I got to write my first news article for Paste Magazine this past month. In it, Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo weighed in on their new album, New Magnetic Wonder–out in early 2007. Also included were some choice quotations from Bill Doss of the Olivia Tremor Control, who plays on the new album and has been touring with the band.

While I won’t ruin the surprise for anyone who subscribes to Paste, I would like to share some quotations that didn’t make it into the article. If you’re curious for actual details, pick up the new issue with Thom Yorke on the cover, but here are some added tidbits in the mean time.

Robert Schneider: [on the new album’s style] “I would put it between Discovery… and Fun Trick Noisemaker, except it’s more ‘hooky.’ It’s a little more classic rock. It’s a little bit more AM radio, like from the 70s. It’s slightly more space age sounding. It’s very poppy, it’s very produced.”

MP3: The Apples in Stereo - Energy (live)

Bill Doss: [on playing with the Apples] “I’ve always wanted to, but for the longest time I was doing Olivia too much and he was doing the Apples so much, that we couldn’t share members. But when he came down to Athens, we were making up these parts and he was like ‘man, we’ve got to have these harmony parts and we need some percussion.’ Then he was like ‘you wanna go on tour?’ and I was like ‘yeah I want to go on tour!’”

MP3: The Apples in Stereo - Skyway (live)

Robert Schneider: [on the inclusion of guests] “We had more time between records to work on stuff. It’s more of a personal move on my part, than a band move. I wanted to work with old friends and see where that takes me. It’s about getting older and having old friends that you love… It’s not that we decided to have ‘guests’ on the record, but I wanted to have my friends involved in the record because it makes me feel creative and inspired.”

Both “Skyway” and “Energy” are new songs that the Apples have been playing live. You can download that entire show in either audio or video format here.

Closer to the new album’s release, I should have a proper interview with Robert. Until then, be sure to catch them either at Forecastle in Louisville (tomorrow–7/27!) or Athens Popfest (8/12).