Thursday, April 17, 2008

Album Review - Tapes 'n Tapes

Tapes ‘n Tapes – Walk It Off
[XL Recordings; 8/04/2008]


Tapes ‘n Tapes caused quite a stir with their debut LP, The Loon. The minority (myself included) wondered what all the fuss was about and to be honest, I still do. However, the same can’t be said for their sophomore effort, with Walk It Off hitting home on what this band is all about, despite the masses choosing to think otherwise.

The low-fi sounds Tapes ‘n Tapes unleash are more of a cheaper recording outlet as apposed to a self-indulgent ethos that some other bands have chosen to embark upon this year when associating themselves with the “lo-fi” tag.

Unlike its older brother, Walk It Off brims with catchiness, melody and staying power. The fuzz overcoat during ‘Headshock’ is just a security blanket for a straight-up indie rock tune, while the rollicking beats during ‘Conquest’ make this period of the album a fine double-whammy assault. The top-heavy bass swoon during ‘Demon Apple’ and disjointed indie ruckus throughout album highlight ‘Blunt’ continue to put the album in good stead.

Tapes ‘n Tapes aren’t hell-bent of trying to fit into any scene, as such. This is a band that is all about the no frills in music, who are content to just get up and do their thing. It all seems to have come together with Walk It Off, which on the grand scheme of things is a blessing in disguise.

By Simon K

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