Since their emergence into the indie rock scene in 1999, Washington DC's The Apes have continuously experimented with a variety of musical genres ranging from 80's style pop, to hip-hop, to punk.
The Apes' newest album, Ghost Games, to be released on Feb. 19th through Gypsy Eyes Records, continues this stylistically ambiguous tradition while introducing their new lead singer, Breck Brunsen.
Ghost Games is The Apes' fourth full-length album, showcasing the band's nearly 10 years of experience. As a whole, the album conveys a sense of maturity, which manifests itself in the overall delivery. Each song plays out with a certain confidence that proves that this under-the-radar band has finally found its niche.
The album starts out strong, with the catchy and bizarre "Practice Hiding," a haunting declaration that rookie vocalist Brunsen is here to stay.
Following suit is "Beat of the Double," which is arguably the strongest track on the album. With a drumbeat reminiscent of The White Stripes, and vocals that seem to be heavily influenced by Modest Mouse or The Pixies, there's no reason why this song shouldn't garner mainstream attention. Other notable tracks include the melancholy "Walk Through Walls" and the bass-driven "Dr. Watcher".
Ghost Games' overall sound -which relies heavily on bass, percussion and keyboard - is refreshing at first, but eventually wears out its welcome. About mid-way through the album, listeners may find themselves bored. Bass riffs and catchy keyboard-backed hooks are pushed so strongly throughout the album that they soon become repetitive and the album loses momentum.
Part of this can be attributed to the lack of lyrical depth. Though the song titles and choruses are rich with puns and wordplay, there is nothing thought-provoking or relatable to hold the listener's attention.
What Ghost Games lacks in lyricism, it redeems itself with a unique, and certainly unconventional sound. Overall, this album works, and it definitely deserves multiple listens.
If this is any indication of what Brunsen has to offer for the band's future, then it'll be interesting to see what these Apes can evolve into.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
