The follow-up to
Ivory,
Omar Apollo's first official album,
God Said No, was made after the end of an intense relationship referenced in the opening "Be Careful with Me," a downcast ballad in which the singer alludes to having sacrificed too much of himself. There is a wealth of emotions in the material -- some of which is self-critical -- along with some abrupt changes in style, such as the transition from the scruffy ballad "Spite" to the speedy electro-disco track "Less of You," two of many highlights. Even so, there's a flow to
God Said No that rewards start-to-finish play. The album ends in oddly comforting and cathartic style with the atmospheric "Glow," containing some of
Apollo's most evocative lyrical imagery yet: "If we go to hell, you can hold my hand/Brace yourself, water pulls the sand." ~ Andy Kellman
