MY OWN CO-PILOT - Textures ALBUM REVIEW
Michal Kosinski
Derrek Siemieniuk
My Own Co-Pilot serves as a throwback to the prime days of emo and alternative rock, combining a guitar-driven sound with harmonious hardcore vocals all done by a single "30 something year old punk rock dad." (Sounds familiar!)
Michael Kosinski, the one-man-band of My Own Co-Pilot started writing tunes and playing in bands since 16 years old, and at 19 joined a Swedish band called Diefenbaker, hitting up the college pop-punk and rock scene, eventually releasing a 7" EP. Gaining a lot of familiarity and gaining a fanbase, the crew started touring and even landed a solid 2 week tour in the US back in 2001. (those were some scary times to fly.) A
In 2004 the band eventually broke up and the whole idea of being a "musician thing" went stagnant, where Michael eventually started a family. 3 kids, 2 years apart starting in 2012 (the year my daughter was born). Combining 3 kids, a home life with a full time job, Micheal ALMOST DECIDED to hang his 6-string up and call it quits completely until his ultimate passion for music got the best of him in 2017.
Missing the writing/arranging/recording and creative process of it all, the nagging tooth ache finally went away once he decided to buy a bunch of outboard gear, home recording equipment and eventually started recording songs late at night once the kids went to sleep. (Holy Shit. Deja Vu.)
Not recording a single tune since 2001, and now completely new to this "home recording game" Michael's crutch became a new passion, learning the aspects of DAW's, plug-ins and mixing.
Knowing that he can't sing all that well however, the one-man-band realized his limits, and decided to extend a call of assistance for vocals. Scouring the web for months upon months for "the perfect voice" for his project My Own Co-Pilot, Michael stumbled across a band that caught his ear. The band was Save Empty Vessels, and upon hearing lead singer Derrek Siemieniuk, he knew right away that he would be the perfect match, now he just needed the "okay.
After some contact and an e-mail, Derrek humbly agreed to sing and one quickly became two. (SEE! It's better to ask than to wonder!) Michael sent Derrek the tunes and the lyrics where he recorded them at his studio Vessel Sound Productions for My Own Co-Pilot's first EP Textures.
MY OWN CO-PILOT's sound to me is as if the project jumped around decades gathering up favorite parts and sounds about said genre or era. Hopping around and picking up from where bands like Jimmy Eat World's "Bleed American", The Get Up Kids "Something to Write Home About" and Weezer's self-titled album left off and mashing it together with early "post-emo-core" bands like Silverstein, Thrice & Underoath.
To me is this brilliantly crafted project purely driven out of the sheer love, passion and dedication for music. It proves that no matter what age, that if you still have the drive, dedication and devotion to your craft no matter what art or genre, you can still dig up the embers and resurrect a phoenix from the ashes.
You can check out more of MY OWN CO-PILOT at ANY of the links below:
(SUBSCRIBE TO THE POP PUNK DAD SPOTIFY PLAYLIST)
CHECK OUT MY OWN CO-PILOT and the rest of the band's I've featured here:
The Pop-Punk Dad features bands from all around the globe. Email me awesome bands at: ThePopPunkDad@gmail.com
