Armed with a portfolio of infectiously melodic cookers, multihued soundscapes flecked with psychedelia, short lyrical interludes that serve as suite segues and even a '70s-sounding vocoder, The Apples in Stereo triumphantly return after five years on the sidelines with New Magnetic Wonder. This bona fide marvel of indie-rocking gusto, the first release on actor Elijah Wood's new label, takes its cues from the mid-era Beatles, the Beach Boys and ELO. Like fellow Elephant 6 group Olivia Tremor Control's 1999 masterpiece Black Foliage, Volume 1, this AIS outing is not so much a collection of individual songs as it is a fully developed symphony of pop/rock best listened to in its entiretyâ€"and, as Schneider sings in the raw-rocking opening track, "Can you feel it?," with the volume high.

-DO