The History of Flying

Paper Airplane Pilots

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 3, 2003)
• Original Release Date: June 3, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Spade Kitty
• ASIN: B00015NJ4I
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #460,209 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Wallis and Paper Airplane Pilots dip into all of these moods with equal dedication and an admirable lack of pretension! --Allmusic.com

Product Description

Finally completed in March of 2003, the entirely self-produced and self-recorded effort (as all Pilots recording have been) was topped off deliciously with mixing and mastering by veteran engineer Mark Schwarz (Freakwater, Neko Case, Chamber Strings). The 16 tracks have it all, from ballsy rockers (“She’s Magnetic,” “She Reduces Me”) to softer soliloquies (“Eva Braun,”) to mid tempo sing-a-longs (“Anna”). It perfectly illustrates the strongest influences of the Pilots (most notably Teenage Fanclub’s “Bandwagonesque”, Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and Material Issue’s “International Pop Overthrow”), and the best of the very high points the Pilots have already achieved as well as charting a flight plan ahead.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FUN FUN FUN till they take our paper airplanes away, December 23, 2003

By A Customer

As a Chicagoan, I've had the opportunity to see these guys play live several times (Tip for fans of live music: the Pilots are ALWAYS on!). Usually, when you see a band play live and then buy their CD (particularly the band's first CD), you can safely expect a certain degree of letdown. Few bands can carry the energy and excitement of a live performance into the studio. So, when I got home with this CD, I prepared for the inevitable let down.

It never came!

The first song on the CD, 'She's Magnetic' bounced around my head like a squirrel trapped in the attic. It only got more infectuous from there. After listening to this CD once, I was singing snippets of at least six of the songs for days afterwards. This is indie rock at it's very best. The songs, performances and production are first rate and there's not a dud in the lot.

History of Flying is among my top 5 CDs of 2003. On song after song the Pilots deliver some of the hookiest, catchiest and fun songs you're likely to hear. In a world of dopey wannabee rock stars and major label xeroxed crap, thank god the Paper Airplane Pilots have come along to make rock and roll FUN again.

Bravo!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars look out Shins, these guys are going to steal your pop crown, January 19, 2004

By	Timothy J. Bennett "timmyjoe42" (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These guys are just really solid pop-rock music. Their tunes are cleverly crafted, with fine lyrics and hooks that will instantly work their way into your hearts. The second time you listen to this disc, it'll feel like an old friend.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Want Hooks?, December 26, 2003

By A Customer

You got 'em! Right from the getgo, the Pilots got me from the moment they opened their mouths and shouted out "She's magnetic/She's bright blue static/And I can't let her go..." Oh, no, no... I couldn't get it out of my head for days. But that was a good thing, because it's one of the very best songs I've heard this year, and the album is one of the best albums. Like the reviewer before me, it is in my Top 5 for 2003.

Basically, it's 16 songs so expertly crafted that they seem like they've been around forever. Yet still sound exactly like nobody else.

I STRONGLY recommend this album for anybody who likes good power pop - Guided By Voices, Teenage Fanclub, Fountains of Wayne, Cheap Trick, Material Issue, etc... Because this is GREAT power pop!