The Apples in Stereo: #1 Hits Explosion (Reviews)

Super-catchy indie-pop "greatest hits" from the Elephant 6 pioneers.

Here's the thing with out-and-out pop music. It can seem superficial, temporary, a guilty pleasure. When I was kid, I loved "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (I Got Love in my Tummy)" by the Ohio Express and "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night. But I can't say those tunes stand up to any kind of scrutiny today. Soon enough my friends and I were beyond that stuff, listening to Led Zeppelin, through with music that was actually, you know... tuneful and fun. Not all pop is shallow. But for a really long stretch there, it seemed like smart pop, pop…