Kill Rock Stars
2003
Apple O'
About This Album
Crashing in at just over half an hour long, Apple O' brims over with as many vivid bursts of musical and lyrical inspiration as Deerhoof's other albums, but offers a little more conceptual structure for the band's outbursts and childlike melodies. As the title implies, Apple O' (my eye) revolves around the band's musings on love, sex, and creation, and in its own way, their freewheeling, spontaneous style captures the feeling of being head over heels perfectly. Songs like "Dummy Discards a Heart" -- which loosely likens being in love to playing cards -- and "Flower" make such a joyful noise that it's difficult not to be swept up in the band's quirky but potent happiness. This invigorating feel seeps into even the quieter tracks on Apple O', such as "The Forbidden Fruits," a jazzy excursion in which Satomi Matsuzaki explores the phonetic beauty of the phrase "Leopard fur no store," and the strummy, folky finale "Blue Cash." Matsuzaki's vocals play a bigger part on this album than they do on Deerhoof's prior album, the excellent Reveille, which also gives Apple O' a poppier, more accessible bent than some of their earlier work; with their rippling guitars and sweet vocals, "Heart Failure," "Dinner for Two," and "L'Amour Stories" come close to being straightforwardly pretty.
Track List (try tracks 1,5,6 and 12)

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