Most people wait until the next Bank Holiday Monday to undertake their next DIY project, popping down to B&Q for some flock wallpaper, a tin of paint with a dubious, exotic sounding name and hand tool that they don’t have the qualifications to operate…but not Apollo Junction. Instead they have picked a random October Friday to launch their latest independent venture; their newest album Here We Are. Not a screwdriver in sight, but instead a collection of tracks that push even their own boundaries. ‘Anthemic’, ‘uplifting’, ‘genre-defying’ and ‘dynamic’ are just some of the terms that the self promoting band use to describe this collection of tunes…and it’s hard to argue with them. 

The band have tried hard to celebrate their heritage, their Leeds roots and their determination to do things their way, sometimes flying in the face of conventionality when it comes to the music industry. To launch their third album, for example, they are taking a coach load of die hard fans on an away to Blackpool in search of the sun. Good luck to them on that one! What they will experience, however, is a trip to the beach and a cosy in-store appearance at HMV before a gig at Bootleg Social. It promises to be a memorable way to kick off an eight day tour and a unique way to share a new batch of tunes with the world.

There’s a running theme here which is far from unplanned and is captured somewhat in their album titles. Here We Are was preceded by All In, giving that sense of togetherness, of solidarity, of family. This is exactly what the band stand for. They are a people’s band and of that they are rightly proud. The tracks themselves portray a collective mood of reflection and of hope ; a cause for optimism in challenging and uncertain times and bring a drive, lift and sense of purpose to those of us that need a boost and to be championed.

As much as the rhetoric describes their newest anthology as pushing their own boundaries, which is true, there is a simplicity here which cannot be ignored. In fact, the album’s title track has equally the most words in its name – three. There’s a subtle statement here when you read through the listings, something along the lines of ‘do what you do well, but do it better’. No frills, no fuss, just clout. What else would you expect from a band whose office is a shed? As they themselves say, ‘we are a quintessential, true indie band’. 

The songs themselves represent something of a departure from their previous work. The synth is used to enhance the sound rather than to add effect in most, giving Jamie Williamson’s voice an opportunity to soar and explore its way through each number. This tone is very much set on the opening track, By The River, and continues through the next couple of tracks, Endings and Magic. 

https://spotify.link/IGTInhXHUDb

By The River most definitely hits the ‘anthemic’ brief that the band set themselves. A track that builds over time, swirling ethereally as it meets its crescendo and indicates a direction change and maturing for the band. Endings kicks on from here. Still anthemic but with an unavoidable energy from the first note. Previously released as a single, it’s already becoming a fan favourite. Mil1ion takes Williamson’s vocals in a totally different direction whilst allowing Matt Wilson’s cutting guitar work to take centre stage along with Sam Potter’s central keys. Their most recent single, Magic, is something of a sing along piece that drifts along nicely, undulating in pitch and hitting the high notes perfectly. Perfect Plan is a little bit more like something you’d expect from the band; edgy vocals and lyrics enhanced by a touch of electronics here and there, wandering keys and a tempo that allows Ben Hope’s bass work to do its thing. The unpredictability is created by Jonathan Thornton’s percussion which skips around and shapes the track.

What of the new songs? Breathe Out is unmistakably their song. A well paced tune with a memorable and catchy chorus that allows the quintet to just do what they do well. Outside follows suit whilst retaining that anthemic feel that the band have striven for. Wasting Time has real power and depth whilst the title track, Here We Are, is a far more mellow affair but still a song that will stay with you long after hearing it. 

Closing the album is another single, History. This a a slower, more measured and paced number which has been deliberately placed at the tail to create that ‘end of the night’ feel. It works well and certainly generates something of a reflective mood that makes you want to re-explore the whole album once again as well as making you feel as though you’ve really been part of something as you’ve journeyed through the listings.  This is what the band were, I think, after in creating this body of work…to let you in and to let you be as much a part of their process as they themselves are. It’s a real family thing. This is who they are and what they stand for and it doesn’t look that’s going to change any time soon.

https://spotify.link/t2MVPY3HUDb

This is a strong collection. It’s no wonder that they say that it’s their best album yet and it’s all the better for the wonderful artwork by Matt Lodge. Produced by Andy Hawkins and mastered by John Davies at Metropolis, this is a piece of work to be proud of. Not bad for a bit of DIY.

https://www.apollojunction.com

Here We Are is released on Friday 20th October. Go out and get yourself a copy. If you’ve not got a turntable then grab a CD at only £5! Give the lads a boost and help them make a chart challenge. Whilst you’re at it, go and see them on tour this Autumn. Join the AJ family. You’ll not want to leave.

Here We Are. Out on 20th October.

Words by Duncan Grant

Pictures; the band’s own