Written
by David Shouse, posted by blog admin
This
immediately affecting alternative band from Dallas, Texas lays down 6 catchy
cuts on their debut studio recording Light-Footed
Hours. Combining rock, punk, pop,
emo and even styles outside of rock, Blue Apollo is a power trio that puts some
gusto into their songs. They turn each
track into a sing-a-long anthem with alternately melodic and crisp, crunchy
guitars, steady drumming, a little touch of keyboards on opener “Walls” during
its midsection break and thick grooving bass lines. This jam sets the tone and the indie guitar
shimmer is bolstered by punk-tempered snare work and a lot of upbeat melodies
happening. Vocalist/guitarist Luke
Nassar commands his voice from a higher register and smooth bursts of falsetto
are among several well-controlled tactics that he utilizes to instantly ingrain
the song into the listener’s psyche.
“Feeling
Right” agilely dances across a mid-tempo pulse with Rodman Steele’s funky bass
lines, soulful guitar licks that merge funk to reggae to soul and a real
blue-eyed vocal performance from Nassar molds and crafts this composition into
a melodic behemoth that is the perfect crisscross between the 70s and modern
indie. The jangly guitars pick up the
pace into some good time melody riffs on EP standout “Therapy” and its lyrical
heartbreak which speaks to moving on in relationships. A rhythmic push/pull provides a solid,
locked-on pocket that never eschews a good groove for too much flash though
drummer Jeremiah Jensen is well-suited to numerous beat fluctuations including
punchy kick drum patterns, atmospheric cymbal splashing and taut snare
fills. These many percussive elements
provide some good cues for the guitar work to change from up-tempo indie-riff
rock to spacious cascades of cosmic melody.
A
gorgeous, ever-flowing piano melody duets gorgeously with Luke’s tender vocals
in the opening build-up of “Avalanche,” the EP’s standout ballad and centerpiece
track; slowly adding extra instruments like cello, sleight of hand drumming and
breezy guitar work as the music progresses and unfold. Eventually some melodic
rocking ends this cut with a tidal rush of emotions that seamlessly overflows
into the acoustic guitar and gentle vocal balladry of like-minded track “Meant
to Be.” It’s a sugar sweet and sensitive
couplet of tunes that careens into the lively bonus track “Circles.” Here the rocking and rolling tom drum
patterns provide a constant, consistent throb to a tune with hook-y electric
riffing and melody intensive keyboard sweeps giving the track a simultaneously
tender and energetic edge. Some of the
bending notes of Nassar’s riffage even tap into subtle blues and r & b
influences that loan Blue Apollo some much needed identity when stacked up
against any possible peers.
Blue
Apollo offer up nothing but winners on Light-Footed
Hours. Thanks to epic and expansive
songwriting when it comes to the style, great vocals and a tight rhythm section
they get their point across on each individual song and prove that they are
capable of multiple different musical styles (sometimes several over the course
of a single song). Anyone that likes
alternative and indie rock from the last 15-20 years should get a lot out of
this EP.
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