On the Record

Apples In Stereo
New Magnetic Wonder
on Yep Roc RecordsB+

Like most Apples in Stereo albums, New Magnetic Wonder is more a portfolio of Robert Schneider's recording experiments and Beatles-worshipping jangle pop than a fully realized song cycle. The lyrics, sung in Schneider's widely ranging voice, at times seem like filler, flailing along behind the fast-paced chords and percussion, but that's to be expected from such a prolific artist. He may not be writing poetry, but he is providing the listener with nearly an hour of fun, light-hearted pop music.

Sonically, New Magnetic Wonder is more varied than most albums of short songs by a single artist. Schneider employs on his albums many of his friends as collaborators, who provide a large palette of sounds for him to record from. One collaborator here is Jeff Mangum, the reclusive singer of Neutral Milk Hotel, the influential lo-fi group of the mid-90s and, in this critics humble opinion, the greatest band of all time.

The use of vocoder, female vocals, late 70s-influenced power-pop sounds and lounge-like 1950s-style horns and xylophones, along with traditional electric guitar, keeps listening ears perked. Nearly all of the songs are recorded in a manner halfway between traditional pop and lo-fi; the recording methods are most obvious on Schneider's vocals, which sound cassette-like, even when played on better-than-laptop speakers. The nuances in recording are all intentional: Schneider grew very experienced in the technical aspect of recording during his many years studying microphone placement and production methods with the Elephant Six music collective. Different recording methods on short, vignette-like tracks such as "Mellotron 1" and "Vocoder Ba Ba" cause them to stand out, along with the mix of unusual instruments with which these songs experiment.

The 46-second track "Joanie Don't You Worry" features Schneider's voice played through a vocoder, along with handclaps, which provide an organic contrast to the synthesized vocals. Vocoded vocals play a part in other songs as well as backing tracks. In the excellent "Sunndal Song," which is sung by backup singer and Schneider's ex-wife Hilarie Sidney, vocoded backup vocals echo during the chorus, blending with the fuzzy bass. Also notable are the instrumental tracks "Mellotron 1 and 2," which feature harp, jazzy and muted drums and electric guitar, evoking Doris Day or Edith Piaf. These instrumental vignettes and short sonic experiments are sprinkled among the more pop-oriented songs, yet are in no way woven in as intros or as refrains, as one might expect.

The more radio-friendly songs on New Magnetic Wonder take their influences from both the Beatles and the sunny pop of the 1960s, as well as the alternative rock of the 1990s. Such are very guitar-based, making the weird experimental tracks quite welcome. The apparent single, "Energy," leaves a little to be desired in its incessant, 1960s-imitative repetition. You can't expect every Apples in Stereo song to be "Can't Buy Me Love," however. New Magnetic Wonder confirms the Apples' place as the premier jangle-pop band in America: The experimental songs are palatable enough to popsters, and the pop songs are clever enough to hold the interests of listeners who want more than sunny guitars and redundant choruses.

-Andrea Fineman


Sondre Lerche
Phantom Punch
on Astralwerks

B


The first word that comes to mind when listening to Sondre Lerche's newest album is "eh." Phantom Punch, overall, is not as melodious and feel-good as the 24-year-old Norwegian's previous discs, despite several moments worthy of toe-tapping, and fans will be surprised to hear a more aggressive sound. His voice is still saccharine, but the rhythms are a little more jolty and rocking, making for a slightly unsettling combination.

Lerche made somewhat of a name for himself-mostly in indie circles-with his 2002 debut, Faces Down.

Listening to Phantom Punch, many fans will find themselves missing the sweet, adorably blonde boy whose lullabies and charming falsetto adorned Faces Down and its follow-up, Two Way Monologue. That Lerche is nowhere to be heard for almost the first half of Phantom Punch. It's clear that Lerche is attempting to break into a more aggressive sound, but the results are lukewarm at best.

One exception is "After All," which recalls heavily the sound of Faces Down. "Tragic Mirror" will also succeed in reviving the sweetness of that album. And while Phantom Punch, on the whole, isn't especially painful to listen to, the majority of the songs is fairly unmemorable indie rock. The faster cuts aren't energetic enough to be truly danceable, while the ballads fail to capture the swoon-worthy qualities of his older albums. Phantom Punch is a decent effort on Lerche's part to break into new territory, but it won't replace Faces Down in any fan's heart.

-Rachel Pfeffer