POP MUSIC REVIEW : Green Apple Quick Step Stands Out With Inconsistency

As it grows increasingly difficult for new underground bands to stand out in the landslide of college-radio acts, bands such as Seattle’s Green Apple Quick Step are working overtime to be different. On Wednesday at the Troubadour, the fashion-mismatched quintet meshed metal, psychedelia and creamy ‘70s rock with frontman Ty Willman’s bratty but funny antics in a display of mega-disparity.

Willman urged audience members to get up on stage, then ribbed them when they didn’t. He did an impression of Billy Joel, and offered a platter of vegetables and cheese to the audience--then lobbed the leftovers into the crowd to prompt a low-grade food fight.

The cherub-like singer’s antics often upstaged the abruptly changing music. Throughout the show, the band would play a good groove, then dart off in another direction, completely avoiding consistency. Willman’s strong vocals wafted and ripped as familiar melodies surfaced in Green Apple’s jerky, meandering songs.

Green Apple possesses all the elements of a promising band, but is too busy trying to be wacky and different to actually zero in on the good stuff and weed out the bad.