Apples in Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder Album Review

Apples In Stereo
New Magnetic Wonder
Album Review

Apples in Stereo have always had a cult belief that they would go onto great things. So, after a five year absence, it is easy to get the impression that there is a lot of reputation hanging on this new album.

That is an impression reinforced on first listening... Although there are over 20 'songs', half are simply interludes whose presence seems more like tinkering (or padding?) than anything else. The ELO-lite sound is still present, but here Robert Schneider deploys tones of Oasis, Teenage Fanclub and Cotton Mather to rock it up a little.

Unfortunately, although the sound is full of energy, lush sweetness and pleasant anthems, the songs themselves are rather rote - Energy is mostly an awful, repetitive chorus that goes nowhere. It is hard to think of a good reason to get excited about New Magnetic Wonder, and perhaps by extension, Apples in Stereo themselves. There is nothing here that isn't better done elsewhere.

3/5

Mike Rea