I gradually came under the charms of The Apples In Stereo through my usual source of new/good music information, Chris Rambo. On a trip to Florida, I was introduced to The Apples immediately on the ride from the airport to his house. Being a little put-off by Robert Schneider’s nasally falsetto and even more put-off by his creepy, giant, mountain-man baby looks, I was understandably skeptical as to the level of their power pop standings.
Chris showed me, if I am remembering correctly, both Funtrick Noisemaker, and Tone Soul Evolution, possibly. I am a little hazy when it comes to remembering exactly what the second album was. Either way, I had a hard time accepting the band; I was shoved into the bright, heated, sunshiny world of Florida and shown a band that somehow captured the weather perfectly within the constraints of sound, I was a bit overwhelmed. Not too much so, just caught a little off guard, which I will admit usually places my skepticism on high alert, however detrimental that is. ((Incoming Correction: The second album that I was shown was The Discovery Of A World Inside The Moon. My Apologies.))
Fortunately, within the span of a year, I had grown to love The Apples and their complete discography, something that usually happened when introduced new music from Chris. Funtrick being a classic and Her Wallpaper Reverie being just as strong. By the time the next year rolled around and I started planning a trip to Florida with my family, a trip that also included visiting Chris, I was deep in the Apples appreciation. One of their albums that really stuck with me, even though it is usually chastised for being un-Apple-like, is Velocity Of Sound. I loved and still love this album’s raucous power pop sensibilities that spray distortion and cheesy pop lyrics with such ease and forcefulness that it almost seems as if they aren’t trying, they are just being.
The growing, combining distortions on the opening track “Please,” drive the album off with an explosion that scorches the listener but still, somehow manages to lock in one of the catchiest melodies ever. Pure and simple, power pop gold that doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. “Rainfall,” one of my favorite tracks on the album, features Hilarie Sydney and another combustible guitar riff that jolts and jockeys for position as the song pummels along at Force-Ten! The greatness of this album is continued through tracks like: “Do You Understand?”, “Where We Meet,” “Yore Days,” “Better Days,” and “I Want.” These tracks are strong, smart, and filled with the aforementioned characteristics that make this album great. The cheesy lyrical moments are few and far between, funny and a little embarrassing, but surrounded by such catchiness that it’s almost impossible to dismiss. Tracks like: “That’s Something I Do,” and “She’s Telling Lies,” may seems a bit juvenile and immature but you certainly can’t have a power pop album, especially one by a band that wrote a song for The Power Puff Girls television show, that doesn’t have those moments.
The two songs that really broke The Apples In Stereo for me, which is why I hold this album so high considering it was the one that really got me into them, are: “Mystery,” and “Baroque.” The melodies are perfect slices of summer nostalgia complimented by major and minor chord changes, suitable and expertly crafted. Not to mention the nostalgia-laden lyrics:
“In the moonlight I see my memories
In a new light, they seem so real to me,
I remember, I remember.
In the moonlight I think about the past
And in hindsight, I knew it wouldn’t last,
I remember, I remember.”
This album not only was my entry point for the band but it has stuck with me over the years, without diminishing in the qualities that I love. That should certainly contribute to it’s overlooked classic status, in my mind.
