effects laden vocals being suddenly cut by loud guitar and live drums. Much like strange it also closes with a sprawling emotional slow song, one of the best on the album.



The screaming that caused most people to either love or hate Strange We Should Meet Here is cut down to just 2 or 3 tracks on this album (not a single scream until track 4 and just a few there), the guitar still comes thru loud and snarling on many of the tracks. The hip-hop element seems to be mostly dropped as well. The synths seem to have even more of that wonderful 8-bit nintendo quality (I swear thats the old 'Simon Says' lights and noise game being sampled in the song Good Luck) yet not one track has 'too much' of any one thing, and overall the mood of the songs is very positive and hopeful despite the energy and noise.



Overall I highly recomend this album if you are a fan of Strange, even if you arent, you might just want to give them a second chance."