I managed to completely miss this on release but it's great so here's a belated update for you all... The London based quintet The History of Apple Pie returned with their new single "Don't You Wanna Be Mine?" last month, the first track since their debut album Out of View, it's a banger too...
A slice (sorry) of catchy, grungy pop which sees the perfect marriage of beautiful, soft vocal harmonies, an infectious chorus and rough, rugged guitar scuzz. There's even time for a meaty solo at the end - ace.
The History of Apple Pie were one of the (relative) success stories of last year, newly formed a few demo tracks on the 'net spawned an impressive number of facebook followers (over three thousand), two excellent releases and some pretty great shows, after a little breather to start 2012 the five piece are back with a new track "Do It Wrong".
It's the heaviest, 90's influenced grungy track from the band to date, the super charged guitar riffs are colossal and ragged though through the noisy fuzz the band are sensible enough to leave their catchy pop sensibilities well alone, alluring melodies and sugar sweet vocals still highly evident, a ridiculous cliché to follow but "Do It Wrong" is very much done right, a very welcome return.
Limited to just 300 and released via the ever excellent Marshall Teller Records, you can pre-order this beauty via Rough Trade now - don't expect them to hang around too long.
This will be my first Field Day, I was tempted to go last year but it was the day after my birthday and the lure of curry and beers in my home-town proved more than sufficient to keep me out of East London. Taking place at Victoria Park the line-up is pretty spectacular, if the weather cools down a little (yes I'm now moaning it is too hot after weeks of asking where our summer was) it promises to be a spectacular day.
Here's my suggested day plan, there are so many great bands that clashes are inevitable so I've adopted a policy of seeing bands I've not seen / seen less / won't be seeing again in the near future (sorry Echo Lake / 2:54 and more):
Since I last mentioned THoAP back in early June they've been Guardian New Band of the Day and released their debut single "You're So Cool", they'll open up proceedings at midday, so make sure you head down to Victoria Park early enough to catch their beautifully melodic, hazy summers day slabs of indie pop.
Finally, and I do mean finally, I'll be catching Anika live, I couldn't make her last two London shows and I'm extremely excited about the chance of seeing her perform tracks from her stunning self-titled debut. Her detached, dubby take of some classic tracks delivered with her nonchalant vocals and pulsating electronic throb gives an eerie, paranoid feeling, I love it. Yes I'm looking forward to Anika
Anika has recently announced a whole host of American dates, go and see her.
Connan Mockasin // Laneway Festival Stage // 13.50
I can't remember why but I missed Connan Mockasin at Primavera and will certainly try to correct that on Saturday. He has a distinctive, unique and undoubtedly strange style. I'm interested to see how his psychedelic / spaced-out / weirdo tracks translate on-stage, if nothing else it's going to be a little bit out there.
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti // Village Mentality Stage // 14.45
From one leftfield and creative artist to another, with Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti whose combination of 70's funk, hippy psychedelia and pop melodies provided one of last years most critically acclaimed albums and it should be an intriguing listen.
When Field Day was originally announced with the return of Electrelane at it's forefront a thousand indie-boy's had good dreams that night, I missed their sold-out Scala show, so this will be my first time catching them since their re-form.
Encompassing weaving guitar riffs, breezy vocals and swirling organ, Electrelane will be on stage showing why everyone got quite so excited when they announced the comeback. I cannot wait to here "The Valley" and "To The East" live.
Zola Jesus // Bloggers Delight/Lanzarote Stage // 16:50
One of the most annoying clashes mean I could well end up missing half ofthe Zola Jesus set (thankfully I'm due to see Nika at both End of the Road and her headlining London show in September), the introduction to her forthcoming album "Vessel" was simply incredible and I can't wait to hear the rest of 'Conatus'. One of the most striking voices in the industry and such a prolific and exceptional songstress. If this is your only chance to see ZJ, don't miss out.
Visions of Trees // Do You Come Here Often? Stage // 17:40
Visions of Trees released "Sometimes It Kills" back in February, a track I really like and probably should have blogged in its own right, after the initial hype in all honesty I forgot about the duo until I was looking through the Field Day schedule and saw their name.
I'll definitely go and check them out, the atmospheric, ethereal dreaminess of "Sometimes it Kills" should translate perfectly, some of their other tracks like "Sorrow" have a darker, late-night club feel - should be interesting in an East London park then!
Still Corners // Do You Come Here Often? Stage // 18:30
Still Corners aren't to be missed, the days until their debut pass by slowly but surely, it's going to be one of my favourite albums of the year without doubt. Everything the London based group have done so far has been to die for, from the kaleidoscope soundscapes of "History of Love" to the fleeting beauty of "Wish" and ambient, shimmering wash of "Cuckoo". To die for I tell you.
Warpaint appear to be at every festival I've been to this year, I think that says a lot for their intensive touring schedule since probably early last year. I've seen them eight times now I think and I'm anything but bored, I'll probably have to miss the first ten minutes walking from SC's but once I'm there I won't be moving for anybody. I don't need to explain who and what Warpaint are again but if you've been living in the mountains this past year, get ready for your jaw to hit the floor.
Veronica Falls // Do You Come Here Often? Stage // 21:00
One of my initial tips for 2011 spent the first half of the year in relative silence before announcing that they'd signed to Bella Union and were releasing their debut LP in September, it's going to be a cracker too.
This is what I said about them in December 2010 and it's stand's almost true today "Found Love in a Graveyard" is one of my songs of the year, it's a lovely little ramshackle of infectious and basically bloody brilliant indie pop and one song which sums up the mood of Veronica Falls very well. Fast paced, lyrically dark and to coin one of my most used lines on this blog; gorgeous ethereal vocals. "Starry Eyed" a jangly sugary-sweet pop song shows them in a slightly lighter frame of mind, but one equally good (impressive)."
Last but by no means least ending my day (unless I go to an after-show but after ten hours on my feet who knows how likely that is) will be Factory Floor, whose industrial sounds built around metronomic, hypnotic pulses are repetitive and utterly compelling.
A couple of months after I first caught ontoThe History Of Apple Pie are ready to releases their debut single 'You're So Cool', which will be released June 27th by Roundtable Records on limited edition vinyl and will also include the track "Some Kind" as a B-side.
You can listen to both below; we've previously heard "You're So Cool", with it's chugging baseline, gorgeous dreamy vocals, it's a perfect summery soundtrack. Any song that's with a sort of take on 'True Romance' is good with me.
"Some Kind" is a slight departure, a feedback drenched introduction leads to a more urgent, upbeat, noise fuzz-pop track though, the band are clever enough to leave their catchy melodies and sugar sweet vocals well alone.
The History of Apple Pie are a relatively new London act who have a sold out split-tape to their name and have been making their name by playing a host of gigs around the capital, with a dozen or so due over the next few months (full dates here - I'll be at the 2:54 / Echo Lake show, a line-up far too good too miss)...
The band first came to my attention with a support slot with Pains of Being Pure at Heart in early March, a pretty apt bill for the band as their delightfully pretty indie pop isn't too dissimilar from New York City shoegazers. THoAP only have a handful of tracks on their soundcloud and from tracks like "Mallory", "You're so Cool" and "Tug" it seems they've got a real knack for conjuring up a mood enhancing track, with saccharine sweet melodic vocals and guitars glazed with a gentle veneer of fuzz and jangle, it's a perfect sound to soundtrack your summer, and the next stage after the C86 revival.
I imagine a host of A&R's will be lining up to give the band a platform to release their material, if not, then I know Verulamium Records will!
