Album Review: Apollo’s Arrows - Young Romantic Mannequins
Formed from the embers of the now defunct band Resonate, lineup and all, Apollo’s Arrows must, I suppose, represent a dream that has steadfastly refused to die. Bearing this in mind then, ‘Young Romantic Mannequins’, the first release from this current iteration, is perhaps unsurprisingly the sound of a band comfortable with themselves and their strengths. It boasts an impressively individual, coherent sound, recognisable as ‘them’; Spiky and melodic, but displaying an impressive level of technical ability to go along with oft complicated song-structures. Sitting somewhere between early Biffy Clyro, Battles, The Pigeon Detectives and even, at times, The Mars Volta, they are recognisably British yet not easy to label.
First song ‘Start At The End’ opens with languid glitchy drums and a rolling guitar line shoved rudely aside at the urgent arrival of the song proper. A demonstration of the band’s song-writing ambition, it is an intelligently structured pop song that almost forgoes the traditional verse/chorus arrangement and is propelled along by urgent bursts of overdriven guitars and Ed Bidgood’s soaring vocals set against twitching quieter sections. Next track ‘This House Is No Igloo’ reverts back to a slightly more traditional song structure and once it has negotiated a slightly over-long intro it starts to kick, the presence of a true chorus providing an opportunity for a decent hook (something that arguably happens too infrequently over the course of the record).
Third song ‘Umbrellas To The Sahara’, the catchiest track on the record, actually has a curiously Welsh groove to it reminiscent in places of Cuba Cuba and Straight Lines; nevertheless it is the most danceable and boasts more excellent guitar work. Where sluggish fourth song ‘Dressed As Mexicans’ is a victim of its own ambitions and never really gets going, final track ‘Life Sized Translation’ provides a fitting ending to a promising record. Starting slowly, it gradually builds up to a fine finale, an excellent instrumental bridge giving way to Bidgood’s anguished repeated cry of “The Smoking Mirror, and the reflection”.
Ironically, over five tracks, Apollo’s Arrow’s best quality is part of what lets them down. This is danger in such consistency of sound when all of all the tracks start to roll into one. This is further exacerbated by another element that would usually be seen as a good thing, that of their song-writing ambition. In going for technicality I wonder if they haven’t given quite enough thought to the hooks that would further elevate their already impressive package? Perhaps that was the intention. As it stands however, ‘Young Romantic Mannequins’ is an intriguing and involving quasi-debut that should most definitely deserves a listen. There is obviously more to come from this talented trio but this is a fine opening.
3.5/5
'Young Romantic Mannequins' by Apollo's Arrows is
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Nick Worpole
