The music of Downpilot is sure to draw comparisons to that of Jon Brion and Jason Falkner. Paul Hirage, the main man here, doesn't insist on rocking out as much, but his skills at composition and arrangement are very sharp. The newest Downpilot album, The Forecast, is out now via Tapete Records.
From the languid "My Favorite Neighborhood" and to the peppier "Black Eye", Downpilot offers up tunes that are part of a lineage of the artists I mentioned above, and even folks like The Jayhawks. There's a neat slight-twang to "Night Shade", and the slower "On the Way" that gives these songs some emotional heft, though I prefer the numbers that seem sunnier. The music here should appeal to fans of any of the bands I've mentioned above, and even those who gravitate still to the works of Joe Pernice, for example. The songs on The Forecast are competent and smartly arranged, and there's enough here to make those who like this sort of thing happy.
The Forecast by Downpilot is out now.
[Photo: Peter Hilgendorf]