Review: Banner Pilot - Collapser

I feel like, without my noticing, Fat Wreck Chords has really upped their game. Back when their big rising-star-workhorse was a traction-gaining Against Me! it felt like a majority of their label-mates were kind of cookie cutter pop-punk bands. The Soviettes, Smoke or Fire (who have since elevated their game) etc were great for comps and you could definitely enjoy a song or two but you looked a little askance at people who seemed to be actual fans of these bands. But suddenly my cup runneth over with solid punk bands that can stand out from their peers like American Steel and Banner Pilot, and wouldn't you know it? They're all on Fat Wreck. Well played Fat Mike, but I still don't get Cokie the Clown.

That was my long-winded introduction to Collapser, Banner Pilot's Fat Wreck debut. My other planned intro was to talk about how I went to a certain frozen-rock ice cream parlor for the first time ever last night. I was not a big fan. I don't like having to say cutesy shit in order to get food. They had a flavor that was cake batter ice cream with cookie dough and heath bar. This hits most of my happy places so you might assume it was what I got yes? NO. Because the name of the flavor was "More lovin, less oven" or something similarly nauseating and I refused to say it (I also didn't tip cause I didn't want to hear them sing). So I got coffee ice cream instead. Adam has pointed out that this is similar to a certain southwestern grill's policy of naming dishes after Seinfeld references. He is 100% right. If you're out there mexican food place: you know who you are, now knock it off. A fajita is a fajita which is to say one of the greatest food stuff in the history of ever. At this point some of you are probably turning away from your computers saying "If I wanted to hear a random rant about food, there's a Jim Gaffigan special on tv that would be a better, funnier use of my time" and to you I say that this whole thing was actually on point because in my mind Collapser is like cookie dough ice cream.

By this I mean that the whole album is solid. Especially the bass sound, which is that awesome clanking metallic Latterman sound. God I love that. But yeah the vocals are gruff enough to suit you org-core punkers but still clear enough that you aren't missing out on the lyrics and the vocal melodies which are solid as hell. On top of that the album strikes a nice balance with all the songs hanging together nicely but at no point did I think 'these all kinda sound alike.'

So that's the ice cream. Ice cream in general is good and this album in general is good. The cookie dough is that sprinkled liberally throughout the album are really great songs that in addition to being great songs, elevate the rest of the album (like how raw cookie dough makes something transcendent out of what was previously basic vanilla). These include the opening track 'Central Standard' and suprisingly the closing track 'Write It Down.' There are some massively catchy choruses lurking in 'Starting at the Ending' and 'Farewell to Iron Bastards' both of which are also surprisingly sweet when you get into the lyrics. But if you and your punk rock girl (or boy) need a new song to be 'your song' then look no further than 'Skeleton Key.' Sitting almost dead center on the track list this was the first song on the record to grab a seat in my head and refuse to leave. There also something touchingly poignant about the line "It ends so soon, the night and the fading moon. / I put my hand inside yours. The city looks strange and significant." every time it makes me wish I had written it.

Bottom line, this is a good punk rock album with some great songs on it. In my head I've termed it 'hang-out punk.' It doesn't want you to go out and stir up revolution, it doesn't need to air out some grievances with an ex (not that there's anything wrong with either of those) it's just a record for being, like hanging out with a really old friend, nobody needs to try too hard, nobody needs to change just put this record on and enjoy it.

Banner Pilot - Skeleton Key

Banner Pilot - Write it Down

Financial Support Goes Here

Banner Pilot