The Apples in Stereo Sign to Elijah Wood's New Record Label

We are very happy to finally be able to announce that the Apples first new album in five years, entitled "New Magnetic Wonder" will be released on February 7 - the inaugural release on Elijah Wood's new label, Simian Records (co-release with Yep Roc Records / Elephant 6).

Read below for more information about "New Magnetic Wonder" and the Apples - including details on the amicable departure of longtime Apples drummer and vocalist Hilarie Sidney, Robert Schneider's invention of a new musical scale, and the songs and special guests on this slice of pop heaven:

Los Angeles, CA – September 19, 2006 – Celebrated indie rock band The Apples in Stereo have been signed to a new label and will release their first album in five years, the pop triumph New Magnetic Wonder. Scheduled for release on February 7th, New Magnetic Wonder marks the debut album to be distributed on Elijah Wood's newly formed Simian Records (co-released and distributed via Yep Roc Records/Elephant 6/Redeye Distribution).

Apples lead singer Robert Schneider met Wood at SXSW music festival in Austin, TX in 2003. As fate would have it, the Apples, who recently departed from their long-time label spinART, were looking for a new label at exactly the same time Wood was launching Simian Records.

"I've been a fan of the Apples for years," said Elijah Wood. "I'm truly honored and excited that New Magnetic Wonder will be Simian Records first release."

Glenn Dicker, President and Co-owner of Yep Roc Records continues, "Everyone at Yep Roc is very excited about the relationship we are building with Elijah and his new label. Given our mutual passion for the Apples, this is a fantastic record to get the ball rolling with on this new venture. We're looking forward to doing many new projects together in the future."

New Magnetic Wonder is an ambitious LP clocking in at 53 minutes containing 14 songs and 12 additional musical segue-ways (or 'link tracks' as Schneider refers to them). The album features an array of special guests including many members of the Elephant 6 collective. Sticking with their indie-rock pedigree the Apples sought the production skills of acclaimed engineer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Sebadoh, Phish, Sean Lennon) who mixed their last record "Velocity of Sound."

Recorded in five cities (Brooklyn, NY; Lexington, NY; Denver, CO; Athens, GA; and Benton, KY) over 12 months, the recording and completion of New Magnetic Wonder spanned great change within the band (which includes bass player Eric Allen and guitarist John Hill). New Magnetic Wonder led Schneider through a labyrinth of new directions, including the recent departure of the band's longtime drummer and second vocalist, Hilarie Sidney, to focus on her own band The High Water Marks, as well as Schneider’s invention of a new musical scale.

The "Non-Pythagorean Scale" will be featured on an enhanced portion of this multimedia CD release, which includes digital files for MIDI usage and an in-depth description by Schneider of the Non-Pythagorean scale both in both document and video form.

New Magnetic Wonder contains such fist pumping anthems as "Can You Feel It?," the 70's AM radio-esque "Same Old Drag," the slice of infectious vocoder heaven "Joanie Don't U Worry" (a 'link track' throwback to the "Computer Love" of the late 80s/early 90s), and the Mellotron majesty of "Energy." This is perfect music for Jeff Lynne and Brian Wilson to make-out to.

However, this is a mere fraction of New Magnetic Wonder's pop conquest!

National and regional tour dates for the Apples in Stereo will be announced shortly.

Track Listing:

SIDE 1

1. Can You Feel It?
2. Skyway
3. Mellotron 1
4. Energy
5. Same Old Drag
6. Joanie Don't U Worry
7. Sunndal Song**
8. Droplet
9. Play Tough
10. Sun is Out
11. Non-Pythagorean Composition 1

SIDE 2

12. Hello Lola
13. 7 Stars
14. Mellotron 2
15. Sunday Sounds**
16. Open Eyes
17. Crimson
18. Pre-Crimson
19. Vocoder Ba Ba
20. Radiation
21. Beautiful Machine Parts 1-2
22. Beautiful Machine Parts 3-4
23. My Pretend
24. Non-Pythagorean Composition 3
**Composed by Hilarie Sidney

Additional Musicians (in alphabetical order):

Anonymous studio musicians - Mellotron tape banks.
Per Ole Bratset - lead guitar, sound effects.
Bill Doss - backing vocals, vocal arrangement, Piano Fun, acoustic guitar, handclaps.
John Ferguson - backing vocals.
John Fernandes - bass clarinet, violins.
Pete Fitzpatrick - euphonium.
Bryce Goggin - electronic effects.
Matthew Goodman - backing vocals.
W. Cullen Hart - drums, backing vocals, electronic effects, handclaps, backwards poetry, plastic whistle.
Otto Helmuth - mandolin, backing vocals, handclaps.
Jeff Holland - lap steel, echoplex.
London audience - anger due to Apples' overly-loud guitars.
Jeff Mangum - drums, cow object, backing vocals, handclaps.
Tony Miller - backing vocals.
Craig Morris - lead and backwards guitar, Mellotron, fuzz bass.
Adam Sachs - cowbell, tamborine.
Zack Shaw - alto sax, weird toys, echoplex.