OK Pilot

Nerves [10-inch] (2010)

Bryne Yancey

The UK's OK Pilot are one of the better young bands at recognizing and successfully melding their influences into a unique sound, and the band's blistering new 10" Nerves is a testament to that.

The galloping drums and piercing guitars that open "Daggers" really kick the listener in the ass, and the gruff, screamy vocals make the whole thing sound like a stripped-down Motörhead B-side. The pounding, cymbal-free verses coupled with groovy guitar tones and cocksure vocals carry "Good News Bad News" and "Words of Encouragement" into territory that would make John Reis proud, the chorus of the latter surprisingly hooky.

The way the band merges melody and aggression in the choruses of "Teeth" and "Mouth Full of Salt" is also impressive, again, considering just how green they are.

Nerves' most driving song is its closer, "Repetition," and it's a doozy, showing that OK Pilot can stretch a little bit without losing their bite. It's a positive way to end this quick 10" that ought to be appointment listening for every punk on either side of the Atlantic.