The Apples in Stereo - Travellers in Space and Time 5/10
Rudolph Klapper | Los Angeles / Orlando | 04/20/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"It might surprise some that Robert Schneider's Apples in Stereo project is the only remaining survivor of that first wave of Elephant 6 collective bands, which reads like a who's-who of groundbreaking indie pop - the Apples, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Olivia Tremor Control. All the critical acclaim and classic status has long been lavished on the latter two, but Schneider is the only one of them still trucking along in his original guise, creating increasingly complicated space-age power-pop while Jeff Mangum languished in self-imposed obscurity and the Olivia Tremor Control struggled to recapture their past magic. Detractors would say it's because Schneider has long been the most single-minded of those original auteurs, mastering the Elephant 6 aesthetic of experimental pop and refining it to a sugary sharp edge but not going much further. But 2007's New Magnetic Wonder proved that a sound that had long gone stale on their previous releases could be retooled and reignited in a new direction, taking their predominantly guitar-fueled pop and mixing in plenty of vocoder and ELO-influenced futurism. Travellers in Space and Time continues on that same tick, but falls prey to the same problem that undermined Schneider's early 2000s releases: the feeling that we've all been here before.
Despite its length, New Magnetic Wonder was a surprisingly focused effort, bloating its way to twenty-plus tracks due to numerous minute-or-shorter interludes that enhanced the album's dreamy vibe. Travellers in Space and Time, for all its similar length, packs far more filler than its predecessor, a fact not aided by the eerie similarity between newer and older songs. "Dream About The Future" is the same kind of bouncy, piano-synth-vocoder combo that New Magnetic Wonder perfected, with an irresistible jackhammer of a hook and Schneider's perpetually boyish vocals. And being the first proper song on the record, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. But then comes "Hey Elevator," and then "Dance Floor," and then "C.P.U.", and on and on, and before long one is promptly overloaded by Schneider's stated vision of "early-seventies R&B played by a UFO." This wouldn't be a bad thing, but too much of Travellers in Space and Time sounds like a retread, sounds that are enjoyable on their own but over the course of this 16-track album end up being beat to death, with too many forgettable hooks and overused electronics.
As much as Travellers drags in the middle after the novelty of hearing new Apples in Stereo has worn off, it does redeem itself near the end, more on the basis of Schneider hitting on some of the best melodies of his recent career than on any variance in sound. "Told You Once" is Schneider at his Beach Boys-via-Casio best, and "Floating in Space" stands out more for what it doesn't do than for what it is - for once, the Apples seem to realize that less is better. It's proven again and again as Travellers winds down that Schneider does best when he keeps it simple, focusing on his obvious melodic gift and making songs that focus on the heart of everything, rather than cluttering things up with numerous instruments, unnecessary vocoder, or sounds already recycled. It's what makes one wish there were more songs like the lyrically simple, affirming love letter "Nobody But You" or the whimsical trip of "Wings Away," songs that call to mind their late `90s peak. Fans of the Apples will no doubt fall in love with the band again after hearing Travellers, as the things that make them a great power-pop band are all there. But they have the potential to be simply put a great band regardless of genre, one that can, at its heights, stand right up there with Mangum and Hart. It's just beyond reach here, undermined again by Schneider's habit of falling into a rut, but perhaps all they need is another shift in sound to recapture that old magic."
Welcome to the Dance Floor!
Cale E. Reneau | Conroe, Texas United States | 04/20/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"There are few bands in the indie world that garner as much name recognition and instant-respect as The Apples in Stereo. The band has been bringing their unique brand of pop music to fans for nearly two decades at this point; changing their sound throughout the process and therefore ensuring that they've created something for everybody. On Travellers in Space and Time, their seventh full-length album, the band offers up one of their most solid collection in years - and they do so by taking some fairly bold steps.
The most notable influence on Travellers has to be 70s-era disco music, which shows up on songs like "Hey Elevator," "No One in the World" or "Dance Floor." The former is a dance-along, sing-along pop masterpiece in and of itself, and the album's greatest asset. Of course, The Apples are no strangers to singable pop songs, but it's rare that one has been this instantly-enjoyable and able to hold its own after several repeat listens. "Dance Floor," doesn't have as strong of a melody, but it too pulls off the band's new dance sound flawlessly. It's the safe bet for the first single, for sure, but it's certainly worthy of such a title.
One of the band's best attributes is that they have always been able to mix pop and rock in such a manner that it hearkens back to some of the best music of the past. Whether its 60s rock or disco, The Apples are masters at blending those sounds with more modern twists; like a vocoder or synthesizer. "Dignified Dignitary" is a great example of this, with its heavy guitars and drums, but equally powerful melody. The band has drawn Beatles comparisons in the past, but their effect on Robert Schneider's songwriting has rarely been so clear as it is here, or on "It's All Right."
And like The Beatles, the hooks just keep on coming. Travellers in Space and Time is one of the catchiest albums I've heard in months, not to mention one of the best! Aside from your typical Apples in Stereo fodder like a vocoder-only song ("Strange Solar System") or tracks that aren't music but just samples of something else ("The Code" or "Time Pilot"), Travellers is a surprisingly solid album and easily one of the band's best! "C.P.U." is mostly-awful due to its insistence on trying to make dissonance catchy, but every other song on here is great! As a pop album, one can rest assured that a few of these songs will lose their appeal after a certain amount of listens. The surprising thing about Travellers in Space and Time isn't this fact, but rather the amount of quality songs that will no doubt go further. Any Apples fan has got to check this one out. I highly recommend it.
Key Tracks:
1. "Dream About the Future"
2. "Hey Elevator"
3. "Dignified Dignitary"
4. "No Vacation"
5. "Nobody But You"
8 out of 10 Stars"
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1
