If we’re honest about it, releases on Fat Wreck Chords of late haven’t exactly been lighting the touch paper. Then came American Steel with the solid ‘Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts’ and now, ready to jog that enthusiatic punk inside you, we have Banner Pilot, a band so stripped of superfluous fat (excuse the pun) that they may just be the diamond in Mike Burkett’s rough. Looks like this signals a shift in momentum for the label.
‘Collapser’ is just about as no-nonsense as it gets. Essentially it’s 12 tracks of shot-in-the-arm melodic punk rock that manages to tread oh so close to those silky smooth pop-punk waters but thankfully never steps in. Okay, maybe a few toes do get dipped. The Minneapolis quartet’s own description of their sound is so accurately spot-on it should be rehashed in every review of the band (“If Jawbreaker, The Lawrence Arms, and Alkaline Trio got in a knife fight and Jawbreaker won…but just barely”). Seriously, just how good does that sound? And for the record, it’s factually accurate too! Throw in some Latterman and You Me and the Atom Bomb and you’ve got exactly what Banner Pilot sounds like.
With songs built around buzzing guitars and a husky rich vocal (you know the type, that 40-a-day strained, throat-scratching roughness) it’s pretty much impossible to pick just which is the stand-out song. “Skeleton Key” probably inches it, although “Northern Skyline” and “Farewell to Iron Bastards” are up there. Actually, there really isn’t a dud on this album. Not even one! Nor are there any self-imposed slower moments. Just foot-to-the-pedal the whole way. This relentless pace coupled with massive hooks makes for fantastic listening.
35 minutes are done in the blink of an eye and without realising it you’re reaching for the play button again. ‘Collapser’ is addictively entertaining. Play. Listen. Repeat. Simple.
Alex