The Apples in Stereo - Travellers in Space and Time (2010)

I am in no position to comment in much depth since my experience with this band is minimal. In the past I’ve not been terribly impressed, but since my early impression of their new release is in sharp contrast to those initial opinions, I am unsure whether to trust my past or present self. This is a defiantly fun album, despite having a very bubbly surface qualities that probably have turned a lot of people off this band. The vocalist often sounds pre-pubescent, and the music is unabashedly sunny, but they seem perfectly comfortable with their aesthetic and perform these songs with conviction and a high level of energy. There are some really fun, upbeat pop songs, like “Dream About the Future,” “Hey Elevator,” “No Vacation,” and “Next Year About the Same Time.” But, there are also a handful of overly simplistic songs that aren’t fun enough to distract from their utter simplicity. This simplicity doesn’t make for enjoyable music unless the melody is especially catchy, so songs like “CPU,” “Dignified Dignitary,” “Told You Once,” and “Wings Away” are easy to skip. The vocals can become a bit tiring after a while, and the album runs about four tracks too long, not counting the intro, outro and interlude. Again, fun counts for something and they get credit for a very spirited album that wont appeal to some people simply because of that.

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