Line Pilot

Originally forming as Pilate in the early 2000s, the Toronto-based rock quartet Pilot Speed changed their name to such in mid-2006 to avoid possible lawsuits as their music spread internationally from their native Canada, especially due to the "litigious nature of the United States" (as taken from a message on the band's website). Pilate were born in 2000 after vocalist and New Zealand native Todd Clark left the music program at the University of Western Ontario where he'd been studying and placed an ad online for potential bandmates. Bassist Ruby Bumrah, a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, answered the call, bringing with him fellow alums Chris Greenough (guitar) and Bill Keeley (drums). Citing influences like Crowded House, Radiohead, and U2 for Pilate's especially sweeping brand of melodic rock – not so dissimilar to acts like Keane, Coldplay, and Snow Patrol – they released the six-song EP For All That's Given, Wasted in the summer of 2001. It quickly sold out its initial pressing and established the guys as players in the Canadian music scene.

Scottish pop group, formed in Edinburgh in 1973 by two former members (David Paton & Billy Lyall) of the early Bay City Rollers. Their biggest hits were "Magic", "January", "Call Me Round" and "Just A Smile", all of them in 1974, and 1975. They worked closely with Alan Parsons, who produced much of their material. Three of them (David Paton, Ian Bairnson & Stuart Tosh) contributed also The Alan Parsons Project, and Paton & Bairnson played also on Kate Bush's two first albums 'The Kick Inside' (1978) and 'Lionheart' (1978). As we approach the 40th anniversary of Pilot's debut album, David Paton, Ian Bairnson, and Stuart Tosh have reunited as Pilot. As a first project out of the gate, it is only fitting that David and Ian would turn to The Alan Parsons Project.

The connection between Wales and the harp is a long-standing one, and Mathias's part in it began 12 years before his Harp Concerto was written, with Improvisations for harp solo; even a Welshman has to learn how to cope with such an idiosyncratic instrument. He learned his lessons well—even using semitone pedal glissandos in the second movement, and he keeps the harp audible by alternating its solo passages with orchestral ones or, when the two are working together treating the orchestra with a light touch (the celesta is used as a particularly effective companion to the harp), at other times resorting to the more familiar across-the-strings sweep. Two movements have declared Welsh associations: the first juxtaposes but does not develop three themes the second is a 'bardic' elegy; the last is simply ''joyful and rhythmic''. The whole makes pleasing listening appealing to the emotions and imagination rather than the intellect.