Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon

My Tapes ‘n Tapes experience has been an interesting one. First of all I downloaded one song from an mp3 blog, not too disimliar to this….and quickly forgot it (says a lot for the medium). Then I read a review of their album and was rather intrigued. I think it was the references to Wolf Parade that convinced me. When I got it and gave it a listen, I couldn’t help but make many more parallels, The Arcade Fire, Pixies (if you don’t know these bands, neck yourself immediately…..or alternatively check them out now), it was an impressive list. Yet despite this, it was still a fresh and unique sound they were creating. But despite that despite, I still felt they were missing something. I gave it a fair share of my time and I indeed liked it, just didn’t love it. However a revelation came thanks to my little brother. Of all my obscure music he’s forced to listen to in the car, this is what he said he liked best. Being musically inclined (at producing music that is), most recently in the art of the guitar, probably has something to do with this. Since then I have paid closer attention to the subtleties of their songs, one instrument at a time and am finally coming to appreciate them.

Crazy Eights – I should have realised that instruments were they’re speciality (it sounds stupid I know, technically all bands specialise in instruments) by the fact that the first song I loved was this deliciously simple instrumental. I call it that despite the fact it features vocals as they never actually formulate into words. These vocals are great, as they are throughout the album, but in this case they’re extra special (so apparently they specialise in both instruments AND vocals which technically means they specialise in nothing…..). Ignoring all my rambling, this is simply an awesome song.

Cowbell – This is the song I downloaded that made no impact on me. So in all likelihood you will simply do the same. Hopefully however you’ll will have learned from my mistake and approach the song quite differently. It really is quite embarrassing to think you’ve discovered this great new band then learn you’d had one of their songs all along. But regardless, I have really come to like this song