Fun Trick Noisemaker (Reis)

The Apples In Stereo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 26, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: One Little Indian Us
• ASIN: B0012RCMBU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,022 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Narrator

2. Tidal Wave

3. High Tide

4. Green Machine

5. Winter Must Be Cold

6. She's Just Like Me/Talking Time

7. Glowworm

8. Dots 1-2-3

9. Lucky Charm

10. Innerspace

11. Show the World

12. Love You Alice/D

13. Pine Away

Editorial Reviews

Upon its original release in the Spring of 1995, All Music Guide called The Apples in stereo's debut full length ''one of those records that marks a sea change in musical attitudes.'' Fun Trick Noisemaker facilitated such a shift by moving the focus away from the sullen negativity of the grunge era, towards a sunnier, more psychedelic vision of rock music. As one of the flagship members of the famed Elephant 6 Collective (in fact, Fun Trick Noisemaker was the first album released from the collective), The Apples in stereo spearheaded a seismic shift in indie-rock consciousness towards a more optimistic worldview. Their recordings echoed and helped revive interest in the likes of Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, Arthur Lee, Syd Barrett and even Burt Bacharach as cool names to drop in hipster circles.

Fun Trick Noisemaker was the first full-length installment in the ongoing musical journey that has grown out of frontman Robert Schneider's infatuation with recording techniques; ranging from four-track bedroom recordings to 100-track studio experiments, to creating new musical scales and mind-controlled synthesizers. Not to mention his ongoing obsession with writing the perfect pop song, a song ''that even little kids or your grandparents can sing along with,'' as Schneider put it at the time. That creative journey continues until this day. But more than just a starting point, Fun Trick Noisemaker stands on its own today as a masterpiece in the indie rock canon, featuring some of the band's most loved and indelible tracks such as: ''Green Machine''; ''Glow Worm'' and ''Tidal Wave'' (featuring one of the most rip roaring lead guitar lines ever put to wax.)

Yep Roc Records is proud to offer fans the reissue Fun Trick Noisemaker on 180 gram vinyl. These magical tunes seem somehow destined to spin on vinyl, not only as a nod towards the classic artists who inspired their creation, but because even in 1995 The Apples in stereo considered vinyl to be the official medium of release. This special reissue incorporates all of the original artwork and liner notes, with rephotographed paintings by Steve Keene, including a four-color poster insert. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standing On the Shoulders Of Giants, September 24, 2001

By 

Jason Robey "horakhti" (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fun Trick Noisemaker (Audio CD)

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Great Lost CD of the 1990s, May 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fun Trick Noisemaker (Audio CD)

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?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Psychedelic Wonderland, March 7, 2002

By 

M. Duvall "KangiTanka3" (TX, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fun Trick Noisemaker (Audio CD)

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. :~)