Apollo Sunshine with Drug Rug Live at the Beachcomber

Apollo Sunshine has already drawn the requisite array of comparisons that any band must inevitably be subjected to. This time its primarily the Flaming Lips, They Might Be Giants, and the Elephant 6 bands. And these are accurate and indicative comparisons, giving you a sense of Apollo Sunshine's aesthetic, but you might also include heavy doses of older material by the Eels, some Jellyfish, and even hints of Ben Folds. And even those touchstones won't give you a real indication of the way that Apollo Sunshine unabashedly incorporates the bombast and drama of Pink Floydian prog rock, and can then turn around and toss out a Brian Wilson reference, often within the same song. In fact, there are suggestions of just about any pop or rock band that's managed to balance a ferocious creativity with a sense of musical whimsy. And all of this comes together in Apollo Sunshine to create something wonderful.