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"Big Blue" (Official Music Video)

Apollo 6

by Aloud

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Nina Reid
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Fernando Gastelo
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Otto Plunkett
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    All orders also include a high-quality digital booklet [PDF] and high-quality jpgs for each single cover. ** Expected shipping date for vinyl is early Fall 2023.

    The DELUXE BUNDLE INCLUDES the bonus album We Relay Light, which contains an additional 18 tracks and a 50-page digital booklet.

    **DELUXE BUNDLE FULFILLMENT: bonus album We Relay Light will be delivered digitally. You will be sent a separate one-time email with download instructions on the release date (5/19/2023).**
    Purchasable with gift card

      $7 USD  or more

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Apollo 6 as it was meant to be heard! All ten tracks on one 12" LP. Each copy was hand-pressed by Musicol Recording in the USA, and mastered for vinyl by Peerless Mastering in Boston, MA. *** EXPECTED TO SHIP: Early Fall 2023

    Includes unlimited streaming of Apollo 6 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    shipping out on or around October 1, 2023
    edition of 100 

      $25 USD or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    The full 10-track album on CD in a mini-LP sleeve.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Apollo 6 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days

      $10 USD or more 

     

  • DELUXE: Limited Edition 12" Vinyl + Bonus Material
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Not available anywhere else: Apollo 6 as it was meant to be heard! All ten tracks on one 12" LP. Each copy was hand-pressed by Musicol Recording in the USA, and mastered for vinyl by Peerless Mastering in Boston, MA — PLUS a bonus 18-track digital album featuring extra songs, remixes, and demos from the Apollo 6 sessions; and a 50-page digital booklet, exclusive to this pre-order.

    VINYL EXPECTED TO SHIP: Early Fall 2023

    Includes unlimited streaming of Apollo 6 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

  • DELUXE: Compact Disc + Bonus Material
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Not available anywhere else: the full album on CD in a mini-LP sleeve, PLUS a bonus 18-track digital album featuring extra songs, remixes, and demos from the Apollo 6 sessions; and a 50-page digital booklet, exclusive to this pre-order.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Apollo 6 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

  • We Relay Light / Astronauts t-shirt — Unisex, Navy
    T-Shirt/Shirt

    Commemorate the release of Apollo 6 with a t-shirt designed by Matt Jatkola. Available in S-3XL. Orders for the second printing close 6/2/2023. Expected to ship on or before mid-July 2023.

    Sold Out
1.
Somewhere To Be 03:08 video
lyrics
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I don’t care about the money It’s all just paper to me I don’t need the finer things in life I just want company I need a serious way to spread some joy but all you do is bring me down What do you want me to say? “It makes no difference to me”? What do you want me to say? We’ve all got somewhere to be How can I join a march if I won’t get off my feet? I don’t want a cross to bear, but I’ve a truth to speak: You’ve got a curious way to show your love when all you do is hurt me What do you want me to say? Things cannot be this way What do you want me to say? We’ve all got somewhere to be
2.
The Comeback Kid 03:38
lyrics
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Ain’t waiting on no semaphore Can’t mesmerize me no more Don’t tell me when to go and stop You gonna choke on all that shit you talk Standing still, my mouth keeps running Now my gun seems to keep shooting Feet don’t run off now don’t fail me Ain’t no one here gonna bail me out I get up at night in sweat and doom cos the dread inside can posses you Well the cement in my soul it stays and it weighs me down my phantom anchor Standing still, my mouth keeps running Now my gun it seems to keep shooting off! Feet don’t run off now don’t fail me Damn my soul, don’t come bail me out You’re a two-bit man in a two-bit world Cheap champagne running down your nose Oh yes you are When the books get writ and you seal your fate no one here will know your name You’re gonna believe in the comeback kid You’re gonna believe I'm the comeback kid You’re gonna believe I'm the comeback kid Come back!
3.
Meditation for the Housebound 04:22
lyrics
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Miles and miles of country where I go Miles and miles of country filled with snow High flying bird in sky Wave as you pass her by Miles and miles of country where I go Sky is big and blue and so am I Sky is big and blue and so am I Space between it and me Feels deep and heavenly Sky is big and blue and so am I Close your eyes you can picture it A memory you have not made Anytime you may run to it You can stay all day Leave the past on a shelf The future it can wait Step inside any time you like We can stay all day Miles and miles of country where I go Miles and miles of country filled with snow Miles and miles of country where I go Treat your mind like a holy place That ray of sunshine in the shade When the clouds come a-rolling in, say “We could use the rain” Leave the past on a shelf The future it can wait Step inside any time you like We can stay all day I imagine what would be If we were standing by the sea And I resolve my will to find The peace within I must reside
4.
Morning Moon 03:37
lyrics
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I don’t want to be a morning moon Lost in time and out of place Desolate and fading soon Nothing useful to illuminate To be lost inside the scrum We are nothing and no one beyond the orphan children of the sun (No one wants to be a morning moon No one wants to be the rain in June) The sweet scent of petrichor reminds me of a time with no control Oh, oh, oh But the music was still there! To be lost inside the scrum We are nothing and no one beyond the orphan children of the sun No morning moon No rain in June Elevating cosmic pedantry Awaiting the next syzygy Confederates of shared hypocrisy No one wants to be a morning moon
5.
The Origin of the Hourglass is Unclear 03:28
lyrics
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Time can slip away at a moment’s notice Time can slip away when you lose your focus It’s all been slipping away, yeah Time can make you feel like a fading specter Make you lose your mind is no place of shelter You keep on slipping away, yeah Whispers distort their cadence every hour Revelers linger by living room flowers Time can slip away at a moment’s notice Time can slip away when you lose your focus It’s all been slipping away, yeah We like to ask where do the summers go No one knows Another year a bit more weight, oh, oh The DJ plays a worn out tune The needle sways in the groove Darkness looms larger as day begins to break Light seeps through cracks of a turbulent wake Are you the Easter egg on the 4th of July? A life of fits and starts and getting by? It all keeps slipping away, yeah Time can slip away at a moment’s notice Time can slip away when you lose your focus It’s all been slipping away, yeah It’s all been slipping away, yeah (slip, slip, yeah) It’s all been slipping away, yeah
6.
Big Blue 03:21 video
lyrics
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Big blue machine, it tells me everything and nothing’s fine Its ones and zeros natter on but no one minds I get a buzz whenever something happens in the world Another dilettante reports on grave concerns till we see nothing, nor are we really seen But I’m scraping by on all the bits of hope I’ve found though I’ve never felt this close to the ground But there’s still a long, long, long way down I can’t believe the thoughts I feel compelled to express They wither under faint attention and duress Overwrought on trivia I’m lost to myself I’m scraping by on all the bits of hope I’ve found though I’ve never felt this close to the ground, there is still beauty all around There must be something real to be found cos there’s still a long, long, long way down (Fuck this machine!)
7.
Ride On! 03:09
lyrics
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Regret, regret He had a mountain of debt Detect, detect He’s running out on the check He had a pic of T. Rex Painted on his chest And you would never believe it was a good likeness Oh, he’s into hyperdrive Oh, it’s gonna keep him alive Ride on! (Ride on!) Watch out, watch out His purpose makes him devout Revolt, revolt He got brought up in a cult They made a pretty strange pair So medium rare They had the whole universe reclining in their hair Oh, they’ll open your third eye Oh, they’ll make a despot cry Ride on! (Ride on!)
8.
Apollo 03:29
lyrics
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I was always born out of time hoping I did right by those who gave me love And when I become mist and dust you’ll go on within and without me Always Under the windings of the sea Please don’t be so consumed by the unsaid or let the dread of regret in your heart I see you and when our luck breaks free I’ll carry you the way you carried me Always Under the windings of the sea All will be right We relay light
9.
Stranger in the Alps 03:17
lyrics
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Stranger’s in the house and it’s clear it’s going off the rails Confident in speech you detail someone-fucked-me-over tales Whispers in the ceiling say things I don’t want to hear until it starts to feel so real and like a second skin These new relationships to truth, I don’t know what it means Cos it's strange It's strange Stranger still… Cruelty becomes ballet and we play all our choreographed parts when you believe contrition is conditioned and more science than art Oh, you can hold your own parade but it's still gonna rain Cos it's strange it's strange Stranger still…
10.
Stoned Ape 02:58
lyrics
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Expect not a theory Expect not a joke It’s more like a story meant to provoke I’ve got a wandering spirit boundless and free and though you will not admit it you’d like to be more like me Standing on the edge of something new Climbing up for a better view Open to the wide with no defense I’m a stoned ape Stoned ape Go on shake your own snow globe Luminous, a lightning bolt With your rich kid blues and my hand to mouth you’re trapped inside, but I’ll spit you out Standing on the edge of something new Climbing up for a better view Open to the wide with no defense I’m a stoned ape Stoned ape All your life you’ve been searching for a place to be All this time you’ve become a newborn devotee A major psychic an expeditious trip Come get enlightened on this judicious slip No, don’t be frightened Your senses heightened now Standing on the edge of something new Climbing up for a much better view Wide open and with no defense I’m a stoned ape Stoned ape

about

“Apollo 6 finds Aloud exploring spacey sonic textures, spacious landscapes and, ultimately, the very idea of space: outer, inner and in between. It’s a tough, powerful sound that radiates like a shock wave.” -Paste Magazine

"It’s an exciting turn for the band and a prime example of their constant refinement in delivery and their authenticity to their sound. … From it’s Mid-Century Modern cover art — beautifully executed to the time where story book line style and realism met to offer hope post-war — Apollo 6 shares similar values. Their psychedelic follow-up [to Sprezzatura] is vulnerable and now with three singles released Apollo 6 continues to take shape with the many changes from its conception and the future of possibilities." —Girl Underground Music

"Apollo 6 comes across as a decidedly intriguing effort, a veritable smorgasbord of psychedelic sounds, heavy duty hooks, and relentless Rock’n’Roll, all tempered by an imaginative array of tones and textures. Theirs is an emphatic sound that commands immediate attention... further proof that Aloud is unafraid of expressing their originality. Post-pandemic Aloud continues to soar. Apollo 6 provides a perfect lift-off." -The Alternate Root

“They’re a force.” - Buzzbands LA

"No denying the octane… The band has muscle… Clever distinctive interplay with an impressive precise delivery. This is what rock n' roll should be." —Americana Highways

###

Aloud launches itself skyward with Apollo 6, a psychedelic album laced with sweeping, spacey textures and distinctly personal songwriting. “We kept asking ourselves, ‘What would a rock band on a different planet sound like?'” says Jen de la Osa, who shares lead vocals and songwriting duties with Henry Beguiristain. “That question led to a lot of sonic experimentation, and we came up with a cosmic, echoing record where you can hear the room itself. You don’t just hear the song. You hear the space.”

For Aloud, breaking new ground wasn’t just a creative decision; it was a necessity. After putting the finishing touches on 2020’s Sprezzatura — an ornate album inspired by the Muscle Shoals sound, featuring horns and strings — the musicians found themselves at home, unable to perform together due to the global pandemic and nationwide lockdown. They’d always been a collaborative outfit, arranging songs together in a rehearsal space before tracking them in a recording studio, and they’d just released the most lushly layered album of their career. Now, they’d have to do something different to maintain momentum.

“As writers, we’re always looking at the experiences we’ve had and trying to use that as inspiration for songs,” says Beguiristain. “Being locked up meant we had to turn inward instead, because that’s all we had. I think we just naturally went to a personal place, and the guitar became our way of dealing with things. Songs became our therapy.”

Recorded in several home studios across Los Angeles, Apollo 6 came to life as Aloud reflected upon the chaos, challenges, and resilient spirit of the modern moment. Beguiristain and de la Osa wrote songs about the benefits of meditation, the detriments of social media, and the coping mechanisms humans turn to during dark times. They experimented with guitar pedals — a Space Echo here, an organ emulator there — to coax new textures out of familiar instruments. They peppered their songs with sound effects, bird noises, and snippets of dialogue. Without help from an outside producer, the two reached out to bandmates Charles Murphy (bass) and Chris Jago (drums), both of whom utilized their home studios for recording sessions. Everyone produced. Everyone shaped the arrangements, including saxophonist Alanah Ntzouras Maguire. As Aloud readied Apollo 6 for blastoff, the musicians also made sure to balance the layered swirl of their instrumentation with the most personal songs of their career.

“The album became the most self-expressive batch of songs we’ve ever written,” de la Osa reflects. “Almost every single one of them was written about something we went through during that pandemic time.”

“The Comeback Kid,” with its space-cowboy stomp and western sound effects, became a musical mission statement: a battlecry from a band that formed in Boston, moved to Los Angeles, and weathered a host of challenges — from lineup changes to business deals gone south — over the course of five acclaimed albums. “Somewhere To Be” became a guitar-driven march worthy of Oasis, kickstarting the album with bold declarations like “I don’t care about the money; it’s all just paper to me.” De la Osa wrote about her search for stability with “Meditation for the Housebound,” a psychedelic rocker punctuated by blasts of brass, and Beguiristain measured the distance between real life and the echo chamber of the internet with the jangling “Big Blue”.

For all its fiery futurism, Apollo 6 also nods to the musical roots that first brought de la Osa and Beguiristain together. The two met as teenagers in Miami, where they grew up within the same working-class Cuban community. Bands like Oasis, Beatles, and The Who became their mutual favorites, soundtracking the pair’s relationship with a mix of guitar grandeur and pop melody. Apollo 6 is rooted in the same musical balance, but it also embraces an updated range of influences. The ambience of musique concrète, the witty angst of The Kinks’ Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround Part One, the psychedelia of Noel Gallagher’s Who Built the Moon?, and the unforced cool of French pop all inspire Apollo 6‘s unique sound, and Aloud doesn’t recreate those influences as much as assimilate them into something sharply unique.

Apollo 6 is the sound of silver linings — a booming, boldly assured album created a time of uncertainty.

credits

released May 19, 2023

Apollo 6
by Aloud

Produced by Aloud
Mixed by Benny Grotto at Mad Oak Studios, Allston, MA
Mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice, Peerless Mastering, Boston, MA)

All songs written by Jen de la Osa & Henry Beguiristain

Henry Beguiristain: vocals, guitars, keys, percussion
Jen de la Osa: vocals, guitars, keys, percussion
Charles Murphy: bass, backing vocals, percussion, keys
Chris Jago: drums, percussion, backing vocals
Alanah Ntzouras Maguire: saxophones, flute, percussion, backing vocals
Vanessa Acosta: trumpet, percussion

Additional musicians —
Vicious Jago: speech (“Stoned Ape”)
The Vicious Tabernacle Choir of Los Angeles: additional backing vocals
Stevie Ray "El Bongo" Hernandez: percussion ("Somewhere To Be")

Recorded at South Endustries in Los Angeles, CA and Shabby Road Studios in Woodland Hills, CA
Additional recording at Beachwood Manor
Engineered by Charles H. Murphy IV and Chris Jago

Sleeve Layout: Henry Beguiristain

Apollo 17 mission control audio courtesy of NASA.

This record would not have been possible without the love and kindness of our family and friends when we needed it. Thank you for always lifting us up and supporting the Work.

Thank you for listening

🍋 A Lemon Merchant release / DTTR029

© 2023 DTTR Music Publishing/Pedro Pan Publishing (BMI)
℗ 2023 Aloud, under exclusive license to Lemon Merchant Records

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about

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Aloud Los Angeles, California

Aloud is, in the parlance of our times, a rock n’ roll band. Since our founding in Boston in the early 2000s we’ve released 5 albums, toured coast-to-coast several times, and even landed music in a few films. We’ve called L.A. home since 2017.

Aloud's latest album Apollo 6 is out May 19, 2023. ... more

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