I was rather taken by Pilots of Baalbek on their first album, Uncontrolled Airspace. An astounding ram-jampacked cavalcade of riffage that took garage rock to the farthest edges of the cosmos, it was truly a breath of fresh air.

Well, I’m pleased to report that they are back in 2024 with a new album, By The Seat of Our Pants… will Canberra’s freewheelin’ foursome deliver the goods again?

By and large, yes, they have. PoB V.2024 give up their secrets a little more reluctantly to these ears – the immediate appeal of tracks like DB Cooper isn’t quite so apparent early on, but once you’ve gotten to grips with the fact that By The Seat of Our Pants is less Swedish and more Australian and recalibrated your ears accordingly well, as they say in that part of the world, it’s on for young and old.

This time around there aren’t as many space noises but there is even more glammy, grit-encrusted rifferama, and seventies-styled treats for the ears of those willing to hear. Closing track Reverend Gill sounds like Suicidal Tendencies standing in for Aussie bubblegum rockers Hush, on a time/space continuum-warping pop show for instance; This is absolutely not as bewildering a combination as you may expect. Indeed, as the lateness of the hour becomes apparent, and my mixture of stimulants  takes hold fully, it’s beginning to make more and more sense. Skate glamcore? I’ll have some of that, and what’s more I’m willing to throw my allegiance behind this burgeoning genres first anointed monarchs…

Freddy is probably the track that’ll grab yas first, but after  a while you’ll love the whole album, every last nut, bolt and propeller of it. It’s out now, so head over to the band’s Bandcamp page and send ’em some love! And tell them who sent you!

Like the man said, By The Seat of Our Pants is out now!