I’ll get to the music in a minute but on presentation alone this is a nice little piece of vinyl. Candy apple red colored clear wax (limited to 500), super glossy gate-fold cover, and a download coupon. Well awright. The cover art is a nod to Roxy Music’s 1974 “Country Life” album. This has little to do with anything. I wasn’t even sure I knew any Roxy tunes till I searched the album on Amazon. Turns out I do but again this has little to do with anything, let alone Sweet Apple. Mostly the throwback 1974 design is a playful way to evoke the spirit of 70s rock in general rather than Roxy Music specifically. I will say this though, cover art with chicks in their underwear giving themselves hand bras is better suited for the 12”x12” format rather than displaying it on a much smaller CD jewel case. Yet another reason to buy vinyl if you’re making a list.
Sweet Apple is made up of J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr., Witch, …& The Fog, Deep Wound), Dave Sweetapple (also Witch), Tim Parnin (Cobra Verde), and John Petkovic (also Cobra Verde). I guess that makes them a super group. If Witch was Mascis and Sweetapple’s ode to Black Sabbath then Sweet Apple is their ode to 70s Arena Rock. I’m kinda surprised this one has been getting poor reviews on a bunch of other sites. I mean I’m not surprised Pitchfork gave them a 5.1… I’m actually relieved. I hate when I agree with those hipster asstards. But yeah in general I’m just kinda surprised there are not more people championing this one. I dig the hell out of it. It’s just a fun, unpretentious slab of Classic Rock. And seeing as how I grew up listening to NY stations like 102.7 and 92.3 in my parents cars I’m happy to hear that old sound dusted off and given another whirl.
“Love & Desperation” doesn’t break new ground and it won’t be the beginning of a 70s Rock revivalist movement or anything either. It’s just a bunch of guys that got together and had a good time. I read somewhere that during the making of this album Petkovic was getting over the death of his mom. You wouldn’t know it from the songs though. None of them are morose or mourning really. But I think what it proves is that for many Rock and Roll will set you free. It gets you through the day when you need that extra push. And that’s how I feel about this album. It’s a push in the right direction. So ignore the critics and check this one out.
Oh and one more thing. I ordered this off Amazon. They packaged the hell out of it and surprisingly sent colored vinyl even though they didn’t advertise it as such. I have a feeling this vinyl thing is here to stay. Who knew?
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Atah!