ALBUM: Three Rounds and a Sound

Back in January Blind Pilot were softly rocking my world, but what with a wedding and stuff going on, I didn't get around to writing about them. That's a shame, because this duo from Portland, Oregon are making some darn purdy music. And not just that, these guys tour by bicycle! And what am I doing to save the world? Hm.

Anyway, my cousin in Portland tipped me off to these guys clear back in October of last year, and while I loved the first song I heard, 'One Red Thread', I didn't immediately check them out. At the time I had a lot of new music I was cycling through, and sometimes when that happens I just have to put some stuff on the back-burner until I can really give them the attention they're due. This happened to Bon Iver and Dr. Dog's fantastic albums last year, as well as countless other albums and artists over the years. I almost never regret putting off the listening though, because when I finally am able to sit down and really take it in, I'm always glad I didn't just plow through it. Everything in it's own due time, right?

Anyway, enough about my listening habits. Let's focus on yours. Yours should include listening to Blind Pilot's debut album, Three Rounds and a Sound. It's earthy and un-forced, taking equal cues from folk music and indie rock, turning in an album of beautiful slow-burners. Israel Nebeker's breathy vocals are right at home over the bare acoustic guitar and Ryan Dobrowski's spare drumming, but that's seldom all that's going on here. Small accents and flourishes are scattered throughout, from the horn-tinged outro on 'Oviedo' to the stand-out 'One Red Thread' to the string-laden 'Go On, Say It'. 'Two Towns from Me' flirts with alt-country, with it's shuffling drumbeat and dusty organ, and 'Things I Cannot Recall' (my personal favorite) has an almost 70's retro feel wrapped up in the chorus's trumpet parts. There's a lot going on on Three Rounds and a Sound, but it never detracts from what the record is at heart - a beautiful, understated piece of music, and one you should check out.

AND if you can, you should go see these guys play with Laura Gibson in Salt Lake on Monday, March 9th. It's gonna be hot.

Blind Pilot - One Read Thread
from the album Three Rounds and a Sound (Amazon/iTunes)


Blind Pilot - Things I Cannot Recall
from the album Three Rounds and a Sound (Amazon/iTunes)