http://sarahjean05.wordpress.com/2008/12/12/skypipers-lay-low-and-pretty-stands-strong-and-melodic/

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Midwestern rock band Skypiper might be young still, but their album “Lay Low and Pretty” is on the same par as other Omaha, Neb. bands, including well-known acts such as Bright Eyes, The Faint and Rilo Kiley.

The album opens with “My Sun Went Down,” a 27 second introduction that feels like what a flash of light would sound like if shown into a darkened room.

The songs in “Lay Low and Pretty” have different feels to them; some comparable to a sea shanty, and others like a typical grassroots rock band- a little bit of country, a waltz beat, and profound lyrics with double meanings.

What makes Skypiper different? For starters, they have an upright bass. The bass is featured in the title track, “Lay Low and Pretty,” and the player, Gabriel Burkum, switches between the bow and plucking with his fingers, a technique called ‘pizzicato,’ for a heavy, rolling sound, much like the waves on the album art. The song also features an accordion and violin.

Vocalists Graham Burkum and Michael Childers have a smooth, non-vibrato sound to their voices, which makes it not only easy to understand the lyrics, but also adds to the flowing melodies they use in every song on the album.

The album was recorded at Emptyhouse Studio and mixed at Lay It Down Sound, both located in Omaha. Any musician will tell you that the one thing that can make or break a debut album is the mixing and editing process. Skypiper’s sound is well-balanced and clear, making the listener feel as though they are standing in the recording studio, hearing the music directly from the band without the middle-man of microphones and speakers.

The album feels like it’s the score to a movie that hasn’t been written yet, perhaps some romantic, independent film about a young man trying to figure out how to win the girl, all while learning what it means to grow up. The lyrics to “The Devil Is Real Ladies and Gentlemen” reflects this idea: “You couldn’t save her from the devil town/she couldn’t see the evil all around/she didn’t know you were a man obsessed/told you that she loved you, now you’re such a mess/so climb into the coffin and take your meds…”

As the album closes with “Don’t Let Your Sun Go Down,” a five minute, 14 second track that is supposed to reflect the opener, “My Sun Went Down,” it feels like the band didn’t want to end the album. The lyrics are simple: “Don’t let your sun go down/don’t let your sun go down on me,” with some minor variation in the wording here and there. It is a very emotional track, using a violin to carry on the feeling that the story isn’t over; the first chapter is just coming to a close.

Skypiper is one of those groups that appeals to a wide audience. Everyone from 15-year-old emo boys in Chuck Taylors and scarves to their grandmothers in worn pearl necklaces can enjoy some aspect of Skypiper’s sound, if not their music as a whole.


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we just thought that was so nice of her. :)