Tunes I am listening to (AKA Procrastination)

So! Instead of doing silly things like "study for finals" (seriously, who does that? >_>) I've been listening to a bunch of new music, and I'm diggin' some stuff so much that I felt compelled to share. Hence, music reviews!

Pilate: Sell Control for Life's Speed
(AKA "Into the West" by Pilot Speed)
Those of you who know what kind of music I listen to will know that I like Pilate a lot. They're a Canadian band, playing rock that while not overly unconventional, is neither boring nor parroting other bands. In mid-2006, they renamed themselves Pilot Speed and rereleased their second album Sell Control for Life's Speed as Into the West. This second album drives a bit more, I think, and has the kind of sound I like from them -- a rhythmic intensity to match their interesting choice of sound and lyrics. In particular the chorus to the tune "A Kind of Hope" on this album is really satisfying, both melodically and harmonically -- I just inexplicably enjoy the deceptive cadence at the end of each phrase. One issue that I had with them in Caught by the Window was their, well...'wimpiness'. It seems to have been largely rectified in this album. I'm sure that this shift in sound will alienate some listeners but I like the change a lot. How I regret not going to ACF the one year that they came to play! (Really, it's the only time I've regretted not going to ACF...generally I don't like it. At all. But that's a rant for another time.)

Esbjörn Svensson Trio: Tuesday Wonderland
Esbjörn Svensson is a Swedish pianist whose trio never ceases to surprise me. They play acoustic instruments steadfastedly -- that is, an acoustic piano, an upright bass, and a drum kit. However, they experiment with new sounds on these instruments...for instance, in one tune Svensson prepares the piano by laying a piece of paper on the strings, lending a quality to the instrument akin to a toy piano. The bass is sometimes fed through various pedals to create...interesting sounds. I'm a big fan of the title track -- it starts simply, but then the texture thickens as it moves to a dynamite blowing section. Right now I'm really digging these guys, along with Hiromi, for their innovation while still keeping within the genre and incorporating that rich tradition.