Single Review: Superstition (Looking In The Mirror)

Apollo SteamTrain have been hard at work producing solid songs and developing a loyal fan base through gigging and regular recording over the last couple of years, but their latest single Superstition (Looking In The Mirror) is a marked change in musical direction for the Tauranga based rock band.

Starting out with a crisp drumbeat on nicely tuned toms, Les Robinson is soon joined by singer songwriter Brendan McCarthy’s crunchy guitar. It’s a pretty in your face sound and perhaps the POG isn’t the right effect to go with at the outset. However, it doesn’t take long for this to resolve itself in the mix, especially once the bass of Ian Clark kicks in.

Catchy lyrics seem to have multifaceted meanings, but the main hook comes after a powerful ascending build-up into a top-notch chorus line. Closely following the guitars melody, the lyrics ‘As long as you know you’re not alone’ and ‘you’ll never spend your life on your own’ are sung in an almost tongue in cheek manner.

On a single squarely aimed at radio airplay, the second verse is where the track really starts to shine. Clear backing vocals and variations on the musical theme move the song along at a good upbeat pace. Sitting in the pocket Brendan’s solo and spots of additional guitar presence keeps your attention focused right to the end.

Touches of alternative rock and Greg Haver’s impeccable production techniques make Apollo SteamTrain’s new sound on Superstition (Looking In The Mirror) a much-welcomed addition to New Zealand’s cross-genre musical landscape.

★★★ (3 stars)

_{Review written by River Tucker}