REVIEW: Apples in Stereo, Tone Soul Evolution (Spin Art/Sire)
- Joe Silva
One of the principal brigades from the potentially legendary Elephant Six collective, the Apples second LP is an intentional step away from all the electronic psychedelia of their debut. By shedding their analog synth-coats for bare-chested organs and straight up guitar work, the Apples hoped to recover their pop aspirations from orbit, and bring them to ground in kinder, gentler pastures. That said and that accomplished, the great promise of this collection collapses somewhat beneath it's own raison d'etre after a time. The Apples eventually devolve into a blurred, moving target in a game of spot the vibe.
For all the careful harmonies and gentle postures, the Apples riffs and pleasant melodies are still not quite up to the task of becoming terribly catchy - which would appear to be their principal motive. With "Seems So," the lead off track that's laden with Rubber Soul-ish backing vocals, one of their most resonant choruses, and its Fab-like ending, one of their peak moments is served up straight away. But by the time we get past the sweet "About Your Fame," the chords start to resemble bland indie-isms and Robert Schneider's lyrics move from pleasant simplicities to trite chin-wagging. When you arrive at "Tin Pan Alley," with its intro blatantly lifted from Buddy Holly's "Words of Love" there seems to be not much substance left to sustain the Apples' good intentions. But just when their prospects seem exhausted, Schneider delivers the doozy that is "Find Our Way" - a mellow construction of organ, vocal harmonies, and ringing guitars that's at once wonderfully listenable and the correct balance of all that Schneider draws upon and aims for. Coupled with the ultra-nifty coda that follows, the Apples still manage to maintain a certain amount of hope for themselves until the ripening is complete.
