Baker's sound was a bit heavier than Parsons' Paton admits in Michael Heatley's notes that he and Bairnson wished to "toughen up" Pilot's sound.
Session player Peter Oxendale replaced Billy Lyall on keyboards for the LP, and Ian Bairnson stepped up to contribute songs, as well. With Parsons busy launching the APP, Pilot recruited Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker to helm their third LP, Morin Heights. The instrumental variety proved Pilot's chops it's no wonder Parsons poached the group for his own Alan Parsons Project's debut record Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Second Flight was a strong continuation of the first LP in most respects, blending prog sounds with bouncy pop ("Dear Artist," "Love Is") and even dance rhythms (the funky, electronic, and disco-anticipating instrumental "55 North 3 West"). charts whereas "Magic" had reached the top five. besting the peak of "Magic" by ten spots - but languished in the lower reaches of the U.S. The band had high hopes for its lead single, "January." While not slavishly aping "Magic," it had the elements of the earlier hit such as a catchy hook (if a bit more bubblegum this time around), soaring guitar riffs, and a big, clean Parsons production. But Lyall (who tragically died of AIDS in 1989 at just 36 years of age) only stayed around for one more LP, 1975's Second Flight. They had complementary sensibilities, with the former more consciously "arty" and the latter aiming squarely for pop melodicism.
Songwriters Lyall and Paton were credited in a Lennon/McCartney-style arrangement. From the Album of the Same Name had anthemic rock, bright Beatle-esque pop, and even a dash of bossa nova. Lead vocalist David Paton's high-pitched vocals lent Pilot a distinctive sound so did the harmony guitars (Paton recalled stacking four Rickenbackers on the LP's opening track, "Just a Smile") and the inventive use of woodwinds, strings, brass, and orchestral textures. Guitarist Ian Bairnson was brought into the lineup as a guest but soon was invited join full-time. Though Parsons was not yet a household name, he was known to the members of Pilot for his association with The Beatles and Pink Floyd. Pilot's first album, 1974's From the Album of the Same Name, was cut with Parsons at Abbey Road's Studio Two. Producer-engineer Alan Parsons played a significant role in shaping the Scottish soft rockers' sound. 7Ts has collected the band's first four long-players from 1974-1977 on a clamshell box set entitled, simply, The Albums. While the band founded by David Paton, Billy Lyall, and Stuart Tosh was only able to spin off three more chart singles, "Magic" remains a classic radio staple. With that memorable 1974 international hit, Pilot burst into the public consciousness. Following Tuesday's look at Brian Protheroe's albums collection, we're exploring another recent box from Cherry Red and 7Ts!
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