Apple Orchard
(Philippines) Currently based in San Francisco
Apple Orchard started out as a solo project by Ryan Marquez. Nothing serious, really. Can't really consider it a "project" during that time. While listening to a lot of The Sugargliders, Field Mice, Brighter, Sweet William, a few taped Sarah Records compilations, and playing acoustic guitar along monotonous drum beats off a casiotone became a habit, a few songs were written, mostly schoolboy lyrics and near-whispered melodies. The first home recordings were recorded in an old cassette recorder and included the songs "Wide Awake" and "Scenes From The Sky", a very hissy tape labeled as "Apple Orchard". This wasn't really considered a "demo". The name was taken from a song Ryan heard by a band from Nottingham called Bouquet during a summer spent in California in 1999. The songs weren't intended to be heard by anybody other than close friends.
"Wide Awake" was the reason why Apple Orchard came into existence. Manila's Definition Records included the track in the now much sought-after Filipino compilation, Mutual Admiration Society back in 2000. Fulfilled and pleased with the result, brothers Ryan and Dale Marquez then constantly conspired writing the starriest of starry-eyed pop tunes.
Ryan and Dale have played together in Dorian Of Juniper Bells (which incidentally, was also included in the Mutual Admiration Society compilation), aside from their other bands: Ryan with Sodajerk, and in the early days of Carnival Park; Dale for Sonnet LVIII and also, Soft Pillow Kisses. Apple Orchard on the other hand was a project which arose without fine warning, but with silent anticipation. The band's name was taken from a song by Nottingham outfit Bouquet and the brothers considered The Sugargliders, The Field Mice, Brighter, Sweet William and Sarah Records as primary inspirations.
In the early years of the band after "Wide Awake", plenty of songs were written on a 4-track. Most of these tunes appeared in various compilations, such as the CD compilations, "Stamp Collecting (For Beginners)" from the Secret Crush imprint, and "Dashboard Teddy v.1" from Dorothy Records, as well as cassette EPs like Last Wednesday from Popgun, Paris Was A Daydream and Across Haymarket And The Triangle, both issued by Best Kept Secret. Another three of these early recordings were released by Humblebee in February 2006 as a 7" single, entitled "A Hiding Smile". The following year, Cloudberry Records handed out the 3" cd-r single, "That Happy Glow", the title track featured Raoul Dela Cruz of Casino Ashtrays (and many more great indiepop bands!) on trumpet.
In 2008, Apple Orchard's debut full-length, "Half-Steps Toward Bright Skies" was released through the band's own label, Haymarket Recordings. With a more polished and dreamier sound, the album received quite a few good reviews, drawing comparisons to Trembling Blue Stars. Following the full-length months later, was a limited 3" cd-r Turning Point from Germany's Edition 59 imprint. August 2009 saw the release of another limited cd-r EP entitled Leafy Lanes, which was also on Haymarket Recordings. “A Month Of Spring” 7” was released in 2010, on their own label. The single drew praise from some indie critics, comparing them to early Ride. During this period, they also played the New York Pop Fest.
The last release was a split 7” single, with 90s indie darlings, The Proctors, jointly released by Dufflecoat Records and Luxury Records in 2012. The fine indie shop, Norman Records in the UK, described the songs as: "lovely fluid bass playing anchoring a bizarrely produced maelstrom of fuzzy alien guitar and a dreamy high-noted keyboard; a beautiful resounding success; swaying old '80s daydream of a cheap synthline and a buoyant bassline that is quite possibly inspired by the Field Mice or The Wake.”
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"Wide Awake" was the reason why Apple Orchard came into existence. Manila's Definition Records included the track in the now much sought-after Filipino compilation, Mutual Admiration Society back in 2000. Fulfilled and pleased with the result, brothers Ryan and Dale Marquez then constantly conspired writing the starriest of starry-eyed pop tunes.
Ryan and Dale have played together in Dorian Of Juniper Bells (which incidentally, was also included in the Mutual Admiration Society compilation), aside from their other bands: Ryan with Sodajerk, and in the early days of Carnival Park; Dale for Sonnet LVIII and also, Soft Pillow Kisses. Apple Orchard on the other hand was a project which arose without fine warning, but with silent anticipation. The band's name was taken from a song by Nottingham outfit Bouquet and the brothers considered The Sugargliders, The Field Mice, Brighter, Sweet William and Sarah Records as primary inspirations.
In the early years of the band after "Wide Awake", plenty of songs were written on a 4-track. Most of these tunes appeared in various compilations, such as the CD compilations, "Stamp Collecting (For Beginners)" from the Secret Crush imprint, and "Dashboard Teddy v.1" from Dorothy Records, as well as cassette EPs like Last Wednesday from Popgun, Paris Was A Daydream and Across Haymarket And The Triangle, both issued by Best Kept Secret. Another three of these early recordings were released by Humblebee in February 2006 as a 7" single, entitled "A Hiding Smile". The following year, Cloudberry Records handed out the 3" cd-r single, "That Happy Glow", the title track featured Raoul Dela Cruz of Casino Ashtrays (and many more great indiepop bands!) on trumpet.
In 2008, Apple Orchard's debut full-length, "Half-Steps Toward Bright Skies" was released through the band's own label, Haymarket Recordings. With a more polished and dreamier sound, the album received quite a few good reviews, drawing comparisons to Trembling Blue Stars. Following the full-length months later, was a limited 3" cd-r Turning Point from Germany's Edition 59 imprint. August 2009 saw the release of another limited cd-r EP entitled Leafy Lanes, which was also on Haymarket Recordings. “A Month Of Spring” 7” was released in 2010, on their own label. The single drew praise from some indie critics, comparing them to early Ride. During this period, they also played the New York Pop Fest.
The last release was a split 7” single, with 90s indie darlings, The Proctors, jointly released by Dufflecoat Records and Luxury Records in 2012. The fine indie shop, Norman Records in the UK, described the songs as: "lovely fluid bass playing anchoring a bizarrely produced maelstrom of fuzzy alien guitar and a dreamy high-noted keyboard; a beautiful resounding success; swaying old '80s daydream of a cheap synthline and a buoyant bassline that is quite possibly inspired by the Field Mice or The Wake.”
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Links:
Releases:
Paris Was A Daydream
(K7) 2003
on Best Kept Secret LIE076
- (When Everything Is) Safer
- Don't Pretend
- Midnight Stars and Kisses
- A Glance At Sunday
- It Took You By Surprise
- Scenes From The Sky
- Autumn Kiss
A Hiding Smile
(7")
on Humblebee Recordings HBR 004
- A Hiding Smile
- Bright City Lights
- Midnight Stars and Kisses
That Happy Glow
(3" CDR) 2007
on Cloudberry Records
-
3
- That Happy Glow
- The Way You Brush Your Away From Your Face
- Forgetfulness
Half-Steps Toward Bright Skies
(CD)
on Haymarket Recordings
- Unfazed
- Weather Patterns
- Harsh
- The Comforts Of Strangers
- Rain, As We Know It
- Half-Steps Toward Bright Skies
- A Fine Warning
- I Can’t Feel Sorry
- Dreaming (As The Summer Fades)
- The Saddest, Perfect Ending
- Midnight Stars And Kisses
- The Cloud Fleets
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