Saints Apollo
We Are Ghosts
3 1/2 stars
Indie folk
Initially a small duo from Raleigh, indie folk group Saints Apollo has grown into a much larger project, and its latest record We Are Ghosts shows it. Featuring many catchy songs thanks to a newly introduced cello, drums and piano, this album is a nice addition to the local indie folk scene.
“By Your Side” and “Hashin’” get We Are Ghosts off to an exciting start, using multiple vocalists and clever choruses demanding the listener’s attention.
Similarly upbeat and rhythmic tracks continue until the midpoint. Particularly, “Paper Airplanes” is a nice detour featuring a female vocalist in the lead.
The centerpiece of the record is “Share My Walker,” a delightful tune about two lovers growing old together. The layered harmonies in the background are a superb addition to the song, and it’s impossible to not bob your head along with the track. “Walker” alone stands head and shoulders over above any other song on the album.
Unfortunately, the last half of We Are Ghosts isn’t quite as strong as the first. The tracks blur together and, while they maintain lightness, nothing stands out. Unlike the album’s first half, the songs cannot get by on their catchiness alone.
There is one final highlight with “Slowly,” a downtempo song with a male and female vocalist trading verses. The slow, ballad-like structure is unlike anything before it and is a real welcome near the end of the album.
We Are Ghosts may not exactly be groundbreaking, but it does have multiple pleasing tunes that make for a solid listen. Any fans of pop-inflected folk music will find something to enjoy with Saints Apollo.
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