The Apples In Stereo — Velocity Of Sound

Velocity Of Sound is a fitting title for The Apples’ fourth full-lengther — a good chunk of the disc sounds like a 33 being played at 45 RPM. Lead Apple Robert Schneider’s guitar spits out standard punked-up indie pop chords at a million miles an hour and his sped-up vocals are virtually indistinguishable from drummer/co-singer/woman Hilary Sidney’s. About half the songs sit somewhere between The Chipmunks and an old cub album — not very becoming for a popsmith of Schneider’s caliber. The second half of the album is much better with its revved-up pop-rock and the hint of darkness embedded in Schneider’s kiddie-pop singalongs, but compared to past glories like 1997’s gentler Tone Soul Evolution, Velocity is a let-down.