There's something about breaking a produced track down into its acoustic elements that brings out the true heart of a song.
Take this acoustic version of Pilot For A Day's "A Little More."
With it's tentatively optimistic and expressive vocal and percussive solo guitar enhanced by some tight vocal harmonies and a few handclaps, "A Little More" gave me a bit of a chill. In a good way of course!
Undeniably catchy with a heartfelt message, "A Little More" has all the elements of a hit. In fact, I've been singing it all day.
The track has a home on Better Air (Deluxe Edition), which is set to release on July 1. With three exclusive acoustic tracks, Better Air (Deluxe Edition) is the extension of the band's debut album, which was produced by Marc McClusky (Weezer, Ludo, Hit The Lights).
"Recording the acoustic version of 'A Little More' was an awesome process for us. It's naturally a really fun and interactive song, so we wanted to capture that in the recording. We really tried to get the same feel out of it that we get from playing it live, and I think we nailed it," shares Nolan Smith (Guitar, Vocals).
Listen here:
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Pilot For A Day is composed of Nolan Smith (vocals, guitar), Craig Harper (drums, vocals), Brandon Rimmey (guitar), and Harry Datkowitz (bass). Formed in November 2010, the band came together in their hometown of Kansas City, KS to make hard-hitting and uplifting music. Their inspiration comes from a wide range of ideas, including living life to the fullest extent and knowing that anything you can imagine is possible.
Influenced by bands such as Mayday Parade, Boys Like Girls, Cartel, The Maine, and Go Radio, Pilot For A Day hit the studio in February 2012 with producer Marc McClusky to create 10 classic, yet modern songs that could be appreciated by anyone. With help from Andrew Volpe (Ludo), who co-wrote the track "Extraordinary Life," and drummer Cory Muro (Badboxes, Punchline, The Composure), the band created their debut album Better Air, which released on January 21, 2013.
Better Air (Deluxe Edition) will include three new acoustic versions of "Take This Chance," "A Little More," and "From Somewhere to Here." Look for it on July 1!
For updates and to find out more, please pilotforaday.net.
Laura B. Whitmore is a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, writing for Parade.com,Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
