The Apples in Stereo, “Travellers in Space and Time” (Yep Roc)
Former Denverites continue to carry the torch of upbeat indie-pop into the 21st century — and beyond — with their knowingly titled seventh album, “Travellers in Space and Time.”
As is the case with most of the band’s output, the title refers to singer-songwriter Robert Schneider’s endearing retro-futurism as much as the cutesy cosmic themes permeating his lyrics. And while Schneider has always flirted with soft- rock clichés, here he nakedly embraces them.
Don’t worry — itap not exactly the “ELO-ification” of the band some critics have warned of (ahem, The Onion, with whom I agree most of the time), though much like Jeff Lynne’s Lyne’s ’70s squish-rock titans, guitars and organic sounds take a back seat to “Xanadu”-style synth lines and heavily compressed vocals.
The album’s undisputed highlight comes early in “Hey Elevator,” a Hall & Oates-style pop number thatap almost as satisfying as that actap own melodic genius (yes, they were geniuses. Get over yourself). Ultimately, “Travellers” is not the most rockin’ Apples album, but it does prove Schneider’s well of ideas is as enthusiastically sweet as it is deep. — John Wenzel
Carole King and James Taylor, “Live at the Troubadour” (Hear Music)
In advance of their large-scale tour together, and her longtime friend/collaborator will release “Live at the Troubadour” next week, bringing the duo back to the famed Hollywood room that gave them their start.
So before they play the on July 14, fans can hear King and Taylor take on soft-rock standards such as “Itap Too Late,” “Something in the Way She Moves” and “Carolina in My Mind.” The songs have changed a bit over the years, but not a lot — and fans will pay for that kind of familiarity.
Taylor has a way of crafting songs that are like good friends — always there for you, helping you through the tough times. A few of his songs in this collection date to his work with the Beatles’ Apple Records, including “Carolina” and “Something in the Way She Moves.” But the most memorable cut here is Taylor’s nuanced interpretation of “Fire and Rain.” This version, with King on piano and Taylor on acoustic guitar, has Taylor playing with his emphasis and rhythms. Itap kind of magical. — Ricardo Baca
Roky Erickson, “True Love Cast Out All Evil” (Anti-)
Legends rarely live up to close scrutiny, as is the case with psychedelic-rock godfather/schizophrenic . Thatap not to discount Erickson’s unpredictable, frequently brilliant way with melodies and words. Itap just that the Austin, Texas, native is not always as essential as his supporters would contend.
Thatap especially apparent on “True Love Cast Out All Evil,” an album as filled with desperately rootsy arrangements as it is solid, unassuming songwriting. Austin indie rockers do a fine job acting as Erickson’s backing band, framing his dry, cracked vocals with spare acoustics, electric guitars and just enough production fuzz to communicate the songs’ immediacy.
But the album only makes sense only in the context of Erikson’s well-documented rise, fall and recent recovery. Otherwise, it feels a bit like the last two, inferior entries in Johnny Cash’s “American” series: respectable but ultimately strained attempts to recast a fading legend. –John Wenzel
Aqualung, “Magnetic North” (Verve Forecast)
Take a few upbeat, infectiously catchy pop-rock songs and strategically place them with a glut of middle-of-the-road adult contemporary tracks and the result is new album, “Magnetic North.”
These are the vanilla-sounding tracks that make it impossible to distinguish the artist. The album attempts to forge new ground, but does not do enough to engage the listener. With the exception of a few tracks, “Magnetic North” begs the question: What makes Aqualung different than any of the other artists in the oversaturated adult-contemporary genre?
“Magnetic North” roars out of the gate with the track “New Friend.” But after that, the album quickly slows down and retreats. It’s as if one-man band Matt Hales could not decide what he wanted to do next. Rather than push the pedal to the floor and explore new territory, he eases off the gas and slips back into his comfort zone.
To Hale’s credit, “Magnetic North” has more vocal and instrumental layering than ܲܲԲ’s previous albums. The layering provides a much richer sound, but adds very little to the overall listener experience. Adding layering to indistinguishable songs does not suddenly make them distinguishable.
The album picks back up again with “Hummingbird,” but at this point it is not enough to salvage “Magnetic North.” — Greg Stieber
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post. He is also the executive director of the , Colorado’s premier indie music festival. Follow his whimsies at , his live music habit at and his iTunes addictions at .
John Wenzel is the co-editor of Reverb, editor of the blog and an A&E reporter for The Denver Post. His book was recently published by Speck Press. He also maintains a of random song titles.
Greg Stieber is a Denver freelance writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
