Apollo Up! is everywhere, so much that we can't keep track. Long story short, everyone loves their new record Chariots of Fire and they just blew everyone away at last weekend's Desdemona Festival where they played with Mates of State, Enon and more.
Here is what everyone is saying about their Desdemona show...
"You wanna know who kicked some ass? Apollo Up! kicked some ass... Eric compared them to an early Elvis Costello, which is a pretty good assessment. My take on top of that is that they're very Ted Leo-esque as well. I also spoke of them back in May, and surprisingly, they proved me correct in being the "high-speed whirlwind of jabbing and stabbing rock" I described them as. - My Old Kentucky Blog
"Kicking off the day, for me, was an energized set from the guys of Apollo Up!. For a three-piece, these guys pack one hell of a punch. They're lead guitarist is very talented and their drummer gets so completely "in the zone" that its as if the two other band members just feed off of his "I'm playing the drums but jumping out of my stool" energy. They even dedicated songs to the bronzen Cincinnatus statue looming at the back of the crowd. They were my surprisingly awesome act of the day and judging by the reaction they received from a sun drenched crowd, they'd probably agree with me." – I Guess I’m Floating
"Apollo Up has been blanketing music blogs with their debut CD...and I managed to take a listen to it about a week before the show, and I knew I wanted to catch them. Lead singer Jay Leo Phillips sounds almost identical to This Year’s Model-era Elvis Costello, and the chugging rhythm of the bass and drums gives it a hot-rod punk-ish feel, which somehow fits well with the fact that Phillips also likes to shred off some metal guitar solos. The song “Even if You Don’t Die” (mp3) was especially great, with the Get Happy-esque lyrics “The damage is done/there’s nowhere to run/we're tapping the phone lines/we're tapping the phone lines when you're gone.” – Marathon Packs
That's not all, people reviewing the record are saying great things as well...
"Apollo Up makes a great claim to become every record-loving rocker’s new friend, and not just a casual acquaintance, with Chariots of Fire. The band covers both bases, personality (or in this case, style) and interests (influences) to charm the pants off anyone who counts themselves among rock and punk’s smart and well listened in-crowd…It’s just about what Apollo Up sounds like – modern punk with debts to everything cool but not fashionable – as much as what its members like. Punk rarely sounds as passionate and cultured as in the hands of your new friend Apollo Up." – Aversion.com
"Apollo Up scores big, breaking waves of rock mayhem in devastatingly fun fashion, presenting a hyperkinetic pop rock/indie bomb of creative fury. Chariots of Fire throws passionate vocals and punchy guitars at the audience, driving ears and souls in circles with a collection of music that is catchy, giving off a buzz of energy, pushing and pulling the heartstrings with a superb degree of emotional weight. The follow-up to their debut, Light the End and Burn it Through, the songs are gripping and intense, successfully carrying out a great degree of maturity and growth." - Copper Press
"...the album manages to assuage all doubters in the first few moments of Chariots of Fire, an album which manages to combine muscular, kinetic Dischord post-punk with solidly written melodies and certifiably catchy hooks. While many bands worshipping at the alter of Jawbox end up with oddly dispassionate vocals, front-man Jay Leo Phillips injects the sound with a healthy dose of energetic, mature sounding vocals akin to the major label-era of Shades Apart; the band continues to impress with a reverence to rhythm, with both bassist Mike Shepard and drummer Jereme Frey providing a strong low end to accompany Phillips lower range. A strong sophomore album from a promising band." – Punknews.org
"I do feel though that I need to warn people about Apollo Up. In a time where emo rules the radio and pop-punk is still in the background Apollo Up does not fit in either category. Instead they walk their own path and aren’t conforming to fit into radio play. So if you live by what is the number one hit this band will be too much for you; but if you are like me and really want diversity to come back around give Apollo Up a try." - Shakefire.com
Be sure to check the guys out live on WOXY.com for their in studio performance on Friday, July 7th at 4pm EST.
Also keep your eyes out for Apollo Up! features in the upcoming issues of Alternative Press and Copper Press!
Randomville.com even has an interview with Jay Phillips from Apollo Up! and Forget Cassettes.
» posted July 1st, 2006 - ∞