James Apollo

CD - Good Grief

Play 90 second soundbite of 'Dead Men Weigh More' @ 'CD quality'

As this awesome work opened with the haunting 'Prelude, Colonel Travis' I found myself being gently eased into Apollo's moody world to be carried on a wave of diverse rhythms as he took me on a earthy, wordy trip into his seemingly tormented but talented mind. I quickly found these gutsy, contemporary, multi-faceted works transporting me onto a musical road-trip across the Americas. With a delicate taste of country-blues, more than a smattering of Latino rhythms and hints of dusky, jazz tinged songs superbly written and passionately performed I soon found myself being drawn in and becoming a believer. Recorded late in 2004 at Analog Electric Studios and released on Aquarium Records early in 2005 this is a stunning introduction to this hard working musical phenomenon from Arkansas.

Just as the imagined road-trip would take me to soaring mountains, vast plains, towering busy cities and grubby shanty towns so the thirteen tracks took me through a similar musical landscape full of contrasts and constantly changing imagery. With his raw-edged approach to recording Apollo has managed to add and retain a 'real' dimension to his songs; a cleverly down-home grittiness whilst managing to keep everything perfectly and simply in its place. Through the use of lilting melodies juxtaposed to soaring crescendo's, off-beat rhythms and tight percussive passages, Apollo has created something strangely original and very persuasive. His strong songs never falter; there's no dropping off in quality or interest - 'Good Grief' is a brilliantly put together and absorbing work!

Just mix the Nebraska feel of Bruce Springsteen, the light county outings of Ryan Adams and the bar-room jazzy undertones of Tom Waits and you start to get the eclectic feel and passion of James Apollo and his pretty unique approach. Distinctly home-grown American yet worldly recognisable and acceptable, James Apollo's raw edged songs of hope through hard times, optimism through pain are perfectly formed works of classy, modern 'muddy-rock'.

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