File Next to Elvis Costello & the Attractions, 1977:Apollo Up!'s Chariots of Fire

I know of Elvis Costello & the Attractions’ infamous 1977 appearance on Saturday Night Live by reputation only. I was too young to have been watching as Costello and the band launched into “Radio Radio” even though the powers that be had told them they were forbidden to play the song that criticizes the radio industry—of which Saturday Night Live’s network, NBC, is a big parent.


The members of Apollo Up! aren’t old enough to have seen Costello when it was originally aired, but the band has channeled all of the energy, fuel, guts, and passion into their Chariots of Fire album. Jay Leo Phillips is a dead-ringer for Costello’s voice of that era, while laying down plenty of blazing guitar riffs as Jeremy Frey (drums) and Mike Shepherd (bass) keep up with the Attractions’ frenetic pendulum between the melodic, Beatlesque pop and punk pogoing.

Some of the best moments of Chariots of Fire are the smashing breakdowns. “Walking the Plank” leads to a “dah-dah-dah” shouted rout. The soloing section of “Invisible Syllable” crackles right up to the full stop shouted chorus. Then there’s the funk party rhythms breakdown led by Frey on “Custom Critical.”

Much like label mates the Whole Fantastic World’s Chime!, Apollo Up! and Chariots of Fire gathers a lot of sonic energy from the drums because of how Battle Tapes Recording recording engineer Jeremy Ferguson gets them to sound. Frey’s drums have punch and smash, a little empty room echo, and a central place in the mix. Beat on the steering wheel or join an air drum contest if you want to, because either way, there’s plenty to make you flail around with the rhythms.

Thank you to the Apollo Up! and Theory 8 Records for the review copy.