Do not be put off. The History of Apple Pie are far, far superior at writing and performing their scuzzy, noisy, pop-tinged tunes than thinking up a band name.
Opening for New Yorkers The Drums at the O2 Academy in Bristol, the fresh five-piece appear to be relics from a Dinosaur Jr/ Sonic Youth/ My Bloody Valentine low-fidelity dream dating from somewhere just before Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ exploded globally.
Dressed in baggy, charity-shop grungery, with a pair of shoegazing guitarists and a downplayed, almost shy stage presence (lead vocalist Stephanie Min only took down the hood of her jumper three quarters the way into the set), The History of Apple Pie look just how they sound.
Laid-back, dirty guitar riffing and down-to-earth, cool bass and drums are noisily melded together in some dazzling, crisp songs. Dreamy vocals, float over this backdrop, but the real magic of the performance comes forth when the harmonization of both female vocalists blend to warmly lift sections of their repertoire, such as recent single release ‘Mallory’.
Elsewhere ‘Science for the Young’ has a retro-rawness of energy, ticking all the identikit-boxes of a recreation of Dinosaur Jrs’ ‘Freak Scene’. Whereas strength in songwriting and arrangement is prevalent throughout the well-received set, melody-over-noise is really the real selling point that the multicultural London quintet wins the audience over with.
In their infancy as a band, they are finding their feet in terms of developing beyond some obvious influences, but with the flurry of excitement in the capital surrounding their initial releases on Roundtable and, with time on their side, expect positive things from The History of Apple Pie over the next year; though it is a little late to change THAT name…….
