Nilüfer Yanya’s LP Painless was one of my faves of 2022 with its blend of guitar based songwriting, her unique singing voice, and forward leaning production and arrangements. I’m pretty over the Roland Jazz Chorus guitar tones, but...
Just a quick note about the upcoming Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention in Los Angeles. We have arranged for all Tape Op readers to receive a free Exhibits Plus Badge to the convention. This badge is good for the Exhibition PLUS all...
October is starting off with a bang and a long list of great new releases. Here are a few notables. Hard Quartet - Heel HighwayThis new indie rock "supergroup" consists of Stephen Malkmus (Tape Op #15), Jim White, Emmett Kelly, and Matt Sweeney....
Part One - by Larry Crane 1/13/04It's been snowing and frozen here in Portland for a week - not something this town is used to. Many businesses were shut down and traffic wasn't moving, even though it wasn't that much snow. I feel dumb as my town...
The Decemberists' ninth album, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, is out now. In 2003 I got a call from Colin Meloy about maybe recording his band, The Decemberists. Tape Op contributor, Adam Selzer, had already recorded some tracks for what...
A band I work with is two weeks away from their release date. They've worked tirelessly to prepare for this release, hired an excellent publicist, shot videos, toured....they've done it all right and without fatigue. That record is the most...
I just finished reading your article, "My Unwritten (Until Now) "Rules" in the studio," Tape Op #85. Let me offer up a few words of wisdom on your well-written points. - Don't play music by other artists: In 1978 I was working with a...
A few years ago a Northwest music mag (now defunct) interviewed some Portland "best new band" character and the moron spouted out that nothing had been going on in Portland before his band moved to town - that this was the turning point when...
It wasn’t that long ago that when you went into the studio you basically disappeared from the rest of the world into a place with few (or no) windows, and low light. Where time seemed to have a way of getting distorted, finding yourself rolling...
