Favorably compared to both the Fleet Foxes and the Avett Brothers by National Public Radio, the Portland, Ore.-based outfit Blind Pilot was also picked by NPR as one of the top three bands to see at this year’s South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Clearly, the band’s debut, 3 Rounds and a Sound, has made a strong impression on smart radio programmers, critics, bloggers and music fans, and with good reason. The core duo of singer/guitarist Israel Nebeker and drummer Ryan Dobrowski craft wistfully melodic acoustic folk pop that is as eclectic and charmingly unique as the band’s favorite mode of transportation for touring: bicycles. And even though they’ve had to upgrade to a van in order to accommodate both their growing popularity from coast to coast and the size of their live band (it takes a lot more than just two guys to play all those trumpets, dulcimers and violins onstage), the lo-fi, DIY magic of Blind Pilot’s music remains wholly intact.