I was passed 3 Rounds and a Sound by Portland rockers Blind Pilot and had heard it was very “Arcade Fire meets Jack Johnson.” Umm, whoever told me that is deaf because I wholeheartedly disagree! Decidedly piqued, I figured I would give this indie pop duo a fair shot anyway. And after a couple of listens, it’s safe to say I’m glad I did. If you’re looking for the musical equivalent to what The Shins would sound like if they jumped out of bed and immediately began playing music without the chance to caffeinate themselves, it’s time to let Blind Pilot navigate your music player of choice.
They already generated buzz as an “iTunes Song Of The Week” this summer for their “Go On, Say It”. This track lead to a cool 2 million downloads, which I find kind of impressive for a burgeoning indie band in a sea of burgeoning indie bands.
Perhaps, the niftiest little fun fact about them is the environmentally friendly tour they went on… on bike!  Talk about being as green as possible. After completing this tour from Vancouver to San Francisco, co-captains and bandmates Ryan Dobrowski and Israel Nebeker were then able to come home and officially record their debut album. I actually read somewhere they were hoping to keep biking down to Mexico on tour, but their sole means of transportation were stolen in San Francisco. Maybe bicycles are the San Francisco treat du jour, but shame on you, NorCal!
Now, the vocals. I really dig lead singer Israel Nebeker’s voice. It’s clear and easy on the vibrato, which I usually prefer in male vocals.  His clarity actually reminds me of Kevin Griffin, the lead singer of 90s outfit Better Than Ezra.  The uncomplicated and laid-back vocals are a perfect match for their equally uncomplicated and laid-back style. And the music?  It’s very singer-songwriter, minimalistic folky indie pop rock. Between Nebeker’s acoustic guitar and Dobrowski’s sparse drumming, they manage to create a sound that’s gentle, melodic, and relaxing. They also manage to do this in a completely non-boring way, which is more than I can say for a lot of the other no frills acoustic-ish indie rock out there.
In fact, their songs are pretty darn catchy. They have the tendency to infuse creative musical elements, like blasts of horns or a well-placed string section that add a sweet texture to their music without overcomplicating things. The album’s best examples of this are during “I Buried A Bone” (one of my personal favorites) with the mariachi-style trumpets or the use of violins during “Things I Cannot Recall”. These musical additions aren’t just there to prove they’re multi-instrumentalists; instead, they add sophistication and help polish a sound that already boasts a sweet simplicity.
This album may qualify as a grower since it did take me some time to really get into who they are and what they’re all about. But now I’m flying into “I can’t stop playing it” territory.  Their songs make me want to sing along, clap my hands, and bang a tambourine against my hip during a campfire sing-along with friends. And I don’t know about you, but that’s usually the mark of a stellar debut album worth checking out.
Blind Pilot’s 3 Rounds and a Sound is available now through Expunged Records.
Tracklisting:
01. Oviedo
02. The Story I Heard
03. Paint Or Pollen
04. Poor Boy
05. One Red Thread
06. Go On, Say It
07. Two Towns From Me
08. I Buried A Bone
09. Things I Cannot Recall
10. The Bitter End
11.3 Rounds and a Sound
Tour Dates:
Mar 05 – Mississippi Studios / Portland
Mar 06 – The Empryean / Spokane
Mar 07 – Neurolux / Boise
Mar 09 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City
Mar 11 – Hi-Dive / Denver
Mar 12 – Waiting Room / Omaha
Mar 13 – Picador / Iowa City
Mar 14 – Stage Door @ Orpheum / Madison, WI
Mar 16 – Schubas / Chicago, IL
Mar 18 – SXSW / Austin
Mar 19 – SXSW / Austin
Mar 20 – SXSW / Austin
Mar 21 – SXSW / Austin
Mar 24 – The Mercy Lounge / Nashville
Mar 26 – Studio B / Greensboro, NC
Mar 27 – IOTA / Arlington, Va.
Mar 28 – Theater of Living Arts / Philadelphia (w/ Gomez)
Mar 30 – Middle East / Cambridge, Ma.
Mar 31 – Mercury Lounge / New York City
Apr 01 – Club Cafe / Pittsburgh
Apr 02 – Beachland Ballroom / Cleveland
Apr 04 – 400 Bar / Minneapolis
Apr 07 – Mohawk / Austin
Apr 09 – Plush / Tucson
Apr 10 – Casbah / San Diego
Apr 11 – Spaceland / Los Angeles
Apr 13 – Cafe Du Nord / San Francisco
Blind Pilot: website | myspace | @ aladdin theatre
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