Thank (insert the deity or spirit or devil that you pay allegiance to here)! Three Mile Pilot is finally giving listeners new music to enjoy, which after years since their last record of new material, 1998's Three Mile Pilot EP (The two-CD compilation of rarities, Songs From an Old Town we Once Knew was released the following year). Comprised of the original members Zach Smith (Pinback), Pall Jenkins (The Black Heart Procession) and Tom Zinser along with new collaborators Kenseth Thibideau and Brad Lee, Three Mile Pilot is ending their more than a decade of silence.
Three Mile Pilot, thankfully, is not a straight copy of any other musical group that its members might be a part of most of the other time. Instead, this band sees a bit more of a "rock" quality in the songs with a bit more straight forward rhythms and a definite head bobbing quality. "Planets" combines these elements with Jenkins' lead on vocals and an excellent execution of background vocals from Smith, and the music is perfectly suited for the song with a catchy guitar melody, strong rhythm section, and a fitting piano accompaniment. The slightly slower "Gray Clouds" makes for an exceptional b-side on this seven inch slab of vinyl with its spacey keyboards and the slightly more even vocal trade offs between Jenkins and Smith, particularly during the chorus. The b-side feels much more mellow than its partner on the EP, but there are some grand moments that definitely serve as emotional climaxes, which really make the song.
Even though this teaser single is only two songs, Planets / Grey Clouds might be just enough to tide people over until the new full-length that is coming in the near future. Then again what is another year or two seeing as listeners have waited over ten years at this point. At the very least, these two songs show that Three Mile Pilot still has the ability to compose an excellent ditty or two; and if these tracks are a sign of things to come, Three Mile Pilot should see quite a resurgence (given the members' other bands and musical output). Check this out, particularly if you have any affinity for the members' other outfits and endeavors. More than likely you will sit by your record player flipping this record over fairly frequently (at least I am).
