Hello reader,
Welcome back. I hope you’ve been enjoying our content this week.
Today, we’re going to delve into Lew Apollo. He’s an Austin, Texas-based producer, songwriter, and soul artist who was brought to my attention a few months ago when I heard the first single from his upcoming album. I was hooked on the initial listen, as the song had soul, heart, solid production, and good vibes. Music with soul and heart always hooks me, captivating my attention and leaving me in a mindset of wanting more.
I was curious to learn more about this relatively unknown person to me. From his Bandcamp page, Lew Apollo’s bio reads, “Losing his Father and friend to suicide in 2022 served as the catalyst for Lew to write and speak about the common struggles of depression, temptation, and anxiety. Born and raised in rural Northern Minnesota, he highlights themes of isolation and mental entrapment. Lewis adopted the moniker “Lew” as a tribute to his Father, who used it endearingly.” What a bio with a lot of relatability. Not every word, of course, but the common themes that many humans face as we age. And the Midwest upbringing. But location aside, to be able to take that emotion, feelings, and craft it into gorgeous music? Some artists are skilled craftspeople, transforming tragedy into magnificent music. Sign me up, and hopefully you’re on board as well!
It was two years ago, in 2023, when Lew Apollo made a splash in the music scene, first within venues in Texas and then online, with the release of his debut Jungle EP, “a visual embodiment of an overgrown mind,” according to Apollo’s website. In just two months, the Jungle EP was streamed over 150,000 times. Not a bad start at all! And now, on Friday, August 8th, for your listening pleasure comes his debut album, Fool’s Gold.
And now for some hype for both your ears and eyes via Lew Apollo’s YouTube channel:
The video for the opening track, “No Room In Hell,” features a beautiful setting:
(All credits and rights to Lew Apollo)
The at times hazy, at times red lighting yet always classy vintage feel within the video for the catchy song, “Let The Light In”:
(All credits and rights to Lew Apollo)
The video for the song, “Diamonds And Gold,” is complete with ’80s warm, beach, and smooth feel:
(All credits and rights to Lew Apollo)
Fool’s Gold is a promising full-length debut album. I’m grateful Lew is channeling this energy into quality music. Fool’s Gold has everything you’d want from Apollo: lush soundscapes, soul, heart, sultry in the best ways delivered vocals, and lyrics that make you feel. The album overall showcases growth in Lew Apollo’s songwriting and song composition, relative to his Jungle EP. There is some variance in composition that I enjoyed. The well-crafted melodies are at times sweeter, shimmery, and more joyful sounding atop lyrics that explore themes of loss, grief, love, and other human emotions. The listening experience strikes a lovely balance and mix, without being jarring. The melodies that are less sweet-sounding aren’t a weakness; they are still great listening experiences, as these songs purposely focus more on melodic shifts. Kudos to that difference as it flows better to the ears instead of completely blending in. Within the album, there are a handful of catchy earworms, as well as some great hooks and grooves. Some entire songs are a groove like “Addicted” with its funk in the best way. The female vocals add a great counterpart to Apollo’s. While the pace is stripped down on the closing track “Feeling Ok,” I still think the album is a dance party experience that would be a fantastic addition to many playlists as well. Fool’s Gold truly flows nicely from one smooth song to the next. The production is excellent.
All that being said, Fool’s Gold gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me, sliding within the middle range of our scale, within that 4 Scum Drop rating equating to the 76th or 77th percentile of all new album releases in 2025. The album serves as a good starting point for Lew, and I don’t expect it to be his opus, but rather a point within his discography as he gains even more confidence and skill over time. Many artists have done worse, and some never get a 4 Scum Drop album, which is my minimum to devote time to coverage. Fool’s Gold is an album that I recommend adding to your collection. The album is great for a dance party or driving around, among other activities.
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process with Fool’s Gold will take just under half an hour from start to finish, and less than an hour if you listen twice consecutively. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, I found the songs highlighted in green font below to be my favorite songs on this album.
The Fool’s Gold Track listing (song length)
- No Room In Hell (2:51)
- Fool’s Gold (3:26)
- Let The Light In (3:18)
- Sweeter (2:44)
- Lost In You (3:24)
- Diamonds And Gold (3:36)
- Addicted (2:51)
- Die For You (3:10)
- Feeling Ok (3:34)
Total runtime: 28:54
Want to know more? Check out Lew's site, Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, and YouTube channel.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
