Customer Reviews

Fun Trick Noisemaker

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great album to have if you enjoy psychedelic pop bands of the sixties, especially bands like The Beatles (who doesn't?), The Beach Boys, and The Zombies. On FUN TRICK NOISEMAKER, The Apples mine the same sonic territory that the aforementioned trailblazers created more than three decades ago. Yet, with FTNM, they wisely avoid creating a hackneyed throwback to an abandoned era of pop music. Instead, they forge their own refreshing definition of psychedelic pop music that comes off relevant, exciting, and even unique.

One reviewer compared Apples In Stereo to Pavement, an observation that I fully agree with. They sound like Pavement creating music in the psychedelic sixties (only the Apples never get as experimental as Pavement.) Thus, although their sound is strongly influenced by The Beatles et al., they don't sound as if they've been living under a rock since the end of the British Invasion. They've obviously been paying attention to the indie pop movement of the 80's/90's.

It's kind of odd to me that this kind of music isn't more popular, that this band hasn't gained a stronger fanbase. I would honestly recommend (at least listening to) this band to almost anyone - my friends, my siblings, even my parents. I think there's a good chance that most people will find something to like about FTNM.

There aren't really any bad songs on FTNM. "Green Machine" is one of my favorites. It's a very nostalgic look at that golden period in your life when you're young, have tons of friends, and life is just simple and fun. "Saturdays and Superfriends / these are things I thought would last forever." If you had a Green Machine when you were little like I did, then you'll totally get this song. Nostalgia seems to pervade every song on this album. Other favorites include the first two songs (after the intro): "Tidal Wave" and "High Tide," two near-perfect pop tunes awash with marine imagery and catchy hooks. "Pine Away" is a great closer. Honestly, if I go on I'll name every song on the album so I'll just cool it.

OK, so not everybody gets into this album. Why? One reason that I can think of is that it is a bit lo-fi. However, I love that aspect - it lends the album charm and personality while reinforcing the link to an older era of pop music. Others may say that a lot of the songs sound identical. I will agree that if you listen to FTNM over and over without a break, the unique qualities of individual songs begin to disappear. But the same can be said of so many great albums and it's no reason to bypass this one. Probably the most legitimate complaint, in my estimation, concerns Rob Schneider's voice. Although I liked it immediately, it will probably be an acquired taste for most people, if they ever like it.

I'm so glad that I discovered this album.

At the risk of excess hyperbole I'll tell prospective buyers of this album that if they love perfectly crafted pop and rock, this is the record they must own. Forget the predictable criticism that this band wears their influences on their sleeves; I dare anyone to find a more sweet, wistful, utterly listenable album from 1995, or from any year in the past decade. Favorite tracks are the sublime "High Tide," the peppy "Tidal Wave," the dreamy "Pine Away," and most importantly "She's Just Like Me" which is one of the truly beautiful songs of our era. Highly, highly, highly recommended. If great bands like this can come out of Denver who knows what other geniuses lurk between the overhyped coasts?

How this band can play such ultra-lighthearted, blissful, trippy pop reminiscient of Saturday morning cartoons when Gen X were children without being schmaltzy and pointless, I have no idea. Must be genius. :~)

Like many I saw them first on Cartoon Network in the video for their great "Signal in the Sky" song done for the Powerpuff Girls series. But since then I've delved deeper into the band's work and found a lot of gems there. My favourite Apples songs weren't to be found here, but there were some great new discoveries to be made.

As I said before, their music is pure fun, pop in its truest and purest sense. Most bands that try this come across as trite and silly, but not the Apples. The only other band I've seen manage it are the B-52's.

I've already ordered some more of their CDs. :~)

I am not an expert on this band yet; I own 3 albums- the other 2 being Science Faire and Tone Soul Evolution, and contrary to popular opinion 'Fun Trick' is the creamiest so far, trust me. Although the reviews seem to favor 'Tone Soul', take a listen and you'll see I'm right.

In 'FTN', you can tell the band is influenced by certain sounds of the 60s, but as opposed to 'TSE', they always keep it sounding original. Although Tone Soul is a good album and has some tasty bits to keep you coming back, overall the album isn't nearly as original. Some of it comes out sounding too close to the Monkees, or some other band from the mid to late sixties who caught on a little too late to be hip, ending up sounding synthetic.

For instance, "Seems So," Tone Soul's first song, is just too happy- it almost sounds like something The Partridge Family would have done. Tracks like that were a little disappointing to me, considering that the sublime Fun Trick was my first Apples purchase. FTN to me doesn't venture that far into 60s-happyland. Although sounding retro, it keeps a hint of danger lacking in some of TSE, with hard-driving, sinister guitar riffs; always catchy and original- and yes, fun.

That's not to say Tone Soul Evolution isn't worth getting, it definitely is, but as a starter you may want to consider Science Faire, or better yet, the tastiest dessert treat the Apples in Stereo have to offer--- Fun Trick Noisemaker.

Long live original music and praise the death of today's silly circus performers (who call themselves 'bands' and are somehow recognized by the music industry as important), whenever it comes.

This great debut, though not polished, is the best the Apples in Stereo have to offer. The songs are very upbeat and reminiscent of the Beach Boys, though Schneider's nasal vocals can be a little irritating, they are tolerable and fit with the songs. Highlights of the Cd are the first 9 songs except the intro narrative, especially "Greenmachine" and "Glowworm". If you like sunny upbeat music this Cd is definantly for you, and if you have to own one Cd of the Apples in Stereo this is the one to own.

The Apples in Stereo are a great change of pace from the repetative, melancholy whining that can plague indie rock. This album denounces sterotypes while admitting that it has been influenced by classic sounds from yesteryear. But most of all, it just makes you happy. Listen to it whenever you begin to take life a little too seriously.

This was my first Elephant Six album and I'm mightily impressed! I'm a sucker for a great hook and this album is full of them. There are definitely major Beatles and Beach Boys influences here, but there are plenty of differences so that the Apples aren't pretenders to any type of throne. The indy sensibility is still there. Not sure where I read it, it might have been the review for Tone Soul Evolution, but someone said that it was great summer music. So right!!

Fun, I will agree with that part of the album title, but you need to be careful how often you play this disc, it can get old fast. Never heard The Apples in Stereo? They have a similar feel to that of "Pavement" playing the greatest hits of the Go Go's or "Cracker" playing School house rock. It's happy it's fun, it's not going to challenge you musically. It might be just what the doctor ordered, it might be like the same joke that made you laugh in grade school. Oh yeah, I remember when milk shot out of my nose.

I don't have all of AIS' albums, but of the three I either own, or have owned, this one's much better than "Tone Soul Evolution" and TONS better than "World Inside the Moone," which I turned right around and sold about two weeks after buying it (read my review of it!).

This album does sound original, not too derivative of the sunny 60s, and is a helluva lot of fun. It sounds a LOT like Let's Active to me as well -- Schneider's vocals are almost dead-on Mitch Easter. The only flaws, as with other Apples albums, are that I'm not too fond of Hilarie's vocals, and there were a few times when I was listening to the album that I forgot I was listening to it; that is, I sort of tuned out.

"Dots 123" is my favorite song on the album, by the way. A FUN blowout!!

Objectively, this is a very good if not great album. Listen to Apples In Stereo, and you'll hear a band well versed in power pop, folk, 1960s psychedelia, and California cosmic cowboy spur jangle.

All this is done with minimum arranging: Apples never seem to go beyond a guitar bass and drums format, although texturally, they are able to, well, make a lot of fun noises in this context.

I am not a big fan of stripped rock and roll. To me, Fun Trick Noisemaker sounds a tiny bit thin. That, however, is my taste, not a problem with the album. If you like a little less fat on the bone, you'll dig on this.