SONG OF THE DAY [#324]

'no more running away' | air traffic

funny story: these guys opened for elbow. i had never heard a single thing by them before they took the stage at the depot a few weeks back. opening bands generally stink [that's why they're opening], so my expectations were, needless to say and as they usually are, slim to none.

when they finally did take the stage, my initial thought was 'wow, isn't a school night?' they look like they're about fourteen years old and should be on their way to math class with a book under their arms instead of guitars and basses. yes, that's my envy shining through...

at any rate, after a couple of songs into their forty minute set, i leaned over to my friends barbie and cassandra and said, 'say, don't they kind of sound like keane, and muse, starsailor, supergrass, and coldplay?' they both nodded in the affirmative. about five minutes later i got a text from my sister who was also at the show: 'matt, don't they sound like keane, muse, stairsailor, supergrass, and coldplay?' yep. they do. though it's not necessarily a bad thing. [i like/love all those bands, even coldplay--the exception being the craptacular turdfest that was 'x&y']. and if you like any of those aforementioned bands, you're bound to dig air traffic, too.

the highlight of the set was 'never even told me her name' in which bassist jim maddock and guitarist tom pritchard each got to pound of their own snare drums for the duration of the song. it's a nice counter point to chris wall's high-flying vocals and lilting piano. for as good as it sounds on the album, it was definitely shiver-inducing live. so here's hoping they swing by utah again in the future. in the meantime, enjoy 'no more running away' and 'never even told me her name.' good times, noodle salad...

→ air traffic: no more running away | video
→ air traffic: never even told me her name | video