Apple O' comes on the heels of 2002's acclaimed Reveille, a half-hour blast of unhinged sonic experimentation set to Satomi Matsuzaki's sweet and deceptively simple melodies. In contrast, the first thing one notices about Apple O' is that it is remarkably more subdued than its predecessor. The band seems to be focused on developing more traditional (and slightly more complex) song structures this time around, resulting in a pace that is generally slower and more melodic.
Deerhoof does let loose at times: the gallop of album opener "Dummy Discards a Heart," the chorus of "Flower," the distorted electronics of "Sealed With A Kiss," and the climax of the album's longest track, "Apple Bomb." A few tender pop moments are present on songs such as "Apple Bomb" and "Dinner for Two," and the album's final two tracks are even acoustic in nature, with "Adam+Eve Connection" featuring drummer Greg Saunier on an enjoyable vocal turn.
But the one thing that's missing from Apple O' is the avant-garde experimentation and borderline noise that made Reveille such a fun ride. In many ways, Apple O' resembles a typical jangly indie pop album more than the naive pop/noise hybrid Deerhoof is known for. Nevertheless, Apple O' is still an enjoyable album, featuring some surprisingly warm and melodic pop ditties and just the occasional musical racket.
1. Dummy Discards a Heart
2. Heart Failure
3. Sealed with a Kiss
4. Flower
5. My Diamond Star Car
6. Apple Bomb
7. The Forbidden Fruits
8. L'Amour Stories
9. Dinner for Two
10. Panda Panda Panda
11. Hayley and Homer
12. Adam+Eve Connection
13. Blue Cash
More about: Deerhoof
