Travellers in Space and Time

Artist: The Apples in Stereo
Label: Yep Roc
Website: applesinstereo.com

The Apples in Stereo always provide the upbeat sunny side of music and on the group's seventh studio record Travellers in Space and Time, the band pulls the shades off again for another bouncy ride on their pop train.

Travellers actually expands on some of the experimentation the group started on the excellent New Magnetic Wonder [2007] and clarifies the direction as frontman Robert Schneider offers up a modern take on a classic sound. This record actually combines the vocal harmony styles of ELO, while almost sounding futuristic with its electronic keyboard bleeps and blips that move in sync with the drum beats. This approach may turn their old fans off at first but after you give Travellers several spins your ears starts to get it.

The song structures start to grab you because each track is a well crafted pop machine even though lyrically they can be a bit thin at times.

This of course has never held The Apples In Stereo back and on Travellers in Space and Time the songs shine so much from their polished finish that you never even question that it should be any different - you just conclude that it is another solid outing.

Christopher Anthony

For more of Christopher Anthony's music reviews, check out The Fire Note