On the Record
Music | 2/13/07
Posted online at 11:02 PM EST on 2/12/07
The more radio-friendly songs on New Magnetic Wonder take their influences from both the Beatles and the sunny pop of the 1960s, as well as the alternative rock of the 1990s. Such are very guitar-based, making the weird experimental tracks quite welcome. The apparent single, "Energy," leaves a little to be desired in its incessant, 1960s-imitative repetition. You can't expect every Apples in Stereo song to be "Can't Buy Me Love," however. New Magnetic Wonder confirms the Apples' place as the premier jangle-pop band in America: The experimental songs are palatable enough to popsters, and the pop songs are clever enough to hold the interests of listeners who want more than sunny guitars and redundant choruses.
-Andrea Fineman
Sondre Lerche
Phantom Punch
on Astralwerks
B
The first word that comes to mind when listening to Sondre Lerche's newest album is "eh." Phantom Punch, overall, is not as melodious and feel-good as the 24-year-old Norwegian's previous discs, despite several moments worthy of toe-tapping, and fans will be surprised to hear a more aggressive sound. His voice is still saccharine, but the rhythms are a little more jolty and rocking, making for a slightly unsettling combination.
Lerche made somewhat of a name for himself-mostly in indie circles-with his 2002 debut, Faces Down.
Listening to Phantom Punch, many fans will find themselves missing the sweet, adorably blonde boy whose lullabies and charming falsetto adorned Faces Down and its follow-up, Two Way Monologue. That Lerche is nowhere to be heard for almost the first half of Phantom Punch. It's clear that Lerche is attempting to break into a more aggressive sound, but the results are lukewarm at best.
One exception is "After All," which recalls heavily the sound of Faces Down. "Tragic Mirror" will also succeed in reviving the sweetness of that album. And while Phantom Punch, on the whole, isn't especially painful to listen to, the majority of the songs is fairly unmemorable indie rock. The faster cuts aren't energetic enough to be truly danceable, while the ballads fail to capture the swoon-worthy qualities of his older albums. Phantom Punch is a decent effort on Lerche's part to break into new territory, but it won't replace Faces Down in any fan's heart.
-Rachel Pfeffer
-Andrea Fineman
Sondre Lerche
Phantom Punch
on Astralwerks
B
The first word that comes to mind when listening to Sondre Lerche's newest album is "eh." Phantom Punch, overall, is not as melodious and feel-good as the 24-year-old Norwegian's previous discs, despite several moments worthy of toe-tapping, and fans will be surprised to hear a more aggressive sound. His voice is still saccharine, but the rhythms are a little more jolty and rocking, making for a slightly unsettling combination.
Lerche made somewhat of a name for himself-mostly in indie circles-with his 2002 debut, Faces Down.
Listening to Phantom Punch, many fans will find themselves missing the sweet, adorably blonde boy whose lullabies and charming falsetto adorned Faces Down and its follow-up, Two Way Monologue. That Lerche is nowhere to be heard for almost the first half of Phantom Punch. It's clear that Lerche is attempting to break into a more aggressive sound, but the results are lukewarm at best.
One exception is "After All," which recalls heavily the sound of Faces Down. "Tragic Mirror" will also succeed in reviving the sweetness of that album. And while Phantom Punch, on the whole, isn't especially painful to listen to, the majority of the songs is fairly unmemorable indie rock. The faster cuts aren't energetic enough to be truly danceable, while the ballads fail to capture the swoon-worthy qualities of his older albums. Phantom Punch is a decent effort on Lerche's part to break into new territory, but it won't replace Faces Down in any fan's heart.
-Rachel Pfeffer
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