Electronic Projects for Musicians

As a collection of b-sides and rarities spanning 1995 to 2007, Electronic Projects for Musicians makes for an interesting “alternate” route in what’s been an already offhand side trip of a career. Apples in Stereo specialize in subverting conventional ‘60s-styled pop songs with experimental recording techniques that make it seem as if they’re being transmitted from another galaxy. Take away the distant vocal echo, modify the crunchy guitar fuzz, and subdue the mechanical rhythm box beats and a track such as “So Far Away” wouldn’t seem so alien. It also wouldn’t be as much fun. Among the oddities featured: frontman Robert Schneider’s tribute to Stephen Colbert (“Stephen Stephen”), his own band’s personal manifesto (“The Apples Theme Song”), an odd folky throwaway (“Thank You Very Much”), other clever, brilliantly harmonized pop tunes (“Onto Something,” “On Your Own”) and a recently finished track (“Dreams”) that was originally intended for release ten years previous for the band’s second album Tone Soul Evolution.