Riding the coattails of the work of Townswoman Citizen Mom, I’m about to write a real-time review of the new album by The Apples in Stereo, New Magnetic Wonder! After a brief backgrounder, I will advise you to strap in and prepare for what might be a bumpy ride.
I thought Apples in Stereo were cooked! After leader Robert Schneider’s breakup with wife/drummer Hilarie Sidney, I’d read he was deep in long-distance collaborations with the likes of Andy Partridge and Robert Pollard. I’d read he was making electro-mash-ups on his laptop.
Like so many of you, I fell in love with Tone Soul Evolution. Sure, I was behind the curve, but it led me down the path of catching up with the Elephant 6 collective. I especially liked The Minders, who sounded like all the rickety ’60s elements of Apples in Stereo without the dangerously overreaching ambitions. I lined up outside a local record store for the release of the Apples’ follow-up album, Discovery of a Moone Inside Your Ass (or something like that). Every little overdub was placed just so. Details, details. It was retro-indie-sunshine pop made by a copy editor, or a proctomusicologist. As someone says in Spinal Tap, “Too much fuckin’ reality.” This album would be traded in a mere week later.
I could no longer hang with Schneider. Our affair was a brief one, but I’m about to give him a try again. Right now! For a limited time, you too can listen to a streaming version of this album from our friends at Phawker. Are you ready? OK…strap in!
- “Can You Feel It?”: Continuing in Robert Schneider’s tradition of celebrating The Power and Glory of Transistor Radio. The blips and bubbles of the synth do not bode well for long-term listening. Overly processed backing vocals, heavy guitar, and Scheider’s attempt at “kicking it out” vocally are a difficult and unnatural mix. Not bad.
- “Skyway” continues Scheider’s efforts at sounding like the tougher songs from Beulah albums. Again, backing vocals straight out of an ELO record try to compete with Schneider’s new Fonzie-jacket attempt at toughness.
- “Energy”: What a pathetic “tough-guy” chorus coming out of an acoustic guitar-driven chord pattern that wouldn’t sound out of place on an REO Speedwagon song. The chorus lyrics “It’s gonna be all right/You’re gonna see the sunlight” are a rallying cry, but don’t expect me to answer the call. Then there’s some obvious reference to a ’70s song that is a cry for some songwriter’s attorney. This tired cut-and-paste approach to lyrics/songwriting makes the simple joys of a good Matthew Sweet song sound profound. Is this what Schneider has to show for years dicking around on his laptop?
- “Same Old Drag”: The song’s title says it all. Good to know the man has taken a look in the mirror. Songs like this make me miss Supertramp.
- “Joanie Don’t You Worry”: Oh man, rock’s worst nightmare – one of those tributes to that lousy ’70s Beach Boys album in which Brian Wilson made a “comeback” to write and perform cute synth ditties that only record store employees in the ’80s and beyond would find listenable.
- “Sunndal Song”: I think this is Schneider’s ex-wife singing. When Schneider needs to pull out a vocal performance more juvenile than his own, it’s good to know their divorce is amicable.
- “Droplet”: About 7 essential seconds of recorded music.
- “Sun Is Out”: Oooh, the sensitive acoustic number that was quickly recorded on a boombox while looking out his bedroom window. So poignant he just had to overdub drums, tambourine, backing vocals, and pennywhistle! Contrary to rumors, the divorce between him and Hilarie is not so amicable that she would consent to yelping from within a burlap bag.
- “Non-Pythagorean Composition”: Another essential 7 seconds documenting his time spent exploring Andy Partridge’s inner regions.
- “Hello Lola”: Yet another 7 seconds…!
- “Seven Stars”: Not bad, but not a song that will shine a light on you.
- “Mellotron 2″/”Sunday Sounds”: Ugh, more sensitive instrumental interludes. Here’s where I check out… This self-obsessed, thumbsucking crap is too much to bear.
I had a feeling this was gonna be a steaming pile.
he’s waaay too much of a good thing for me. Stay away from the new Of Montreal album, it goes down a similar path.
I just deleted this from my emusic queue.
Deleting from your emusic queue may not be enough. This one’s so bad I’d suggest wiping your hard drive clean.
I like your review WAY better than mine, dude.
Also, give that “Sunndal Song” another spin and listen to it thinking of a mom singing to her child. That’s how I heard it.
Love,
Mom
Interesting perspective on “Sunndal Song”, Mom. Now you’re making me feel like an insensitive Dad. Gotta keep my grip on love. It seemed like we were on the same wavelength regarding overall feelings on this album. Too bad. I’d love for that guy to crank out a winner again.
Let me get all philosophical on you: With some artists I have to wonder if their musical approach inherently locks them into a seemingly juvenile approach. I don’t know. Could there be such a thing as an Apples in Stereo album by a pushing-40 (?) Schneider that doesn’t sound like a thumbsucker? Would a more stable Brian Wilson have been capable of making a record with the Beach Boys that didn’t sound horribly stunted past a certain point in their career?
Actually “stunted” is a really good word. That’s kind of how Smile struck me — I just find Brian Wilson’s music too much about avoidance, like an overgrown child.
Nice one.
eh.
i never liked the sound of schneider’s voice. there’s something worried sounding in there…it doesn’t match the songwriting, to my ears. that said, if you wanna sing the songs you wrote, you gotta work with what the lord done give ya, right? in another era, he would’ve been forced to have a daltrey around.
that said, they occasionally make a song that makes me go ‘wooh’. i haven’t heard any on this album yet.
the “energy” song: has there been a more obvious lift from “put a little love in your heart”?
schneider: “and the world…is made of en-er-gy”
dusty: “and the world….will be a bet-ter place..”
art
oh…and the “tough guy chorus” of energy sounds so nattering and annoying because…well…schneider’s just not a very tough guy…is he?
I’m surprised at you, Art! Here’s the Dusty quote you were searching for:
Dusty: ‘Lord, take me downtown… I’m just lookin’ for some tush!’
For the record, Schneider may in fact be the least tough guy in rock right now. I mean, come on — who’s less tough, really?
who’s less tough? well…me…of course (he said, meekly).
fritz wrote:
“I’m surprised at you, Art! Here’s the Dusty quote you were searching for:
Dusty: ‘Lord, take me downtown… I’m just lookin’ for some tush!'”
well..we’re all always searching for that quote..
here fritz, check out enn-err-gee…i’d love to know your thoughts if you haven’t heard it yet…
youtube clip
Antony? That dude in Bright Eyes? Rod Stewart?
here’s a peak into schneider’s process….
youtube clip
bigsteve:Antony? That dude in Bright Eyes? Rod Stewart?
me: nah…rod the mod would scrap this wanker.
perhaps alec from cyhsy is less tough…
Art, that peak into Schneider’s proctomusicologic practice was chilling. Thanks.
Art, I dislike that “Energy” song and clip — I really do. I need to think hard about the reasons why, but I promise to do so and report with some clarity later.
In more important arts news: as a big fan of crappy Nic Cage movies, I gotta say that “Ghost Rider” looks to be a perfect storm of camp trash, overacting and modern B-movie mania. I haven’t been this excited since I heard my man exclaim “Let’s roll” in “Gone in 60 Seconds.”
I, too, am stoked for Ghost Rider! Cage almost always delivers the schlock.
Any more thoughts on the fine line between innocence and stunted growth in artists like The Apples in Stereo, The Beach Boys, Jonathan Richman, et al? Is there an artist who best “walks th line”? Is it possible to walk the line after 3 albums of innocent rock ‘n roll? Is there a value in trying to maintain innocence past 3 albums?
innocence? stunted growth? it’s lose lose, isn’t it? how can one continue to sound innocent? if one isn’t going to grow and mature, maybe the only honest place to go is towards insanity (syd barrett sounds incredibly innocent on “piper”). otherwise, innocence sounds, by turns, hollow, or put on (apples in stereo), pretend (jonthan richmond), stunted, or for children (see “of montreal”).
on a somewhat related note, i find schneider’s chatty, a-d-d-tinged persona in the “making of” clip i posted utterly put-on…knowing kurt heasley as i do, and having met rob very early in the life of apples in stereo (**when he didn’t act like this**), i see rob trying to come off like heasley: the crazy creative genius who talks fast and has a million thoughts all at the same time. it’s kind of embarrassing…gives me a queasy feeling.
art
I hate to drag out the most cliched example of a “great” band, but did The Beatles manage to walk the line and retain some innocence? I think they may have on the strength of their rapid development and experimentation. Every other album they seemed to hit on new ways to feel like they’d discovered something new – and they did! Is there a way to, in a sense, renew one’s innocence on the strength and growth of one’s work? I don’t think this is what the likes of The Apples in Stereo, Of Montreal, The Beach Boys, and Jonathan Richman managed to do.