Music Reviews

 |  No. 79

: 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...

 |  No. 79

: 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...

 |  No. 79

: Roman Candle

reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

As we're reviewing contributors here, we can't end this column without mentioning our own editor, Larry Crane. The last time he passed through town, he dropped a vinyl copy of this remastered album...

 |  No. 79

: 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...

 |  No. 78

: Mojo

reviewed by Jeff Slate

Tom Petty is sitting at the mixing board in the control room of Manhattan's Germano Studios with his wife Dana on his left. I'm sitting on his right. Pretty cool. We're listening to the 5.1 Blu-ray...

 |  No. 78

: Mojo

reviewed by Jeff Slate

Tom Petty is sitting at the mixing board in the control room of Manhattan's Germano Studios with his wife Dana on his left. I'm sitting on his right. Pretty cool. We're listening to the 5.1 Blu-ray...

 |  No. 77

: 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...

 |  No. 77

: 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...

 |  No. 77

: Go

reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

Never one to sit still, Sigur Rós vocalist Jónsi has finished his second record outside of his band since Riceboy Sleeps by Jónsi and Alex was released last year. While that album...

 |  No. 77

: 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...

 |  No. 77

: 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...

 |  No. 77

: 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,...