The Discovery Of A World Inside The Moone

The Discovery Of A World Inside The Moone is not nearly as pretentious as the title would suggest. It is simply the third album of glorious guitar pop from US eccentrics, The Apples In Stereo, whose frontman, Rob Schneider’s CV includes production duties for The Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel, as well as guesting on Cornelius’ well-received Fantasma.

The album could nearly have been called The Discovery of A Beach Boy Inside Your Head, such is the influence of the Wilson brothers in terms of laid-back melodies and almost indolently superb harmonies.

The opening, hook-laden ‘Go’ is a fabulous statement of intent, the brass section driving matters along with a chirpy edge it would otherwise lack and the guitars glimmering, while the chorus is as infectious as an aggressive flu strain. Then there’s the laidback goofy charms of ‘The Rainbow’, the 60s’-influenced guitar swirls of ‘I Can’t Believe’ and ‘Allright/Not Quite’, or the bittersweet ‘Look Away’, pervaded for once by the spirit of The Beatles.

The melodies throughout are pristine, while the musicianship is exemplary and the vocals drip just the right amount of honey. The lyrics

aren’t exactly profound but are filled with images of fresh green glades, playing antelope and "aristocrats with thistle hats" (‘What Happened Then’).

The Apples In Stereo saunter into your stereo with lazy smiles and broad melodies, and then let their music amble its way into your good books.