Apes

Ghost Games

(Gypsy Eyes)

Record Review by Adam McKibbin

The future of The Apes was hardly assured when founding frontman Paul Weil decided that it was time to abandon the road and settle down with a family. The band had found some cult success over the course of six years and a number of full-lengths and EPs - just enough of an audience to be hyper-critical of a big lineup change like losing Weil, but not enough of an audience to, say, pay for houses in the city. What would become of DC’s fearless art-rockers?

Happily, fate smiled upon them. Two Apes met Breck Brunson at a party and, in true indie style, as proudly recounted in the band’s press materials, asked him to come jam on a hunch, not knowing whether Brunson a) sang or b) had the faintest desire to join some weird rock band. As it turned out, the answers were “Yes” and “Yes.” The band embarked on a wicked tour with Liars, and Brunson proved to be the best sort of replacement - hardly a facsimile, but also not a total abandonment of the sound and spirit of Apes past.

Ghost Games gets off to a rollicking start; the momentum doesn’t sustain at the manic pace of the opening sequence, but also isn’t allowed to sag. “Practice Hiding” whips the band into a full-blooded fervor right off the bat, with big riffs and Brunson’s vocal gymnastics; he rants and chews his words, then lets out a surprising falsetto on the chorus that is weirdly delirium-inducing. The song presumably packs a real wallop in concert, as drummer Jeff Schmid’s full impact is best felt in the gut; Ghost Games certainly suggests as much, but doesn’t always showcase it. Over on the keys, meanwhile, Amanda Kleinman coaxes a lot of personality out of her instrument, alternately making it sound sinister and campy.

The not-so-new guy sounds like a natural throughout. In the murky depths of “Speech Reach,” Brunson channels a little bit of Ian Curtis. On stage, he struts and poses with the flair of a Mick Jagger (his predecessor won more than one comparison to Iggy Pop, so it was important to fill the showmanship void). Ghost Games gets a little sludgy toward the end, but even their dense slow-burners sustain interest.

“Walk Thru Walls” is getting a fair amount of attention, and deservedly so. Accessibility isn’t always a bad thing, and on “Walk Thru Walls,” Apes manage to wrap a vintage psychedelic sound with a modernist edge. The same holds true for much of Ghost Games; it’s off-kilter, but not weird for weird’s sake. It’s juuust right.