The Blue Hour

Keith Vogelsong is The Blue Hour, much like Hrishikesh Hirway is The One Am Radio, or Marc Bianchi is Her Space Holiday. All three of these men are mining the sounds of minimal electronics and organic instrumentation to produce awesome music. Keith seems to be working towards making a full band around his songs. For his latest release: a summer 2004 tour demo, there appears to be two current full time members besides himself. This demo has a total of five songs, three of which are brand new "demo" versions which should be fleshed out and fully realized for the next proper full length. The remaining two songs: "So Vivid" and "Sunsets Through Our Eyes" were taken from The Blue Hour's excellent debut cd which was released on Alone records in January 2003. It's been a year and a half, so these three new songs are highly anticipated and they do not disappoint. Keith's trademark vocals guide these lush pop songs that at times remind me of The Cure or Siouxsie And The Banshees, mixed with a contemporary indie rock sound. The melodic guitar, beautiful vocal melodies, warm keyboards and drum programming all come together to produce truly dynamic, moving songs. I'm in love with the opening track 'School'. I wish
the lyrics to these songs were included, because I want to sing along. Highly Recommended.
- Paul Kane - Heartattack

2nd Avenue Pizza was the locale for the Blue Hour show, they weren't who I went to see, yet somehow the show is remembered as the Blue Hour show. They impressed me big time. It was a skinny fashionable boy playing guitar and singing, an energetic bass player, and a cute, but rather morose looking, girl playing beats back on an iMac and a keyboard. A drummer was also present but he was not utilized all that much. When he was, the guy rocked the kit. This CD is on Alone Records/Electric Human Project but it is nothing, and i emphasize "nothing", like you would expect to hear from those labels. They would seem more at home on an indie rock label, but that's irrelevant. The Blue Hour is a very tight band from Athens, GA whose melodic, emotional wall of sound will stop you in your tracks and pay attention. Vocally, the singer/guitarist's voice soars. He has a nice range that is very soothing. His voice works with the music so well, most of the time the two blend together so well you don't realize he's singing. Often times when bands have beats or glitchy noises in their music, it can seem a bit cheesy. This is not the case with these guys and girl. Interwoven with the music, these beats and sounds perfectly compliment the well organized sonic endevour. Drawing comparisons to The Notwist, Death Cab For Cutie, The Gloria Record, The Postal Service, and (whom they most resemble) Homesick For Space how could they go wrong. All of the songs have the samedreamy, soothing, other worldly sound, sans the song "Transparent", which happens to be the most fun on the short record. The aforementioned tune is a dancey song with some sweet synth lines, techno-ish beats, and amazing guitar work. The guitarist rapidly picks at the strings while they reverberate. It's one of the coolest guitar parts i've heard in awhile. This EP is only their second release (the first being a solo 7" by the singer/guitarist), yet their sound is pretty mature. The debut full length is going to open eyes and turn heads. I can't wait for it. No doubt will this cdep be on my top five ep's for 2003.
- Will Milne - Sharpshooter.cc

"I’ve Filled Up These Pages" is the debut full-length from The Blue Hour, a k a Keith Vogelsong. The most noteworthy aspect of this release is the fact that not only is The Blue Hour actually one person, but that said individual wrote, performed and recorded the entire project himself. The result is not crude exercises in amateurish arrangements committed to tape in someone’s bedroom. "I’ve Filled Up These Pages" breathes with layers and layers of dense, life-affirming music. Symphonic synthesizers on "The Sky Is Turning Blue" open the disc, with programmed drum tracks that thump and grind. A buoyant, glissando acoustic guitar starts off "Sunsets Through Our Eyes." An achingly gorgeous piano melody soon gets swallowed up by pulsating beats. Waves of cascading keys, introduced later in the song, add yet another stratum to an already impenetrable and devastating performance. "Bury You" is a more guitar-driven composition, with furious live drumming by Martin West that flows and ebbs. A substantially thick mid-tempo beat constructs "Do You Remember," which is accentuated with beeps and blips and a cutting chord that keeps coming at you. New Wave keys and expeditious "Dark Side Of The Moon" heartbeats introduce "Transparent Existence," where the added tier of frantic, arpeggio synths make this one of the most compelling cuts on the CD. Vogelsong has crafted a superlative cohesion of lush soundscapes, dazzling melodies and wickedly indecipherable beats. "I’ve Filled Up These Pages" is emotionally-charged and powerful music for you, the listener, to immerse yourself in and stay lost.
- Wade Cogeshall - The Journal

this is the debut full length from the blue hour, a solo project done by keith vogelsong. this disc takes the best elements of indie and emo, and adds a symphonic type of feel to it. the songs themselves have a dense, thick sound to them, due to the layered synths, gutairs, drums, keyboards, and softly sung vocals. very much in the vein of labelmates the one am radio, the wind-up bird, askeleton (only more downbeat), and even at points sounding reminiscent to the pine, the blue hour's sound takes indie/emo music to a new level. using the aforementioned instruments, vogelsong creates vast soundscapes of mellow, beautiful music that is intricate, calming/relaxing, and complex. if you're a fan of the one am radio, the wind-up bird, and askeleton, this is definitely something you'd want to check out. i found this record to be very enjoyable and very relaxing, and this is one record that will not leave my collection anytime soon. - The Calamity Project

This is the debut full-length album from The Blue Hour aka Keith Vogelsong. This one person wrote all the songs, performed and recorded the entire project himself. The effect is actually very good. It takes the elements of indie and emo, and adds a symphonic feel to it. There is a quite a bit here with layered synths, gutairs, drums, keyboards, and vocals all of this creates a very moody CD. Bands that come to mind are Radiohead, Bright Eyes, and Joy Division. - David Pike - Crimewave Magazine

This is a really cool record. I believe it is just one guy, Keith Vogelsong, who plays guitar and sings. Fans of Deadwood Divine, The Pine, maybe even The Hated would dig this. It's very mellow and pretty, but not so much that it makes you sick. One of the few records I got for review that wil stay in my collection.
- Mikey Ott - Heartattack

The Blue Hour consists of yet another one-man operation, this time one Keith Vogelsong, performing two cuts on a self titled seven inch. "The Most Beautiful Words" is a mini-opus of sorts, building from low-key acoustic and singing to spacey keyboards and finally a tribal beat and grandoise guitar. Reverberating guitars fill your head on the second song, "Do You Feel The Light", giving the composition an almost otherworldy feeling. That sound slowly, steadily builds to a satisfying ending. Vogelsong's singing is even quieter than The One AM Radio's. But no matter; on this record, the altered state the music puts you in takes center stage.
- Wade Cogeshall - The Journal Review

When I put this on I wasnt sure what I would be listening to in the upcomming seconds. The cover is black with a few red lines and spots and has The Blue Hour scrawled across the top corner. Subconciously I was thinking something pretty brutal. Why? I dont know... The Red Chord, The Blue Hour, its all the same, right? Nope, not in the least. The Blue hour is Keith Vogelsong and he makes music that is light and airy, similar to The One AM Radio or Bright Eyes. The first side of this record showcases the song "the most beautiful words". It starts with a prancing guitar line that is soon followed by backing drums and a quiet, flowing voice proclaiming "where do the most beautiful words exist? theyre in our hearts...". The song continues, painting out a picture of something quaint and heart warming. Towards the end the guitar jangles out its last efforts while the drums crash along until the end where the guitar dies alone. The next song is "do you feel the light" and its found on the second side. It continues along in the same fashion as the first song. Sweeping, soft viocals over an almost hypnotic guitar that seems to echo about as it builds and builds. It seems like its ever changing while still keeping some type of noticable pattern. Both of these songs are very rich and full even without the help of a band. They glide along from beginning to end and leave quite an impression. The Blue Hour, i think, holds an indie feel which may go over better than the minimalist or country type that most people of this genre seem to be doing. If youre into the lone guitarist playing his songs type music then this shouldnt be over looked by any means. Even if no other project like that has ever interested you, this may be the one that does. - Cross my heart with a knife zine