New Mexico-based one-man band, Black Tie, is set to release its second LP, Goodbye, Farewell, on Dec. 4, 2007. A veteran of the Albuquerque scene, Roger Apodaca’s project is an orchestrated, moody affair that brings to mind influences as disparate as Mogwai, the Constellation Records crew, Galaxie 500, and Mojave 3. This is patient, passionate music; it’s Americana without being country, wide and expansive.
The genre-jumping, atmospheric music of unassuming musical mind of Roger Apodaca. Were it not for the dismantling of his former "on the verge" group GoMotorCar, the songs that make up At Dawn (Black Tie’s first album) might never have surfaced. "I had written songs that I intended to be GoMotorCar songs," Apodaca says. "However, the band called it quits before I could ever bring the songs to the table. So, I wanted to keep going with the songs and music in general."
GoMotorCar's loss turned out to be Apodaca's gain as the bassist arduously worked out those "few songs" on his home computer. Those songs begat more songs and before long, an entire album's worth of material was created. As such, Apodaca rallied a talented cast of fellow Albuquerque musicians, settled in to the recording studio and turned out the aptly titled At Dawn. Subsequently, the band was dubbed Black Tie, and the CD went to print, and is best described by the songwriter himself. "The instrumentation is key to the final product," Apodaca notes. "Melodic, ambient guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, and cello gave the album a haunting yet beautiful atmosphere."
But this new flush of creative energy had yet to wane. Immediately after the release of At Dawn, Apodaca began working on material for a second album. During much of 2006 and the early part of 2007, Apodaca hit the studio in the same manner as before, with his songs and ideas being expanded upon by various guest musicians — many of which have their own respective and well-known bands.
In working on Black Tie's latest release, Goodbye, Farewell, Apodaca enlisted the help of producer Ryan Martino. The result is an 11-song disc that continues the adventurous path and beautiful atmosphere of At Dawn with the help even more ambient guitars, as well as dynamic bass thrums, vibrant drums, atmospheric keyboards, and striking cello.
The mostly instrumental album has songs with vocals spread out that only accentuate the overall tone of the album. The musicians that lend their musical talents to the new album include Ryan Anthony (Jason and the Argonauts), Sean McCullough (Oktober People, Lowlights), Johnny Cassidy (Venus Diablo, GoMotorCar), Justin Ray (Michael Buble’s ensemble), Ryan Martino (Of God and Science, BellyAchers), Eric Reynolds (Los Brownspots), Paul Newcomb (Los Brownspots), and Audrey Lee. Each musician adds their own personal element to the already atmospheric quality of the songs and the end result is an album that is beautiful and engrossing.
These two strikingly vibrant works mark a talent that was birthed by circumstance, but ended up a thing of permanence and vitality nonetheless. It’s our grain that Apodaca kept at it.
Band Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/blacktiemusic
Band Website: http://www.socyermom.com/blacktie
Label Website: http://www.socyermom.com
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