Customer Reviews

Apollo Smile

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Apollo Smile is probably known more for her attempt to ride the anime wave here in the US in the late 90's and being the voice of Ulala from "Space Channel 5" than for her music. This 1991 album was Apollo's only big-label release and "Thunderbox" did appear on the "Days Of Thunder" soundtrack, but for the most part this album is a very mixed bag. Some tunes are catchy but not "take no prisoners" top 40 material. Plus there are moments when Apollo and pitch become like two ships passing in the night. As you can imagine, this album was not a smash and went into the cut-out bins rather quickly. It does have it's moments but it is not the kind of album that would have people screaming for "Apollo Smile 2". If nothing else, it is a curio and worth a listen for folks that remember her from the late 90's anime scene.

Since there is no track list as of this posting here's the listing:

1 Thunderbox 3:43
2 Dune Buggy 4:13
3 I Want You To Love Me 4:25
4 Love Comes Your Way 5:54
5 Theme For All Nations 4:35
6 Friends 3:27
7 Hymn To The Sun 3:47
8 Temple Of Love 4:36
9 Peace 4:41
10 Theme (Reprise) 0:43
11 Dune Buggy (Bonus Remix) 4:35

Apollo made a name for herself in the mid 90's as the cute and spunky live action anime girl that was invited to several sci-fi and otoku conventions. Later she started doing voice over work for a couple of animated shows and the video game series Space Channel 5. But before all of that even got started she released this album. Her title album is actually quite good, and if you consider it was released in 1991 it was better than good. There are some tracks that fall into the standard 90's California club scene, but there are also some tracks that go beyond that. There is also this "child of the sun" theme that goes on throughout the album that gives it a nice little distinction. Here are my comments on some notable tracks:

DUNE BUGGY has a catchy groove on it that reminds me of the song "Low Rider" by the band War. It's a little more popish, but not by much.

I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME is an encouraging and upbeat 90's dance track that I would call the flagship track of the album. I can see this one played on the radio back in early 90's.

HYMN TO THE SUN is a pretty trippy and transcendental track that is atmospheric and rhythmic and forward moving all at the same time. In spite of this song being the most different of all in this album think this is my favorite track.

TEMPLE OF LOVE is a little laid back on tempo and has a bit of a swing thanks to the 6/8 time signature. It feels like a follow up to all the upbeat songs and gives you some time to breath and take in the scenery.

If you're into 90's dance music or what I would call "happy music" then this is the CD for you. It's going to be hard to find, but at the same time it's not in high demand either. You should be able to get a decent deal if you look hard enough. Any price at list or lower is well worth it.

I have recieved my cd as promissed on the first day im very excited about it and apollo smile is my fave so i will have to give a 5 stars for this one. The cd was in perfect condition perfectly packed. absolutely no finger prints on the casing or cd cheap and awesome. a product that cheap but quality.