Boston band comes into its own on impressive sophomore release
Apollo Sunshine’s latest takes the wild, psychedelic instrumentation of the Elephant Six Collective, reigns it in, adds a hint of roots-rock accessibility to the Brit-pop bliss and cranks the amps to eleven for a complex record that’s still 100-percent rock ’n’ roll. The lyrics don’t offer much to dig into, but Jesse Gallagher’s vocals and his bandmates’ Beach Boys-tight harmonies are so ingratiating you won’t mind. And the music—from the emotion-dripping, David Gilmour-meets-Jonny Greenwood guitar solos, wall-of-sound organ and tiny keyboard bleeps to the tasteful bells, tambourine and handclaps—is beautifully recorded, perfectly mixed and filled with nuance. All this makes for a complete album that runs the gamut of moods and sounds; a sonic vehicle that’s allowed the band’s creative identity to solidify.