Picture a rock band with two keyboarders. Easy? Now picture a rock band that uses no guitars. If you’re saying that’s impossible, you don’t know The Apes.
The Apes would be easy to fit into the «rock revival» pack, but that would not be entirely accurate. True, the band do sound like a mix of The Stooges and Depp Purple, but they are far more than a mere carbon copy of those 70’s groups. To begin with, they use not one but two bass players, which gives them a somewhat layered sound. And on top of the two basses and the minimalistic drums, they set two keyboard players and a Moog. Top it all with someone who sounds like a prog-rock singer on an acid trip, and the result is «OddEyeSee».
Undoubtedly one of the most original albums in my collection, «OES» mixes typical 70’s prog rock with psychedelia, sludgecore, robotic voices and orchestrated passages to create a truly unique sound. And if you’re thinking the sound is too complex to ever be memorable, think again. Songs like «Children of Brainbow and Brainbrow» or the stomping, spine-tingling «Worwiz» remain in your head for several days after you have listened to them. Calmer bits like «When Majestic Ape Sleeps», on the other hand, are perfect to be savoured with a bottle of wine on a calm evening at home.
The music comes wrapped in a very attractive package, as well. The purely psychedelic drawings and colours make you feel like you’re in an acid-trip fairytale with castles and robots and Puff The Magic Dragon frolicking about…until you realize this is actually a 90’s band, website and all!
All in all, The Apes were a very pleasant surprise: a band that manage to be undeniably original without ever sounding artsy or preposterous. Give them a go. I guarantee you’ll like it.
