Since the early 2000s, Seattle's Paul Hiraga has acted as the captain of
Downpilot, an introspective and often understated rock act whose creative output is occasionally shared by a handful of long-term collaborators. Hiraga's role as songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer essentially makes it a solo project, but the return of core players
Terry de Castro, Mike Musburger, and Jeff Brown on
Downpilot's sixth album,
This Is the Sound, helps give it a familiar ensemble feel and a bit of an edge. Following 2015's
Radio Ghost,
This Is the Sound continues Hiraga's subtle sonic explorations, offering thoughtful, lovingly recorded songs rooted in indie rock and moody folk with a slightly experimental patina. The album begins on a lively note with the fuzzed-out rasp of "Your Supply" and the punchy rocker "Historian" before settling into an easier pace with the lovely, string-adorned standout "We Just Come and Go." As with previous releases, Hiraga creates intimate little environments that alternate not too wildly between midtempo rock cuts and warm acoustic-led fare sung in a rusty vocal timbre that falls somewhere between
Robert Pollard and latter-day
Jeremy Enigk. Without being too fussy or taking any real left turns, it's another solidly written entry into the
Downpilot canon. ~ Timothy Monger