Hot shots 2004: The Amazing Pilots

Since 2000’s Graduate Blood EP, the Nordy-born (but Eastbourne-based) outfit have been promising to go wistfully airbourne, only to find label difficulties, line-up changes and debilitating perfectionism keeping them moored to terra firma. Now, though, following a productive recording stint in the oh-so appropriate town of Champaign, Illinois, it seems like 2004 will be the year when brothers Paul and Phil Wilkinson finally become acquainted with the wide blue yonder.
Debut LP Hello My Captor is a gracious, low-key treat – full of warm, countrified arrangements, gentle humour and lovelorn sentiments. Opening track ‘The Price Of Winter’ is worth the admission fee alone, as is ‘The Way I See Things’ – a beguiling little number featuring Gemma Hayes on backing vocals. Taken together, it’s an LP that will nestle comfortably amongst the Wilco and Lambchop records in your collection.
Amazing? Well, it would have to be.