Apples in Stereo: Velocity of Sound
2002
Spin Art Records/Elephant 6
Format I Own it On:Compact Disc
Track Listing: 1. Please 2. Rainfall 3. That's Something I Do 4. Do You Understand? 5. Where We Meet 6.Yore Days 7. Better Days 8. I Want 9. Mystery 10. Baroque 11. She's Telling Lies (Bryce's Mix)
This record gets a bit of a bad rap, and I can't say it's wholly undeserved. They drastically change their sound, making it huge and buzzy. It still sounds like the Apples brand of fizzy pop but they just put giant drums and Ramones style fuzz guitar under it all, which I love. But the unbridled optimism isn't exactly punk, maybe its closest relative would be Weezer with diabetes. When this approach is matched with a good song, like on highlights, "Baroque," "Mystery," "Please,""I Want" and "Rainfall," it reeaaallly works. The added caffeine makes the sugar rush that much more potent.
The real problem is that they didn't bring as many great songs as we're used to, and this heavy handed approach makes the slower material almost unbearably monotonous. "Where We Meet" would have probably been a pleasant psychedelic distraction on their last album but here, it just seems like it goes on forever and the melody doesn't support its weight. The sequencing leaves something to be desired too, since it starts out ridiculously strong with the first two tracks, then it drops out for the entire middle, but then rebounds again once "I Want" starts. In fact, the whole last section of the album is probably my favorite material the Apples have ever done. I am head over heels in love with "Baroque." I love everything about it, the thick warmth of the guitars and all the Beach Boys "Ba Ba Ba" harmonies. One of my favorite things about the 2000's...That and the fact we never had to see those dumb "2000" New Year's eve glasses ever again...
Man, I hated those things...I Imagine the same people that wear those would have no problem with wearing one of those "Cat in the Hat" hats...I hate those too...
Enough of the bitter hate-fest, let's get happy and listen to "Baroque" by the Apples in Stereo...
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