APOLLO 13: Brave New World

Apollo 13

Brave New World

© 2004 L.I.S. Publishing (825346490021)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

(About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)

Part spy-movie soundtrack, part Lenny Kravitz-style glam rock and part John Mayer croon pop, Apollo 13 pulls off radio-friendly melodic pop with talent and originality.

notes

Album Vitals:
"Hero" won the Electronica Grand Prize in the 2004 John Lennon Songwriting Competition (http://www.jlsc.com/winner2004.html)
"Hero" won First Place in the Dance/Electronica category of the 2003 International Songwriting Competition
(http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm)
"Hero" is also a Finalist in the Dance/Electronica category of the 2005 Indepdendent Music Awards (http://www.musiciansatlas.com/program.asp)

Produced, Engineered, Mixed, and Mastered by Mike MacFarland.

Apollo 13 Bio:
"We are venting something out into space." - Apollo 13 Commander James A. Lovell, Jr.

It was a jumbled pile of soldered sound gear and taped up patch cables, always in a state of disrepair. There were fears that no meaningful music would ever come out of it; that it would never work.

So they called it "Apollo 13".

But the little studio that could, did. Mike MacFarland (guitar) and Shannon Savoie (vocals), longtime friends and band mates, spent many arduous hours creating and recording their material for posterity's sake. On a hunch they submitted a piece to the International Songwriting Competition. One grand prize later, they had a wave of momentum beckoning. Calls were made to fellow musicians Will Dinkel (bass), Danny Rojas (drums) and John Wirt (guitar). A treatise was signed and the group known as Apollo 13 was formed.

In the year following, the band's trophy case expanded to include two more high-profile awards (Independent Music Awards, John Lennon Songwriting Competition). A self-produced, eclectic debut album, "Brave New World", was released to positive reviews. A propaganda campaign targeting mass media was undertaken, resulting in frenzied Internet activity, music for the "Eros" feature-film trailer and placement in a hugely popular paintball video game.

These successes have now morphed the aforementioned studio into a far cry from its former patchwork self. It is now under full utilization with the production of the band's second full-length release, "Lovebomb", set to hit stores in late 2005. This will be accompanied by appearances in Chicago and Los Angeles, followed by tour dates in early 2006.

Apollo 13 Members:
Will Dinkel - bass, backing vocals
Mike MacFarland - lead guitar, keyboards, samples, backing vocals
Danny Rojas - drums
Shannon Savoie - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
John Wirt - guitar, backing vocals

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • Good stuff!
    author: eric

    Good stuff! One of the most exciting discs I've listened to in quite some time. "Lusitania" will definitely get stuck in your head -- in a good way.

  • This Cd is Fantastic
    author: Appol 13 Brave New World

    This CD is wonderful, I enjoy a large variety of different music (from Bach to Daft Punk) and This Band If HOT! I hope they go far and get popular quickly so we can get more songs to listen to. Maybe I can find out now if its possible to wear out a cd by playing to too much.

  • this is one of the most exquisite cd's i have listened to in forever
    author: jay

    this cd is the most exquisite cd i have listend to in forever and believe me because i have well over 1500 cd's. there is no clearcut box to through this cd into and that is awesome. no genre whatsoever and these guys are some of the best artists i have heard

  • Genre-bending Excellence!
    author: De-Fi Radio (defiradio.blogspot.com)

    Brave New World is a wonderfully crafted CD. Apollo 13 seamlessly moves between many different genres. From dance to rock to funk and more, this CD will have you enthralled from the very first track. If you're looking for a CD where you will like every track, Brave New World is it. You need this CD.

  • Great CD
    author: Iain

    Great cd excellent song good influences go buy it

  • HOUSTON...We do NOT have a problem!
    author: The Planet Radio PodCast (planetradio.libsyn.com)

    Every song on this CD is well-produced, and from track to track, you're taken on a journey through music and space. The songs on "Brave New World" are full of great hooks, from the 007 sounding "Hero" to the reggae charged "Come to B.". This album offers something for everyone. I highly recommend it! And if you get a chance to see the band, you won't be disappointed.

  • Something for everyone
    author: Matt G

    Great upbeat sounds, good chill, nice rhythm, and intelligible lyrics. Brave New World has a variety of sounds while remaining true to Apollo 13's distinctive sound.

  • Flawless disc that defends its moniker
    author: Ryan Hoffer @ Shut Eye Records

    Brave New World certainly defends its moniker. Not only are the compositions drastically unique, but the collection as a whole boasts ingenuity. From the ominous milieu of "Weapons of Mass Destruction" to the Caribbean breeze of "Lusitania", this disc is flawless. I must add that the aforementioned "Lusitania" is probably my favorite track off of the CD. With its clever fretwork and pensive diction, this song is heartwarming. In fact, I had to listen to it several times before I could move on to the following songs. I also really enjoyed the "spy-movie" electronic groove of "Hero". This is definitely some of the most mature/proficient songwriting I've heard in quite some time.

  • 45 minutes of good college radio
    author: Bill Ribas @ NY Rock

    Here's an interesting disc, although somewhat scattershot stylistically. The reason for the diversity lies in the creation, as Shannon Savoie, the frontman for the Kansas-based outfit, the Band That Saved the World (reviewed here a while back), began working on some of his own material apart from the band. Also joining the lineup from TBTSTW were Mike MacFarland on keys, guitars, among other things, and Will Dinkel on bass. Drummer Danny Rojas was recruited, and voila, the band was complete. They laid down a bunch of stuff, won first place in an international song contest, and continue to grow as I type. Anyway, while some stuff is in the electronica dance arena, you'll also find bits of reggae, and straight-ahead rock. Though this lack of focus may be, well, a bit unsettling for some, it actually plays rather well, coming across like 45 minutes of good college radio. The fact that they can be chameleons, successfully handling a variety of styles, points to a bright future. Some bands have enough trouble getting their own sound right, making a disc a nightmare to listen to, but Apollo 13 have a mature and capable approach which, unless they're struck by a bad case of writer's block, should allow them to continue to produce good music. www.apollothirteen.com

  • "Come to B." just makes me smile.
    author: Sally

    This CD shows the variety of styles the group plays. "Come to B." puts a smile on your face and in your heart. "I Spy" feels and sounds like you are at the movies. I look forward to what comes next.

  • Great variety and clen true musical talent
    author: Katherine

    Track 8 is my favorite. Lusitania is soothing and sweet.

  • The best mix of music on any CD a song for everyone!
    author: Britt Klotz

    WOW if this is the debut alblum the music scene has something to really look forward to, I cant wait to see them live Nice Work

  • Apollo 13 has the goods
    author: Richard Gintowt @ lawrence.com

    Variety is the name of the game for Lawrence's Apollo 13, a four-person group composed of former Band That Saved the World members Shannon Savoie (vocals, guitar), Mike MacFarland (guitar, key, sampling/beats) and Will Dinkel (bass) as well as Yards drummer Danny Rojas. Drum programming and spy-movie sound effects figure prominently into Apollo 13's diverse attack, which runs the gamut from alt-acoustic pop to alternative rock to funk and reggae/rocksteady. Excellent production values and smooth harmonies pimp out Xbox-friendly soundtracks that mix live instrumentation with piped-in samples. The band's willingness to experiment is commendable but also accounts for a somewhat blurred vision. "Weapons of Mass Desctruction" recalls The Propellerheads with its James Bond-style surf guitar, big-beat drums and samples from the Apollo 13 flight, while "Who'z Worried" is a cluttered affair of funky drum breaks, gaudy wah guitars and slap-bass funk. "I Spy" could be a Lenny Kravitz out-take with its uber-distorted guitars and radio-ready chorus. While all of the above songs are well-executed, the band seems much more at home when it strips away the gloss and uses more natural instrumentation. "Lusitania" is one such song - finger-picked nylon-string guitar, jazzy brushed drums and a smooth upright bass create a dreamy lullaby that uses the image of a sinking ship as a metaphor for personal struggles. "So Far, So Near" is another example with its Guster-meets-O.A.R. alterna-folk, and "Come to B." is a smooth rocksteady track that should please the Sublime contingent. Clearly, Apollo 13 has the goods to take the listener on a smooth flight. But like its star-crossed namesake, the band needs to make sure it's in control of its technology if it doesn't want to get stranded in space.

email

Please log in to email this artist.