When did life start getting so serious?

I have spent the last few weeks pouring over numerous financial documents, having numerous conversations with people trying to sell me their “best” deals – I’m jaded by the whole process and at this point I can just about summon the energy to do anything else.

The re-mortgage should be finalised next week…hopefully. On top of that I have had to contend with changing my electric/gas providers as the “budget deal” I had with my current supplier Scottish Power has just run out - they haven’t dropped their prices recently… and they have said they won't be either in the future.

There must be some central database with my details showing that my deal was up – this week has seen three energy companies knocking at more doors trying to sell the same old cobblers products.

Lucky for me I have the Internet and I can do the price comparisons – the older residents of my street are not so lucky and they may be taken in by these sharks.

I took great delight in taking the wind out the guy from NPower’s sails when I rendered his spiel obsolete, by having the facts I’d garnered form the Internet to hand – which I quoted back to him.

While I’m on the subject why do they always start with the same line of “I’m not trying to sell you anything,” when they knock at your door, when the end of a successful conversation on their part involves taking away my bank details to process and plunder.

I have also had to change my home insurance, take out a new mortgage/income protection policies - added to this I now have a critical insurance policy that I have just taken out.

With pay day well over a week away the Clark coffers are certainly a little threadbare to say the least – though if I was to cark it tomorrow – my estate would garner untold riches according to small print in the critical illness policy.

The same small print also says I wouldn’t covered in the event of suicide in the first twelve months – which is fine as I have no intentions of topping myself.

But in twelve months time, if a pile of my clothes turn up on a beach near here – don’t worry, I’ll have claimed my untold riches and buggered off somewhere hot!

Magnetic Wonder The Apples In Stereo – New Magnetic Wonder (Yep Roc/Simian)

It is rare that a band can produce an album that is retro focused, but still tinged with a dash of innovation. The latest release from the Apples In Stereo is that rarefied album. This is not so much a release - it’s more a work of art.

Multimedia releases such as this may dazzle when they are unleashed from the cellophane packaging but when played often they can disappoint. Repeated plays of New Magnetic Wonder confirm that this is style and substance in equal measure.

This is the band’s fifth official full-length release and the first on Elijah Wood’s Simian Records label and given the wealth of content on this album, it is no surprise that it’s the first release in five years. The tardiness can be forgiven, considering the quality on display here.

In the days when downloads are in the ascendancy and physical formats in terminal decline, it is a joy to know that something as lovingly put together as this exists – it is certainly something worth taking the trouble to go out and purchase.

There are twenty-four tracks across the album - some with traditional verse-chorus song structures as well as examples of the newly devised musical scale the Non-Pythagorean composition number 18.

The genesis of which is lovingly detailed on the enhanced section of the album. Robert Schneider is certainly the living embodiment of a genius in rock - proven by his pushing of the boundaries here.

The songs are what matter and they are certainly up to standard with the dazzling array of extras.

The opener Can You Feel It? - is a real call-to-arms which explores many of the musical ideas replicated across the album. Even the heckling of the audience at a gig in London get a look-in and are duly credited on the sleeve notes – “anger due to Apples’ overly loud guitars”.
The summery nature of Energy is replicated throughout and it is a hallmark of the retro styling throughout – with lashings of sumptuous Beatles and Beach Boys harmonies.

The vocoder is put to use on Same Old Drag. This song suggests a love of ELO, which is ok these days, now they have been fully rehabilitated as a guilty pleasure. At times this has something of the French band Air about it too – which is no bad thing either.

For me the pick of the album are the tunes 7 Stars and Radiation. The epic 7 Stars sits neatly in the middle of the album – most bands with a paucity of material would build up to a tune like this and make it the focal point of the album.

Radiation is the last of the traditionally structured songs and it has to be on top of its game considering what comes next. Four songs from home the epic Beautiful Machine Parts 1-2 & Beautiful Machine Parts 3-4 are a truly majestic end to the album and are songs that evoke thoughts of the Lilly’s at their finest.

If this is not enough and this leaves you wanting more? After 24 tracks (16 full tunes and 8 incidental pieces) - you can take the trouble to go online to download two extra tracks The Apples In Stereo Theme and Atom Bomb. These are slightly throwaway tracks but are still worth checking out.

The list of credits is endless and that isn’t surprising given the truly expansive nature of the release, neither too is the dedication to Syd Barrett who would no doubt have been blown away by some of the ideas at work here, had it been released when he was carving out soundscapes and pushing back musical barriers.

Here’s to seeing what direction turn next time out, but for now don’t download this, go out and buy it, as this is truly has something for everyone.