Apollo Ghosts is an indie rock band based in Vancouver, and in 2022, and if you remembered them from 2012, they’re back and still releasing new songs. In that seven year absence between 2012 and 2019, they were making music under different band names like COOL TV and Adrian Teacher & The Subs.
Their ”Pink Tiger” album is actually a double album that splits a softer sound and a sound that’s more upbeat and electric.
Pink Tiger
Their first halt, “Pink, ”is softer than their usual sound since it was written at home during the pandemic, and they recorded the second half with a more upbeat energy when things began opening up again.
The lead singer, Adrian Teacher thought of releasing “Pink Tiger” as a double album, but the soft and upbeat sides were connected, and it made more sense to be in the same album. The first half is more fitting to put on during an early Sunday breakfast while the upbeat half is when you’re doing errands.
For the songs, “Morning Voices” and “Dirty Spoons”, the band tried to use midi programming for instruments like synths, strings, and arpeggiators, which is why they bring out a cinematic quality in those songs.
As Adrian was making the album, he had a growing concern regarding the hearing loss he experienced with one ear, and it did affect his music making and his teaching. He even went to doctors to get surgery, but it didn’t work.
I’m someone who loves listening to music at higher volumes, testing my audio equipment and pushing them to their limit to correct little things like distortion and clipping. I also just like to have headphones on full blast to fully appreciate the songs I listen to. I’m still young, and my last hearing test in high school had good results, but there’s this lingering fear that my habits will suddenly lead to hearing loss.
It’s really disorienting and annoying to only hear through one ear, and I get upset that I have to avoid listening to music until my ear stops swelling. Not only that, but your hearing range will compress as you age. I hope my analytical ears don’t chase subtle intricacies and nuances for too long that it ultimately ruins my hearing.
Luckily, Adrian’s hearing eventually returned months later. The band members are still healthy and playing, so you can expect to find new releases in the coming years.