New Album, Phantom Pains Out Now + Upcoming Tour With Skid Row & Buckcherry in March 2024
Canadian rock takes on a vivid new dimension with Sierra Pilot‘s debut full-length album, Phantom Pains, released today. Musically, it ignites with anthemic, guitar-driven energy, effortlessly bridging the gap between alternative and hard rock and channeling the spirit of early 90s arena rock bands.
Sierra Pilot, conceived by singer-songwriter Taylor Leith, exists simultaneously as both a solo project and a band. While Taylor unabashedly wears his influences on his sleeve, he masterfully carves out a fresh and invigorating take on the genre.
“Although singles, and EPs to a lesser extent, seem to dominate the current music landscape, the idea of crafting an entire album was always at the forefront of my mind. All my musical heroes wrote and released full records and it feels good to be in that company now,” Taylor says, noting he embraces the duality of the project’s studio vs. live incarnations. “The guys in the band are well-seasoned players and the chemistry we have on stage is phenomenal”.
The album release was planned to come out just ahead of an 11-date Western Canadian tour with rock legends Skid Row and Buckcherry, but the tour was recently postponed until March 2024.
“Due to utmost concern for the health and well-being of Skid Row’s vocalist, Erik Grönwall, who is still recovering from a partially impaired immune system from a stem cell transplant he had in 2021, Skid Row decided to push the dates into early 2023,” explain Taylor. “We are really looking forward to the tour in March, and we can’t wait to see Erik back in full form on the tour. In the meantime, we will be playing live as much as possible, and working on our next EP, due out in Spring 2024”.
Sierra Pilot will celebrate the release of “Phantom Pains” at Maxwell’s Concert & Events in Waterloo, Ontario on Friday, September 29, with special guests Excuses Excuses and The Lad Classic.
Sierra Pilot will also perform at Edge 102 in Toronto on October 19th at 7:30 pm as part of the “Sugar Beach Sessions”.
Listen to Phantom Pains below and learn more about Sierra Pilot via our mini-interview.
Congratulations on the release of Phantom Pains. What can you tell us about the album?
A lot of hard work went into this album, and I am so happy with the results. The idea of crafting an entire album, even though full-length releases are becoming less common these days, was always at the forefront of my mind. All my musical heroes wrote and released full records and it feels good to be in that company now. The central theme is an ode to life itself, urging listeners to seize the day and embrace every opportunity. The vibes are all over the place. The album has a few inspirational anthems on there, some love songs, some raunchiness, lust, and angst. One thing all the songs have in common is they are meant to be played LOUD!
The new single from the album, “Kerosene”, is a real rock banger. How has the reaction been from the fans? Do you plan on releasing a music video for the track?
The response to Kerosene has been great! Especially when we play the song live. It’s amazing to see fans singing along and pumping their fists. Canadian radio has also been generous to the song so far and we hope that we will gain more support from radio. We are planning a music video for the track… so keep your eyes and ears peeled! In the meantime, you can check out the lyric video for “Kerosene” here.
You were scheduled to join rock legends Skid Row and Buckcherry on the “Gang’s All Here” tour in western Canada in October, however, the tour has now been pushed to March 2024. How has that affected your plans to promote the album? Will you still join them on the tour in March?
When we heard the tour was being pushed to March 2024, we had to adjust our promo plans, but it has honestly turned out to be a bit of a blessing in disguise. We have just been confirmed for a Sugar Beach Session at Edge 102 in Toronto on October 19 at 7:30 pm and we would love for fans to come down to watch our performance. The only difference between touring Western Canada in March rather than October will be the weather! We wish Erik from Skid Row a quick recovery and we look forward to seeing him rockin’ out in full form in March.
What can fans expect from you in 2024? Will you be releasing more music before the tour?
We’ll be off to a great start for 2024 in March with “The Gangs All Here” tour with Skid Row and Buckcherry. After that, we plan on touring as much as possible throughout the year. We are just wrapping up the recording of an EP that will be released in the Spring. We will likely release a single and music video from that EP in February, ahead of the tour.
Last but not least, what’s your motto for life and how does that play into your music?
I think we have two mottos that are reflected in our music. On “Phantom Pains” I think we are loud and clear that you need to live life to the fullest and don’t let the little things get you down. The second motto is “KARMA”, which is pronounced “haha F#@K you”. You’ll understand in Spring 2024!