We interviewed John Cale in issue #156 around the time of his previous release, Mercy. He has just released POPtical Illusion, a collection of synth and keyboard heavy tunes that carry a heavy, and at times angry message about the state of the world. That is not to say that that Cale has lost all hope and there is optimism that we can still bring about change. POPtical Illusion was produced by Cale along with longtime artistic collaborator Nita Scott.
Like any war, the loudness wars are a total mess brought on by territorial tendencies amongst those who fear losing their place in the world. And like a real war, the loudness wars cause people to throw rational thought out the window and replace it...
Now that the Tape Op iPad app is available, we've been trying to figure out the best ways to get the magazine to other digital formats. Expansion to other full-fledged tablets (Android, etc) is a fairly straightforward - if laborious - process, in...
Malian guitarist Mdou Moctar's new release, Funeral for Justice, is a wild ride. From the almost Iron Maiden-sounding moments of the title track "Funeral for Justice", to the frentic energy of "Sousoume Tamacheq", to the ethereal and more...
By John BaccigaluppiPhotos by Cynthia Connolly
If you haven't yet, check out Larry's review in this issue for some insight into the recently published book, The Inner Ear of Don Zientara. I hope you know who Don is. As Ted Nicely says in the book,...
Bassist, singer, and songwriter, esperanza spalding, (Tape Op #147) has just released new music, a collaboration with Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento.
Milton + esperanza is a delightful listen that has foundational roots in Brazilian...
We sent intrepid reporter Jeorgia Anderson to cover this fascinating event. -LC
When I read that the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) was holding their 45th annual conference in downtown Los Angeles May 11-14, I went to...
On November 9-11, 2018, Ableton held their Loop 2018 conference in Hollywood, CA. Thom Monahan and I both went to check it out. Here’s some of what we experienced, starting with Thom. -JB
It’s hard to imagine a music software company...
Bass player Herbie Flowers had a front row seat for some of the most iconic recordings of the late sixties and seventies. He played on a staggering number of classic albums from artists such as David Bowie, Elton John, George Harrison, Harry...