(die) Pilot

Last spring, (die) Pilot unleashed Radiation, Weather, Art, a promising debut bursting with guitar hooks, gloriously loose arrangements and gouged-out angst. Less than a year later, singer/guitarist Eugene Brown has seen a total turnaround in the band's roster; the last original member to jump ship was keyboardist Peter Antypas. Luckily for Brown, Antypas -- whose raw production on Radiationhelped elevate the disc from tunefully pleasant to truly inspired -- is slated to engineer the group's upcoming sophomore effort. And if the advance demo of "Sideshow" is any indication, the new album will be at least as epic as its predecessor. But recording isn't the only thing that (die) Pilot has on the horizon. After filming a video for "Sideshow" later this month, the outfit will start plotting a tour for 2006. Of course, you need a full band for that; although Starfuzz's Josh Skelton will be temping on keyboard for a few shows (including an afternoon bash at the Larimer Lounge on Sunday, November 20, with the Discards and Lash), Brown's upwardly spiraling songcraft might just keep his current lineup in the air.