With so few elements involved, head-scratching ensues as to why it is so very hard to get melodic punk music right.

Find a few chords which progress well, slap on a thundering bassline, hit the drums as hard as you can and find a raw-throated front-man who sounds like an inadvisable breeding of industrial sander and a cockatiel.

Yet despite the number of bands who, in the name of Fugazi, pick up their guitars: precious few achieve anything liable to bother the senses. Banner Pilot have now reconfirmed that they belong in sentences populated by Hot Water Music, Latterman and Propagandhi.

While their début album - Resignation Day - may have passed most of us by: slashing us with the tail effect, there's no reason to make the same mistake twice.

Gaslight Anthem may be receiving the lion's share of the attention for their unique and retro spin  on the formula, but you only need to reinvent the wheel if you have plans to fly, travel at light speed or steer in every conceivable direction in an instant: for most of us, the wheel is just fine as long as it works properly.

Banner Pilot's main skill seems to be making crushingly depressing songs sound so entirely full of hope, seeking out joy in the unlikeliest of places. "Starting at the Ending" places the protagonist in a suburban nightmare: a fish-out-of-water who never forgets that he should be swimming. "You're what I came here for / But I've got nothing left - a couple bucks, some cigarettes /  I pick a day to say I'll quit, I'm filled with hope or full of shit.".

When you realise that hating the government - it seems - doesn't actually change one iota of your existence, you're left with a far more complex situation. In our isolated, sterile, bankrupt world, how can we every find happiness? This seems to be the quandary many punk bands attempt to diffuse in this post-Bush era (never so perfectly encapsulated as by Desaparecidos). Yet to the band unending credit, they manage such weighty - and potentially boorish - material with colourful narratives, perennially captivating and invigorating music and a wealth of heart which never lends itself to self-pitying melodrama.

It's the kind of poetic symmetry likely to raise a smile, the realisation that the very music you listen to as a means of escape from the pressures of the world is the very music a band wrote to deal with the crushing pressures and disappointment of their world. Rating:  9 / 10  


Sweet Jane Music (www.sweetjanemusic.com)

There was times a time, in which one had the feeling, it would give in the spectrum Punkrock quite still volume, those with contents of filled stories to tell would have and evenly such, from which one could learn some more. The not straight unauthorized question whether it is because of the age that one cannot to fight off this year the impression, drastically working formations such as Jawbreaker, Face ton of Face, Dillinger Four and the Lawrence of arm would be simply and moving become extinct and/or of becoming extinct threatened, remained here unanswered. After long time I with banner pilot was allowed to learn such importantly working volume to know however again, which has one with category sizes evenly specified in common: Banners pilot form the musical intersection from evenly these four of volume, whereby one has the feeling in so some place already, for Jawbreaker for the US-American Vierer would have been particularly important. And one dare I at the end of of August to already maintain: With “Collapser” probably most drastic and most important Punkrock release of this yearly might be published. So completely personally anyhow. Song like opening “cent ral standard” rabiat, comparatively the “Starting hymnisch held RK The ending”, the überrümpelnde “Skeleton key” and that the magnificent “Hold ME UP” reminding of Dillinger Four with a Dillinger Four' spin was finally provided and to possess enough Schmiss, in order to release Minneapolis completely from the dirt of its roads. That has simply each quantity style, an oversize failing shot straight-lineness and beyond that a breath of nostalgia.
“Collapser” is so rather the best, which can happen to the world in this summer. Closely followed of the message naturally that Face are tons of Face of these days about to write song for a new album. Understands itself.



Life Sounds Real (http://lifesoundsreal.blogspot.com)

“Again fresh meat” one would like to cry finite, if one holds the album of banner pilot in the hands. Because admittedly me the four gentlemen from Minneapolis were to date no term (even if they probably already published two full length albums in the states). Probably however Fat Mike - and its one may trust little hands for class Punkrock confidently blindly.
Thus it does not surprise also that the twelve TRACKs of “Collapser” are above all one: A-usual, strength-loaded Punkrock. Sometimes is enough to convince in order. And momentarily many cannot do that in the current category all the same. Therefore banner pilot pleases particularly by their solid Songwriting and the high number of cycles to melodischen, energy-loaded Punkrock song, which are knitted after similar sample perhaps all - hit however evenly for it. Kurzweilig and dragging along is “Collapser” in addition, by the characteristic-rough Vocals of singer nods Johnson, which comes along in addition with markigen Lyrics and a remarkable density at melodies. Straighter, honest Punkrock - which one wants more. Somebody else can look for drawers
Achja, their music designate the four even by the way fit-prove as follows: “… if Jawbreaker, The Lawrence of arm, and Alkaline trio got in A knife fight and Jawbreaker won… but just barely.” Better and more simply one can hardly summarize that. Therefore I leave it this time also thereby - however not without again a special recommendation to spend: All banners pilot with “Collapser” deliver what constituted large Punkrock volume before well ten years, in at least the same as quality. Good music, or Punkrock, does not have to be inevitably equivalent always to innovation or advancement. 


Musik Industry (www.musik-industry.com)
(ed: our band name translated as "Banner Pile")

I acknowledge to have discovered Banner Pilot on late but that did not prevent me from listening to their Split with Monikers and excel it “Day Resignation” lasting all the summer almost. Bah yes that want, the sun, the women and the holidays that gives me desires of sweetened music, a surplus of melodies essential to my annual balance which against briskly the many winter hours of listening to music carried out by savages who preach only the end of the world anything else. And failing to fix me the last Set Your Goals in the esgourdes under penalty of indigestion, these discs there made the deal perfectly. It is thus with excitation that I fixed this “Collasper” in eats disc of my case and… how to say? It is beautiful! Tube you in here want some, a palpable “freshness” of the first to the last piece which would undermine the moral one with commercial from Thiriet and especially an extremely controlled happy medium. I want to say, the border between pop punk and punk rock'n'roll is quite fine here. Banner Pilot would quickly have made fall from with dimensions the marsh mallow of the force like much front them but not. A voice sufficiently éraillée to move away the fans from Fall Out Boy, pretty choruses and melodies finely adjusted for the 'sensitive tits punks crôôô and an installation imparable, not of doubt these guys know how a true song is made. Good, they are not all the same far from misusing on the level of the number of refrains on “Starting At year Ending” which types a little bit too much in Sum 41 with my taste but I forgive them.

Nothing of nine thus if it is not their sound, which gains much in power compared with the preceding efforts. It is what I call a beautiful entry on a label which definitely rises years by years in reference. The only defect of this disc is that its exit has just two months of delay.

True Punk (www.truepunk.com)

For the average punk rock fan, Banner Pilot is a brand new name, but these four guys have been releasing kick ass tunes since 2005 in the Midwest punk rock music scene, and with two records under their belt, an EP entitled “Pass The Poison” and their debut LP “Resignation Day”, they release today their Fat Wreck Chords major debut album: “Collapser“.

As on previous albums, but with a far better prodution and better sound quality, the four Minneapolis kids release twelve tracks of heavy influenced power pop punk, with smart lyrics that deal about personal issues, lost love and a lot of drinking, conquering streets and youth mistakes.

“Our ears bleed red, but we yell at every note” screams Nick Johnson on “Greenwood“: well, that is what this album is all about: being at a punk rock show, knowing every word by heart and screaming it out loud. Friendship, but also grief come to mind. The songs are deep, personal, and deliver quite obsucre lyrics at some time (”We’ll keep on running through the warning signs. It beats sitting here all the time. And at the crosstown disappear behind the northern skyline” sings the last verse of “Northern Skyline“, probably the best track on the whole LP), while sometimes the lyris are direct as fuck as on “Farewell To Iron Bastards“: “Took a storm and a drink, washing out pretense.Puddled up on the floor soaking up defense.”

But as good punks they keep on singing about drunk nights (”walking to the liquor store, you’re what I came here for” sings “Starting at an Ending”) and it’s easy to see how Banner Pilot is such a strong band with personality: “But I’ve got nothing left - a couple bucks, some cigarettes. I pick a day to say I’ll quit, I’m filled with hope or full of shit.“

Musically, they are a cross between Dillinger Four (minus the dirty and drunken vocals of Paddy) and the strongest Brendan Kelly sung Lawrence Arms songs, but with a lot of personality thrown in there, that makes them playing fast guitar lyrics even when the chord progression is made up of only one single chords, in pure Ramones style.

There is not a single bad, or boring track on this LP, and when the last lines of “Write It Down” approach, all you want to to is start playing it from the beginning. Seriously, I can hardly find a record that has got so many spinning on my player lately, but Banner Pilot succeeded in it.

“Collapser” is quite possibly the best debut punk rock album released this year, and if you believe in good anthems, catchy pop punk music and infranted dreams, you should put your hands on this small piece of art.


City Chanel (http://www.citychannel1.com)

Banner pilot is a recent Punk skirt quartet from Minneapolis, which was created in the year 2005. There is a theory, which got around itself, to explain those tried, why so many good of volume come from Minneapolis. The theory means: „It in Minneapolis there is very cold, is compelling the young people to become creative in the cellars. “The theory could be correct: Because banners pilot set completely new yardsticks in things Punk skirt!

Street Voice (http://blogs.myspace.com/streetvoiceuk)

“Collapser”
(Conceited person Wreck Chords)
“Like if Jawbreaker, The Lawrence Arms and Alkaline Trio fought and that Jawbreaker left gaining combat… but accuracy”. One can say that the American label has the direction of the formula to arouse the customer towards his new foal.

"Hold Me Up" in every part except that I prefer to go in the same tempo and remarkable differences between components are not going to have a music that sits Pilot'ın Banner is necessary to specify. Their 2005 output of the four Minneapolis'li surprise anyone, just music for now prefer a more raw and can stand on one foot. As of today about themselves than to write something long uzunduya not possible, because it will tell the story of a community more self-conscious but not talking about. Fortunately, roads intersect with Fat Wreck Chords is a good thing to have and they have done. While there on September 1 Onca punk community would remove the new album could announce early on about the environment. If the team that previously "Resignation Day" album and "Pass The Poison" If they are aware EP'lerinden at the point where none of the bad can not think. Alkaline Trio, American Steel, Broadways, Crimpshrine, Dillinger Four, Green Day, Hot Water Music, Jawbreaker, Lawrence Arms, and Screeching Weasel were doing a mix of music put forward by the Banner Pilot'ın this album is a typical example of pop punk show seems difficult to say. What hills, what an album in places. The average also can not, because it can not play well, but are recognized by communities that are coming to mind. Then the best, "Collapser" for maintaining a work team can say. Hardworking team developing the music, give the number of stage performances, particularly by increasing stolen outside of the area they themselves believe they can better be expressed. The album's "Greenwood" and "Skeleton Key" and named the outstanding track like listening to those who see this work would not hesitate to live! 

Heartbeat Media (www.heartbeatmedia.de)