James Apollo - Angelorum (2014)

With the initial sessions for Angelorum lost in a fire that destroyed Minneapolis’ Underwood Studios and the home of producer Mark Stockert, James Apollo and his close-knit band picked up and started over at Tucker Martine’s Flora Recording in Portland, Ore., adding members of Apollo’s road band to help Stockert get what he needed to finish the record. Apollo gave the band Martin Denny and Les Baxter records to keep in mind, and sure enough, his third album has the most exotic sound of any Apollo release. There’s the mutated Bo Diddley groove of “Wander,” which is guided by a flute-like riff that builds into a group sing-along. “White Line” takes a Black Keys–like approach to its groove, with just pounding drums and rattling, tremolo guitars providing most of the instrumentation. The title track features a mystical atmosphere, with piano, random effects, stand-up bass, and a husky vocal from Apollo creating a sense of modern-vintage, hipster singer/songwriter, nocturnal visions. For a full-on blast, there’s always “Neverland.”