Optical Atlas

Ben Crum of Great Lakes has posted three new songs from their forthcoming album on the band’s MySpace page.  At last!

And NPR’s All Songs Considered calls The Apples in Stereo’s Travellers in Space and Time their “best album yet.”

Robert Schneider discusses what his concept of “science fiction” would be for the latest album by The Apples in Stereo, Travellers in Space and Time, at the Onion AV Club:

5 bands (and one Russian composer) that turned the Apples in Stereo into sci-fi buffs

The band hits Milwaukee’s Turner Hall Ballroom tomorrow night…

The Wesleyan Argus has conducted this interview with The Apples in Stereo’s Eric Allen.  He talks about getting Bill Doss to sing on the new album, ELO and other influences, and the whole “American Idols cover the Apples” thing.  Thanks to soniclovenoize for the link.

The latest album from The Apples in Stereo, Travellers in Space and Time, is released next Tuesday (April 20th), but you can purchase it at participating retailers on Record Store Day this Saturday, April 17th.  Do so, and you’ll receive a free copy of the 12″ Future Vintage: Covers of The Apples in Stereo, featuring Ted Leo, Bad Veins, Throw Me the Statue, The Generationals, Maps and Atlases, and Elf Power.  (Check here for a list of all participating stores.)  The Travellers in Space and Time tour kicks off this Friday in Lexington…

The Apples in Stereo – Dance Floor

The Apples in Stereo Travellers in Space and Time Tour (with The Generationals and Laminated Cat)

Apr 16 – Cosmic Charlies – Lexington, KY
Apr 17 – 123 Pleasant Street – Morgantown, WV
Apr 18 – Rock and Roll Hotel – Washington DC
Apr 20 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 21 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
Apr 23 – Middle East Underground – Cambridge, MA
Apr 24 – Castaways – Ithaca, NY
Apr 25 – Bug Jar – Rochester, NY
Apr 27 – Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH
Apr 28 – The Pike Room – Pontiac, MD
Apr 30 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
May 1 – Turf Club – St. Paul, MN
May 3 – Turner Hall – Milwaukee, WI
May 4 – Billiken Club – St. Louis, MO

Pitchfork has debuted the new Apples in Stereo video, “Dance Floor,” starring Elijah Wood (natch).  Embeddable version please?  Oh well, here’s the link so you can view the good times.  Travellers in Space in Time hits stores April 20th.

The website for the new Apples in Stereo record, Travellers in Space and Time, has debuted, and it’s named after an Elf Power song: Step Through the Portal. As a precursor to the debut of the album’s first video, “Dance Floor,” Robert Schneider and Elijah Wood have put together this, well, Robert calls it a “local public television science show from an alternate universe.” Enjoy:

If you’re one of the first 250 people to pre-order Travellers in Space and Time from Yep Roc Records, you’ll receive a bonus 12″, Future Vintage, featuring covers of Apples songs by six different bands, including (coincidence?) Elf Power.

Side A:
1. “Ruby” by Ted Leo
2. “Benefits of Lying (w/ Your Friend)” by Bad Veins
3. “The Rainbow” by Throw Me The Statue

Side B:
1. “Ruby” by The Generationals
2. “Same Old Drag” by Maps and Atlases
3. “Strawberryfire” by Elf Power

Stereogum has offered a preview of “Dance Floor,” one of the tracks from the upcoming Apples in Stereo album, Travellers in Space and Time, which is released by Yep Roc/Simian/Elephant 6 on April 20th.  Check it out here.  Thanks to Dan for the link.

The Apples in Stereo have posted a page at their website detailing the Non-Pythagorean musical scale invented by Robert Schneider for New Magnetic Wonder, with a downloadable scale (and a highly detailed explanation) so you can compose your own Non-Pythagorean-based song.  Head over to the Apples‘ site for more.

P.S. – In case you’re wondering, this website is going from being updated daily to about once a week, sometimes more if big news breaks. We’re not dead yet, just mellowing.