Rating: NNN
It’s almost time to call a moratorium on 1990s revival indie rock bands. The sub-genre – yes, the sound is so prevalent it can’t be shrugged off as a passing fad – is overflowing: wah-wah-pedal-loving Yuck, fuzzy indie poppers the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and a plethora of other jangly four-pieces that cite Stephen Malkmus as a hero.
Kicking off 2013 are the History of Apple Pie, Londoners whose debut album adds surprising freshness to the game. Their high school anthems about teenage heartache are melodic and poppy, executed in a veil of shoegaze. Stephanie Min’s sweet vocals, which can be a bit monotonous, are the perfect foil to all the backing noise, and distinguish the band from their peers.
The album has its super-twee moments but is never insufferable, which is actually remarkable, considering that the band is named after a classic all-American comfort dessert.
Top track: Glitch
