Music Review: The History Of Apple Pie, Feel Something

By Melissa Bratcher

On their second album, Feel Something, London’s The History Of Apple Pie fully embrace the ‘90s throwback, shoe-gazey style that they explored on their previous release, 2013’s Out Of View. Listening to Feel Something is like taking a trip back to the not terribly long ago, but longer than I think it was past. The cover of Feel Something even looks a bit like a My Bloody Valentine cover.

But what about the music, you ask, and well you should. There’s a pleasing sonic sheen to the songs from The History Of Apple Pie. The music is produced well, and Jerome Watson’s guitar is reliably grungy and at the forefront of the mix. Lead singer Steph Min has a wispy, breathy, little girly voice that doesn’t fare so well. Her voice is mostly agreeable to the ear, but it is buried under the guitar and sometimes barely discernable. It’s crazy hard to pick up the lyrics.

The wild guitar in “Come Undone” sounds like a ping pong ball gone mad, and the song feels like a lost Curve tune, but with buried vocals. On the propulsive “Tame,” the plinky piano keeps rhythm while the guitar wallows in grittiness. The guitar sound on “Puzzles” is nice and melty. It begins quite hushed, then swells to cacophony with some crisp drum fills.

The beginning of “Keep Wandering” sounds like it is coming through a blown speaker, muddy and distant. It’s a fine effect, and who didn’t blow a speaker in the ‘90s? When the sound brightens up, it becomes shimmeringly clear. “Don’t You Wanna Be Mine?” has some of the most aggressive tambourine playing committed to a recording. There’s a retro vibe, further back than the ‘90s, almost a girl group pastiche, but layered with gritty, reverby guitar.

I liked Feel Something. I didn’t love it. It’s a slight record, but fun. Perhaps if the vocals were more forward and Min got the same sort of prominence as the guitar it would have worked better. Not that the guitar needs to be buried, mind, because Jerome Watson is an excellent guitar player. Feel Something just feels unfinished.

Feel Something was released on September 30 by Marshall Teller Records.