TONE SOUL EVOLUTION

The Apples In Stereo include: Robert Schneider (vocals, guitar). The Apples In Stereo are the poppiest of the do-it-yourself pop bands that record under the umbrella of the Elephant 6 Recording Co. The scene revolves around Robert Schneider, a sort of indie-rock miniature of Paul McCartney. He also produces, and plays with, the more psychedelic Olivia Tremor Control and the dronier Neutral Milk Hotel, but it's with his main band the Apples that he goes for the pop jugular. Songs like "Seems So" (about an ordinary guy who seems to have had a brief encounter with an alien) and "Tin Pin Alley" are short blasts of insanely catchy verse-chorus-verse pop propelled by fuzzy guitars and softened with ooh-la-la harmonies, handclaps, keyboards and the occasional horn section, all carefully applied. Most of the surface noise of past Apples records has disappeared, leaving a nearly perfect homage to a lost pop era that probably never existed but that never-say-die types like Schneider believe in nonetheless, god bless 'em. These songs are so breezy they'll float by you like autumn leaves if you don't pay attention. But if you do, you'll be singing along for days afterward.