The Apples In Stereo — New Magnetic Wonder

New Magnetic Wonder, The Apples In Stereo's first album in five years, marks a return to form for the seminal indie group. Previous disc Velocity Of Sound was an energetic, straightforward power-pop record that did away with much of Robert Schneider's saccharine pop genius. So it's nice to hear the frontman turn down the distortion and stick to what he does best — create contagious melodies and complex harmonies backed by an array of instruments. If you can handle the band's over-the-top pop, then there's a lot to like about New Magnetic Wonder — 24 tracks, in fact. Opener "Can You Feel It?" is about as classic Apples as you can get, with its crunchy guitars and infectious keyboards, while "Energy" sounds like The Beach Boys doing The Beatles. Even with the long track count, the album is a fast and fun listen from one of indie's best bands.

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