I've always liked Apples in Stereo as an idea and as a band, an affection that stems from their status as one of the flagship bands of the 90s' Elephant Six collective and doesn't wane even when they release something of which I'm not entirely fond. In a decade full of sad sacks showcasing their pain, the Apples were a little ray through the gray, a band that actually sounded happy to be playing music. What a concept.
Electronic Projects for Musicians isn't the kind of disc that's going to make the band new fans-- quite to the contrary, it's aimed at fans, offering 14 tracks and 32 minutes of rarities going all the way back to 1995. It scoops up a decade's worth of compilation tracks, Japan-only bonus songs, and other ephemera, including the band's 2006 ode to Stephen Colbert, "Stephen Stephen", recorded for the extravagant rock-a-thon episode of "The Colbert Report" that resulted from the show's feud with the Decemberists over a similar video concept.
One inclusion I was particularly pleased to hear is "The Apples Theme Song", which played on the band's splash page a few years ago. The lyrics "We are the Apples in Stereo/ You hear our music on the radio," are a bit of a fantasy (you're actually more likely to hear them on the Cartoon Network, soundtracking "The Powerpuff Girls"), but Robert Schneider, the band's everyman leader with the helium-injected voice, doesn't seem to mind. In his mind, he might as well be on the radio, and as long as you're listening to the Apples in Stereo, they may as well be your favorite band.
Despite the range of years covered here, the fidelity is pretty uniform, and the band's essentially optimistic, sunny disposition holds true across ballads and pop songs alike. Little hints of Schneider's experimentalism crop up here and there as well. UK B-side "So Far Away" has electronic beats and a coating of processed guitar, while "Shine (In Your Mind)" spikes its slide-guitar-laden pop with strange electric keyboard phrases that add just a touch of clang to the song. And it's not all sunshine, either: "The Oasis" sounds like a descendant of "Across the Universe", but the lyrics are unusually dark: "You're such a star/ But don't let it feed your head/ Because the music scene is dead/ Now where you are."
There are a number of somewhat bland mid-tempo tracks and a few sketchy incidental things, like the ultra-brief vocal exercise "Thank You Very Much", but this is a worthy addition for Apples fans who haven't already tracked down every flexi-disc, Japanese import, and vinyl edition in the band's large catalog. One of the best tracks is saved for last. Tone Soul Evolution outtake "Dreams" is a truly pretty song with some nice lead guitar and a bed of mellotron that would have nicely closed the album it was cut from.
This is a great companion to the 1996 loose-ends compilation Science Faire, but if you're not into the band, it's no place to start. The band's debut, Fun Trick Noisemaker, 1999's Her Wallpaper Reverie, and last year's comeback New Magnetic Wonder are all better introductions to a band that these days is often curiously overlooked. Schneider's band never became as notorious as its E6 cohorts Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel, but he had a huge hand in the sound of both groups (producing In the Aeroplane Over the Sea), and today must be considered one of indie rock's unsung heroes.
I've always liked Apples in Stereo as an idea and as a band, an affection that stems from their status as one of the flagship bands of the 90s' Elephant Six collective and doesn't wane even when they release something of which I'm not entirely fond. In a decade full of sad sacks showcasing their pain, the Apples were a little ray through the gray, a band that actually sounded happy to be playing music. What a concept.
Electronic Projects for Musicians isn't the kind of disc that's going to make the band new fans-- quite to the contrary, it's aimed at fans, offering 14 tracks and 32 minutes of rarities going all the way back to 1995. It scoops up a decade's worth of compilation tracks, Japan-only bonus songs, and other ephemera, including the band's 2006 ode to Stephen Colbert, "Stephen Stephen", recorded for the extravagant rock-a-thon episode of "The Colbert Report" that resulted from the show's feud with the Decemberists over a similar video concept.
One inclusion I was particularly pleased to hear is "The Apples Theme Song", which played on the band's splash page a few years ago. The lyrics "We are the Apples in Stereo/ You hear our music on the radio," are a bit of a fantasy (you're actually more likely to hear them on the Cartoon Network, soundtracking "The Powerpuff Girls"), but Robert Schneider, the band's everyman leader with the helium-injected voice, doesn't seem to mind. In his mind, he might as well be on the radio, and as long as you're listening to the Apples in Stereo, they may as well be your favorite band.
Despite the range of years covered here, the fidelity is pretty uniform, and the band's essentially optimistic, sunny disposition holds true across ballads and pop songs alike. Little hints of Schneider's experimentalism crop up here and there as well. UK B-side "So Far Away" has electronic beats and a coating of processed guitar, while "Shine (In Your Mind)" spikes its slide-guitar-laden pop with strange electric keyboard phrases that add just a touch of clang to the song. And it's not all sunshine, either: "The Oasis" sounds like a descendant of "Across the Universe", but the lyrics are unusually dark: "You're such a star/ But don't let it feed your head/ Because the music scene is dead/ Now where you are."
There are a number of somewhat bland mid-tempo tracks and a few sketchy incidental things, like the ultra-brief vocal exercise "Thank You Very Much", but this is a worthy addition for Apples fans who haven't already tracked down every flexi-disc, Japanese import, and vinyl edition in the band's large catalog. One of the best tracks is saved for last. Tone Soul Evolution outtake "Dreams" is a truly pretty song with some nice lead guitar and a bed of mellotron that would have nicely closed the album it was cut from.
This is a great companion to the 1996 loose-ends compilation Science Faire, but if you're not into the band, it's no place to start. The band's debut, Fun Trick Noisemaker, 1999's Her Wallpaper Reverie, and last year's comeback New Magnetic Wonder are all better introductions to a band that these days is often curiously overlooked. Schneider's band never became as notorious as its E6 cohorts Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel, but he had a huge hand in the sound of both groups (producing In the Aeroplane Over the Sea), and today must be considered one of indie rock's unsung heroes.
Leonhard Euler and Robert Schneider, In Conversation
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes
http://www.maa.org/news/122407schneidereuler.html
Leonhard Euler and Robert Schneider, In Conversation
Last August at MathFest 2007, in a public interview with MAA President Joe Gallian, The Apples in Stereo front man Robert Schneider was asked which historical figure he'd most like to meet. With little hesitation, he answered, "Leonhard Euler."
To round out the 300th anniversary of the great mathematician's birth, the MAA has arranged for the two men to meet and converse at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego. This meeting of the centuries will take place on Sunday, Jan. 6, at 6:30 p.m. Rock musician Schneider, who spends much of his time thinking and writing about mathematics, is excited at the prospect of discussing logarithmic scales and his development of a non-Pythagorean musical scale with the famed mathematician, as well as his recent results relating to the prime number theorem.
"Euler is my mathematical hero," Schneider says. At MathFest, "I attended most of the Euler Society meetings and read Euler in Latin. I have to say that the Euler contingent was an exotic group of geniuses who made me feel very welcome."
During his earlier interview with Gallian, Schneider noted, "I'd like to talk with Euler because I think you could just ask, 'What are you working on today, sir?' and he would probably tell you something really cool."
"From what I understand, he was a pretty good time," he added.
Schneider will cap off the session with a short acoustic performance.
Just spreading the love to anyone that is interested in a a terrific case - the Darfur Charity Auction. The Auctionb ends Monday so if interested act now!
NPR Music - Best Albums of 2007!! A Call To Action!
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Music
Hi All,
What was the best album of 2007?
* Choose up to five. You can use the list or write-in at the bottom * If you write-in more than one CD separate it by a comma. * Be honest with your voting. Don't vote twice.
Voting ends the night of December 17th. Results will be posted on the All Songs Considered website December 20th.
Thank you for another great year. Bob Boilen Robin Hilton NPR's All Songs Considered
Vote here for The Apples! http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=833977 They are listed - fourth from The Top!
NPR Music - Best Albums of 2007!! A Call To Action!
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Music
Hi All,
What was the best album of 2007?
* Choose up to five. You can use the list or write-in at the bottom * If you write-in more than one CD separate it by a comma. * Be honest with your voting. Don't vote twice.
Voting ends the night of December 17th. Results will be posted on the All Songs Considered website December 20th.
Thank you for another great year. Bob Boilen Robin Hilton NPR's All Songs Considered
Vote here for The Apples! http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=833977 They are listed - fourth from The Top!
I'm going to be interviewing Robert Schneider of The Apples in Stereo for a write-up (not for Optical Atlas, but something the Apples will use) connected with the release of the new singles/rarities comp, Electronic Projects for Musicians. Since I am notoriously terrible with questions, and because it would be a more beautiful thing if more fans were involved, I'd like your questions to take to Robert, either concerning the new album and what's on it, or questions pertaining to the Apples period the album covers (the "post-four-track era"). Or maybe inquiries about making your own "electronic projects." You can send these to me at info@opticalatlas.com, or leave them in the comments of this post.
This is what Robert said in my earlier interview with him about the album:
"As for Electronic Projects for Musicians (which is named after a classic build-your-own-effects book by Craig Anderton which should be purchased by every one of your readers if they know what is good for them): the track listing is basically every single non-LP track, or LP bonus track, we have put out since Fun Trick Noisemaker, including seven inches, flexi-discs, comp tracks, etc. aside from the tracks featured on the SpinArt EPS such as Let's Go and Look Away (these will be released on one record when the SpinArt license expires) - also it will not include the Powerpuff Girls song, the master of which is owned by The Cartoon Network, and is still in print… There is a song which we completed for Tone Soul Evolution, called 'Dreams,' which was left off the record because it was one of the strongest songs, and I was not happy with the mix. I will remix it for Electronic Projects."
Do You Love New Magnetic Wonder?
Current mood: busy
Hi Gang,
If you love The Apples and their latest album "New Magnetic Wnder," it would be awesome for you to let your voice be heard by voting at the following end of year contests:
http://plugawards.com/general_vote.php
1. The Plug Awards: The Apples have not been nominated for any category! Yuck! BUT you can WRITE THE BAND IN by going here. Please make sure to put a category down that you feel is appropriate, specifically:
- Album of the Year : "New Magnetic Wonder" by The Apples in stereo - Music Video of The Year: "Can You Feel It?" by The Apples in stereo - Song of the Year: "Energy" by The Apples in stereo - Album Art of The Year: "New Magnetic Wonder" by The Apples in stereo
2. The MTV Subterranean Best of 2007 countdown. http://www.mtv2.com/series/10897 You can vote as many times as you want and both "Energy" and "Can You Feel It" are nominated. Vote now for Apples In Stereo on Subterranean's best of 2007 countdown! See the results on 12/17 on MTV2 at 1AM EST. Scroll over to "vote" once the MTV page has loaded.
The band appreciates your support and time. Thanks for taking a moment to read and consider taking action.
Cooking With Rock Stars! The Apples!
Current mood: amused
Robert Schneider of Apples in Stereo talks with Jen about vegetarian living, his favorite candies, and the World's Greatest Drink. [March 2003, Austin, TX]
accomplished
bouncy
busy
amused