Venus Loon - 2022 - Apollo Rising

(30:31; Aumega Project)

I must admit I smiled when I saw the cover of Peter’s first album from 2022, as what we have here is a digital release which has a battered look about it, along with a “Super Duper Saver $3:88”. I also smiled when it started playing, as the opening title cut has clips in it from the original Apollo missions, but more importantly there has been quite a change in the production from the previous one. Here we are allowed to hear the guitars, and this track features some lovely distortion as well as clear solos while the bass is also way more effective (it sounds like he is using a pick to get a hard strike, which definitely works well), and the keyboards also fit in well. The programmed drums are still somewhat of a problem for me, but they have always been something I have disliked with a passion, and again there is no doubt their usage is a step change from the previous release. In fact, the only thing I am not a fan of this with this track is the fade out, something else I am not a fan of.

This is followed by “The Eagle Has Landed” with some nice slides at the beginning, quite a different sound and feel to the opening number, and again he allows himself to shine a little more in the guitar hero front. This album, much more than ‘Adios Vegas’, I can imagine being played with a full band as it has a nice punch and presence – the keyboards are often much more in the background, and this definitely moves far more not only into Space Rock but also Krautrock, yet he keeps throwing in different styles and sections so one is never really sure where it is going to lead. Whereas I would hesitate in suggesting seeking out ‘Adios Vegas’ to see what Venus Loon are like, this is a solid introduction to the band. It is only 31 minutes long, but interesting (and it even features real bagpipes!)

Kev Rowland, March 2023

Links:
http://venusloon.com/
https://aumegaproject.com/