Blind Pilot – “We are the Tide”

This goes to the best Blind Pilot fan I know.

Blind Pilot will release officially their new album on September 13, 2011. The album entitled “We are the Tide” follows their immaculate 2008 release “3 Rounds and a Sound”. This time though Blind Pilot delivers this album slightly different, giving the impression that time has passed and that above all and despite our useless efforts, life goes on.

“We are the Tide” talks about a more mature band, one that confidently traverses back and forth from folk to soft rock and pop. Although it preserves a lot of elements from their 2008 album, in this one the Portland, Oregon band builds new roads and reaches broader. Songs like “Half Moon”, “Always”, “I Know” and “Get it Out” prove exactly that and we see how the band moves away from their traditional acoustical sound to deliver a couple of classic, simple though subtle soft rock songs.

As always throughout this album Israel Nebeker’s voice softly caresses you and takes you gently to a somewhat comfortable place. Just like we saw in 2008, Nebeker’s voice along with their powerful instrumentation and lyrics provide an almost epic sound to Blind Pilot’s music. “We are the Tide” is full of examples of this, and I can guarantee you will find yourself singing along, but, above all feeling something, reflecting on your life, your love, your hopes, and finding yourself once again in that place where only music can take you.

Overall, “We are the Tide” is a nice surprise. If you asked me, their “3 Rounds and a Sound” was a difficult album to repeat, one that had put the baseline way high for an emerging band. This new album taught me how pessimistic and mistaken I could be… sometimes.

The band has started its West Coast tour once again travelling from town to town on their bikes. However, I am sure this time things will eventually change. For a band that has irremediably grown, despite the impact to the environment, the band shall gladly use other means of transportation to serve the also growing number of people waiting for them.

They will play Philadelphia on November 3, 2011 at the brand new Union Transfer… I, for one will be there.

I leave you with a very recent and fun clip from “We are the Tide, when they supported the Providence Bridge Pedal bike race in their native Portland, Oregon. Also, I add a link to NPR’s All Songs Considered where you can listen to their album in its entirety for a short period of time.

Enjoy,

MM

(@MMLeiner)

Blind Pilot performs "We Are the Tide" at the Providence Bridge Pedal in Portland, OR from IAVIDEO on Vimeo.

NPR’s First Listen – Blind Pilot – We are the Tide