415-771-1420
The late 1960s and early '70s saw the mini-phenomenon of "bubblegum music" that sold lots of records and received mucho disdain from "serious" rock critics. Ohio Express, the Lemon Pipers, and the Archies might not have been "real" bands, but boy were their singles irresistible. Fluff? Indeed, but their cartoony, manic tunefulness inspired the Ramones, Redd Kross, and Apples in Stereo. Behold Apples' Stephen Colbert nod, "Stephen, Stephen"— honey-sweet warbling, a crackling melody, and the last-day-of-school-before-summer buoyancy, all under two minutes. You'll play it again immediately. These shiny Apples integrate aspects of the Beatles and the Beach Boys, along with punk-pop cheekiness, and instantly scatter shadows and gloom. They even contributed to the Powerpuff Girls cartoon soundtrack — sometimes things do work out in this life.
415-771-1420
