A singular guitar riff takes a walk to clear its head. Along the way, it bumps into a friend that wants to talk. As this impromptu stroll continues, the duo crosses paths with another pair – a bass and a drum. Just like that, a larger more complete group is assembled. Simplicity rains supreme as Early Ape meshes in just this fashion. The walk that begins with a riff or a spoken-thought is given power in numbers when backed by the muscle of their rhythm section. There is a cohesive energetic strength in Early Ape that isn’t forced or synthetic, and because of this, listeners will easily become friends with their sound. Speaking of muscle, Satellite Hearts embodies just that. The trio brings an unabashed, in-your-face style of psychedelic rock. As the heavy hitting drums buildup an avalanche of momentum, which is met by unforgiving heavy blues-infused guitar licks, the vocals are sensitively strong sharing the duality of a brash exterior with an obviously emotional core. This music is a steamroller always moving forward – not afraid to speak its mind and ready to fight if you want to disagree. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 8pm, $8, 21+ – Michael Colavita
