Album Review
Banner Pilot - CollapserBanner Pilot – Collapser

So far this year Fat Wreck Chords have released some great albums such as the new album by NOFX and American Steel and now they have just signed up Banner Pilot and released their new album ‘Collapser’ and it is fantastic.

Banner Pilot have a catchy punk rock sound and they are influenced by Jawbreaker, The Lawrence Arms, Screeching Weasel and Alkaline Trio and you can clearly tell that they are influenced by these bands on their new album ‘Collapser’ which has the potential to take these guys to new heights.

The album starts with ‘Central Standard’ a song that has all the classic elements of a solid poppy-punk track, it has fast guitars, fast catchy vocals, bouncy basslines and an overall bounce along feel, it’s a song that you are going to find yourself singing along to, well as long as you can keep up with the fast pace of these guys.

‘Pensacola’ starts off with a little drum beat before going on to a vocally melodic journey, the song only runs for 1minute and 50seconds but it is short and sweet and very damn exciting at the same time.

The stand out track on the album is ‘Starting At An Ending’ the song opens up so differently from the other tracks on the album, gone are the fast paced opening guitar riffs and in are the bouncy basslines, the song is a lot slower than anything else on the album but it does manage to maintain a good pace and features a fantastic chorus and some great machine gun style drumming towards the end.

‘Skeleton Key’ starts with a short raw sing-a-long moment before the guitars come in at a force with the vocals quickly picking up taking you on a melodic journey. ‘Northern Skyline’ is a real bouncy song that is full of energy. ‘Farewell To Iron Bastards’ is the best named song on the album and also appears to be one of the catchiest songs on the album with its big sing-a-along vocals.

I am sure that ‘Collapser’ will be the first that you have heard of Banner Pilot as they were pretty much unheard of in the UK until Fat Wreck Chords picked up on them, the album is a solid release especially if you like upbeat catchy pop-punk that you can sing-a-long to, the only downside to the album is that most songs on the album sound so similar from each other and their really isn’t a big variety in songs, but if this is something that doesn’t bother you then I am sure you will love the whole 35minutes of ‘Collapser’.

4/5

Review by Trigger
 Band Members
Banner Pilot - Band
Nick (Vocals, Guitar)
Nate (Bass, Guitar)
Corey (Guitar)
Danny (Drums)
 Track Listing
1. Central Standard
2. Pensacola
3. Greenwood
4. Starting at an Ending
5. Skeleton Key
6. Northern Skyline
7. Drains to the Mississippi
8. Farewell to Iron Bastards
9. Empty Lot
10. Hold Me Up
11. Losing Daylight
12. Write it Down
 Band Related Links
Banner Pilot Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?