Silver Apples

Editors’ Notes Silver Apples' 1968 debut album was largely ignored on its initial release, being simply too weird for most people to comprehend at the time. Yet the duo have since been cited as a major influence on bands such as Spacemen 3, Stereolab, and Portishead and have been sampled by countless electronic combos. With vocals, drums, and multiple oscillators, the Apples' sound is surprisingly melodic and delightfully primitive (having been recorded to four-track). Many of the tunes center on just a few notes from Simeon Coxe III (a.k.a. Simeon), whose pop ear is sharper than his avant-garde reputation might suggest, and detailed rhythm tracks from Danny Taylor, whose playing suggests jazz as much as rock. "Oscillations," "Seagreen Serenades," "Program," and "Whirlybird" are plenty catchy in a stark, minimalist way, while the repetitions and beeps and burps of "Velvet Cave," "Lovefingers," and "Dust" shed light on the '70s punk band Suicide. The tribal beats and austerity of "Dancing Gods" could be a companion piece to Public Image Ltd.'s The Flowers of Romance, an album recorded 13 years later. The follow-up album, 1969's Contact, continues the madness.