The History Of Apple Pie - Mallory

Nostalgia for the 90s has never been as strong as it is right now. Looking back at cultural icons such as the Rugrats, Pokemon cards and flannel shirts is a popular trend among 90’s kids, and may explain the recent surge in artists and bands inspired by the fuzz rock pioneers of the time. The History Of Apple Pie are the latest to roll off the assembly line after lead single ‘You’re So Cool’ set the blogosphere alight with its’ Breeders-esque sonic assault.

From the very start, ‘Mallory’ sounds like something a bit special. A kick drum burst leads into a powerful yet inescapably catchy lead guitar riff, strutting its stuff over a rhythm section heavily reminiscent of Sonic Youth. Stephanie Min’s sweet vocals come off perfectly as a harmonious balance against the wall of noise crashing behind her, and make for a very impressive effort overall from the young Londoners, sounding something like a cross between Yuck’s ‘Shook Down’ and the Dum Dum Girls ‘Bedroom Eyes’. Lyrically, it’s as complex as Joey from Friends, but with a backing track as good as this, it hardly needs depth.

This makes it perhaps even more of a disappointment that B-side ‘Shelf Life’ is so weak in comparison. Of course, B-sides are never designed to take the spotlight away from the main release, but at the same time, they should at least make you think, “Hmm… not bad”. A more scuzzy affair than ‘Mallory’, ‘Shelf Life’ drones where the lead single soars, leading to a bipolar conclusion. Almost instantly forgettable, a redeeming feature is the impressive drumming chops of James Thomas, but it’s not enough to save it from mediocrity. It’s a shame, because despite it’s recent release, ‘Mallory’ is almost certainly one of the best songs I’ve heard this year. My tip: save a few pennies, and just download the title track.