: Pine/Cross Dover
reviewed by Larry Crane
In issue #63 I found head Master Chris Goss working on an album at Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree, CA (along with Dave Catching, who pops up here on guitar). Here Chris gets back to his band and...
Music Reviews
by Larry Crane
: The Beginner
reviewed by Larry Crane
I interviewed Amsterdam's Zea (Arnold De Boer) in issue #52 at his home studio, where most of this fun, hyperkinetic album was recorded. Other sessions took place at Next to Jaap Studio in Voorhout,...
: Songs for the Ravens
reviewed by Larry Crane
Some of you may know that the first time I met my partner in Tape Op (publisher, layout, business brains, co-conspirator) it was in 1988 or so and he met up with my band (Vomit Launch) to talk about...
: Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
reviewed by Larry Crane
Scott Craggs, mentioned above, has been a friend of Tape Op for many years, and interviewed Andy Hong 10 years ago (issue #20), which led to Andy's becoming our resident Gear Geek. Thanks Scott. He...
: Weisstronauts In Memphis
reviewed by Larry Crane
I love instrumental rock. You know, like The Ventures, surf music, Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, Link Wray, etc. I can't get enough of it. And I love Pete Weiss, long time contributor to Tape Op and head of...
: A Varied Program of Stereo Dynamics for Your Wild Nights Alone
reviewed by Larry Crane
Chris Garges has been one of our long-time Tape Op Message Board moderators, and he co-wrote this month's End Rant (with Scott Craggs, who also mastered this here album), but he's also the drummer and...
: Let’s Build A Roof
reviewed by Larry Crane
Produced by Karl Blau and LAKE. For anyone who thinks that K Records might be all lo-fi, out-of-tune troubadours (which isn't true anyway), here's a group that offers lush, beautiful songs and a great...
: Dark Matter
reviewed by Larry Crane
Here's the eighth proper album and second album with new (since 2008) singer Mollie Israel. I've been a fan of this much-overlooked band ever since meeting them and catching a show years ago, but with...
: Smokey’s Secret Family
reviewed by Larry Crane
Smokey is a first-rate guitarist who's played with artists like Johnny Cash, Beck, Tom Waits, John Doe and Joe Strummer. This album, described as Congolese dance music (a field I have to admit no...
: I’ve Never Seen a Straight Banana - Rare Moments: Volume 1
reviewed by Larry Crane
This album took many years to surface. It began with recordings by Richard Barone (issue # 54) made of Tiny in 1976 in a Travelodge Motel and at Recnac Recording in Florida. Restoration (and...
: iMatik
reviewed by Larry Crane
An album created completely from iPhone instruments, samplers and beat generators? Yup, here it is, courtesy of Freematik (Tom Freeman). Apps used include iDrum, Beatmaker, miniSynth, Thereminator,...
: Though the Light Seem Small
reviewed by Larry Crane
Journalists talk about Giant Sand and Calexico as if the desert informs and sculpts their recorded output, but I'd like to point anyone looking for some really lost-in-the-high-desert music towards...