Tommy & The High Pilots Are Only Human
By Jane Croft
We’re serving up a hard-working, bold band today whose album will without question become part of your summer soundtrack. Santa Barbara quartet Tommy & The High Pilots just released their first album, Only Human, and we predict that more than one of their songs will find a home in your most beloved playlist.
MTV Buzzworthy just exclusively premiered the band’s music video for the first single off of Only Human, “Outta My Head,” which showcases the band’s colorful dance party moves. It rocks you forward with urgent energy and major pop appeal, but there’s also a maturity here; it doesn’t weigh the piece down, though, and in fact elevates the pop factor to a more substantial level of musicianship. Check out the video HERE. The band was also featured on Yahoo! Music from their recent Last.fm Sessions at CBS Studios. Where these guys go, the carefree shindigs follow close behind.
There’s adventure smashed into their songs. Tommy Cantillon leads with his bold vocals and his range is perfectly imperfect ~ just like the situations and relationships he sings about. Cantillon takes the songs and runs right off the cliff with them, knowing that somehow, some way, he won’t crash and burn. And he doesn’t.
The band is an eclectic group of electric dudes ~ Michael Cantillon is on keys, Steve Libby strikes the bass, and Matt Palermo lords over drums. They cry out with songs of perseverance, redemption and humanity but without arrogance or condescension. This rare quality is most likely due to the fact that songwriter Tommy Cantillon doesn’t get wrapped up in his personal experiences or held down by chains of self-involvement; he tells the stories of others.
“I’m influenced by and very interested in people and their stories,” Cantillon says. “I feel badly, in a way, because every time I talk to people I start getting song ideas. Not that there’s some ulterior motive there. It’s just the way my brain works.”
Another great song off the album is “Young and Hungry,” simultaneously an aggressive battle cry and a heartfelt apology with a nod to Springsteen’s “Born To Run.” The song is a live wire, filled with jagged hope and urgency. Whether you’re seething about a relationship gone wrong or getting yourself ready for one of life’s rocky rides, this is a great song to listen to ~ it readies you for the fight.
Tommy and the High Pilots plays 200+ shows a year and will continue to tour nationally throughout the summer and fall, bringing an upbeat energy to their perfect blend of dance-worthy indie pop infused with undercurrents of punk and soul. Make sure to catch them live and soak up their energy when they hit your town!
7/30/13 | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | Pub Rock Live (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
7/31/13 | ANAHEIM, CA | Chain Reaction (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/1/13 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | Cafe Du Nord (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/2/13 | SEATTLE, WA | El Corazon (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/3/13 | PORTLAND, OR | Backspace Cafe (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/4/13 | BOISE, ID | The Venue (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/7/13 | DENVER, CO | The Marquis Theatre (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/9/13 | DES MOINES, IA | Vaudeville Mews (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/10/13 | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | First Avenue (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/11/13 | CHICAGO, IL | Reggie’s Rock Club (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/13/13 | ST. LOUIS, MO | Firebird (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/14/13 | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | Irving Theatre (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/15/13 | DETROIT, MI | Magic Stick (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/17/13 | TORONTO, ON | Hard Luck Bar (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/18/13 | MONTREAL, QC | Cabaret Underworld (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/22/13 | PHILADELPHIA, PA | The Barbary (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/23/13 | BALTIMORE, MD | The Ottobar (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/24/13 | WEST SPRINGFIELD, VA | Empire (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/25/13 | GREENSBORO, NC | Greene Street Club (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/27/13 | WEST COLUMBIA, SC | New Brookland Tavern (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/28/13 | ORLANDO, FL | Backbooth (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
8/29/13 | JACKSONVILLE, FL | Jack Rabbits (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
9/4/13 | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | The Conservatory (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
9/5/13 | DALLAS, TX | The Prophet Bar (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
9/6/13 | HOUSTON, TX | Mango’s Cafe (w/ The Dangerous Summer)
Stay tuned, more shows coming soon…