Music should never be purely judged by how it sounds. It should also bejudged by how it makes the listener feel upon listening. Whatexperiences it inspires. What textures and emotions it invokes. Onthese qualities alone, Pilote takes the taco.Stuart Cullen receivedaccolades for his debut album "Antenna", and on this, his second album,he explores the same melancholy electronic ground, but with a moreinteresting and disturbing tone. I felt at once a myriad of emotions:'Paul Oakenfold', the album's opener is borderline schizophrenic withits slowed-down vocal sample and simple beat that belies the underlyinghorror, and made me feel like someone was watching me; 'FrenchCanadian' sounds like the soundtrack to the perfect crime, where avaluable piece of information is stolen, like a Mamet picture; 'TheFourth' made me feel like I wasn't doing enough for the problems of theworld, like the homeless; 'Nelson' made me want to start/join a FightClub. It's all very melodic, gorgeously constructed, and horribly densefor such a meager and simple structure, for the most part. Programmedbeats, jumbled vocal samples, keyboards, and synthesizers can make fora boring listening experience. Not with Pilote. While it has a heavytone, the album is very playful, and that inherent contradiction makesfor a compelling listen. This is one of my favorite releases of thisyear, based purely on the originality of the sound, and it was releasedin October of last year on Domino. There are a few moments that sound alittle too familiar. That keyboard sample on 'Paul Oakenfold' sounds abit too much like one the Lo-Fidelity All-Stars used on the Pigeonhed'Battle Flag' remix, and 'Junior' sounds very much like music one wouldhear on later episodes of Miami Vice. But again, it's all in theinterest of invoking a very pure, raw emotional response. And that,Cullen succeeds at beyond all doubt. -
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