Tapes 'n Tapes
Encyclopedia
History
Formed in the winter of 2003 at Carleton CollegeCarleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
, the band has released four albums. First came the self-released Tapes 'n Tapes EP in 2004, followed by the full-length release, The Loon
The Loon
The Loon is the debut album of the Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes. It was originally self-released by the band's own Ibid Records on October 28, 2005 on compact disc...
, on Ibid Records in 2005. The band signed to XL Recordings
XL Recordings
XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
and re-released The Loon
The Loon
The Loon is the debut album of the Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes. It was originally self-released by the band's own Ibid Records on October 28, 2005 on compact disc...
on July 25, 2006. In October 2007 the band announced finishing recording of their second album, titled Walk It Off
Walk It Off
Walk It Off is the second album from the Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes, released on 2 April 2008.While their previous album, The Loon, was produced by the band's bassist and producer, Eric Applewick, and was recorded in a friend's unfinished basement studio, Walk It Off was recorded by...
. Walk It Off was recorded by producer David Fridmann in his Tarbox Road Studio in Cassadaga, New York
Cassadaga, New York
Cassadaga is an incorporated village located in Chautauqua County, New York, in the United States. The village is located within the northeast corner of the Town of Stockton, east of the village of Stockton, south of and immediately adjacent to Lily Dale in the Town of Pomfret, and north of the...
. The album was released April 8, 2008. The band's most recent album, Outside
Outside (Tapes n' Tapes album)
Outside is the third album from the Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes, released on 11 January 2011.-Track listing:All songs written by Josh Grier.#"Badaboom"#"SWM"#"One in the World"#"Nightfall"#"Desert Plane"#"Outro"#"Freak Out"...
, was released on January 11, 2011.
Tapes singer Josh Grier says their first album was recorded "...in the winter time at a cabin in the Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
woods with no running water. It was a lot fun to do it on our own and get a little crazy, but it was also frustrating since we didn't really know entirely what we were doing"
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, including a "best new music" commendation, that the band started to find success. Tapes 'n Tapes have been compared to such alternative bands as Pixies and Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
, or the recent alt-pop phenomenon Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
. After release of their self-titled EP, the band played with more well-known acts such as The Futureheads
The Futureheads
The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland. consisting of Ross Millard , Barry Hyde and David "Jaff" Craig...
, The Streets
The Streets
The Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
, Metric
Metric (band)
Metric is a Canadian indie rock and New Wave band founded in 1998 in Toronto. The band has also at various times been based in Montreal, London, New York City and Los Angeles...
, Calvin Johnson, and I Am the World Trade Center
I Am the World Trade Center
I Am the World Trade Center is a synth-pop duo consisting of musician Daniel Geller and vocalist Amy Dykes. Geller creates almost all of the music using his laptop, occasionally using drum machines, keyboards, or other instruments.-History:Daniel Geller co-founded Kindercore Records with Ryan...
. The band made its American television debut on The Late Show with David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
on July 25, 2006, performing the song "Insistor." In 2006 the band did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
. They also performed at the Siren Music Festival
Siren Music Festival
The Siren Music Festival was an annual summertime outdoors concert held in Brooklyn's Coney Island from 2001-2010. It was run by the free arts/politics/current-events newspaper The Village Voice, and was completely free-of-charge...
in July of that same year. Tapes 'n Tapes performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
in April 2007, along with bands such as Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
, and Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
.
Tapes 'n Tapes' musical style varies in tempo and in influence, ranging from fast-paced polka renditions to the slower, more blues-influenced songs. The publication Music Week
Music Week
Music Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
described the band's song "Insistor" as "Part country, part rock...possess[ing] an emotional urgency that rivals Arcade Fire. This is promising stuff."
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
festival, the band played six songs titled, according to the setlist posted on the festival's website, "Demon Apple", "Blunt", "Icedbergs", "Headshock", "Le Ruse" and "Hang Them All".
Tapes 'n Tapes was featured on the MTV show Human Giant. Aziz Ansari's character Clell Tickle: Indie Marketing Guru pushes bloggers to put Mp3s of Tapes 'n Tapes on their blogs. At one point he says, "I've decided that if you don't post that Tapes 'n Tapes mp3, I'm going to come back here tomorrow and give you a Colombian necktie
Colombian necktie
A Colombian necktie is a method of execution wherein the victim's throat is slashed and his or her tongue is pulled out through the open wound. Its origin coincides with the outbreak of La Violencia, the Colombian civil war which began in 1948 with the murder of leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan...
."
While not on the official soundtrack, the song "Insistor" by Tapes 'n Tapes is featured in a scene in the movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Peter Sollett and starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Written by Lorene Scafaria and based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, the story tells of teenagers Nick and Norah , who meet when...
.
"Hang Them All" appears on Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
station KCMP
KCMP
-WCAL:The station began with physics experiments in 1918 when five students and a professor built a small radio transmitter at St. Olaf College. Using a wire antenna strung between the campus chapel and the college's "Old Main" , signals from these experiments were picked up as far away as New...
89.3 The Current's "Live Current Volume 4". The album is available to contributors to MPR.
Discography
Studio albums- The LoonThe LoonThe Loon is the debut album of the Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes. It was originally self-released by the band's own Ibid Records on October 28, 2005 on compact disc...
– (2005) Ibid Records (US) / (2006) XL RecordingsXL RecordingsXL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
(UK) - Walk It OffWalk It OffWalk It Off is the second album from the Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes, released on 2 April 2008.While their previous album, The Loon, was produced by the band's bassist and producer, Eric Applewick, and was recorded in a friend's unfinished basement studio, Walk It Off was recorded by...
– (2008) XL RecordingsXL RecordingsXL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire... - OutsideOutside (Tapes n' Tapes album)Outside is the third album from the Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes, released on 11 January 2011.-Track listing:All songs written by Josh Grier.#"Badaboom"#"SWM"#"One in the World"#"Nightfall"#"Desert Plane"#"Outro"#"Freak Out"...
– (2011) Ibid Records
EPs
- Tapes 'n TapesTapes 'n Tapes (EP)The Tapes 'n Tapes EP is Tapes 'n Tapes' first released album on Ibid Records. The self-titled, self-produced 7-track EP was recorded in a secluded cabin situated in the middle of the Wisconsin wintry wilderness...
– (2004) Ibid Records
Singles
- "Insistor" – (2005) – 7" Sold at gigs only, different b-side from later release
- "Insistor" – (2006) XL RecordingsXL RecordingsXL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
(UK) Catalog Number: XLS231 - "CowbellCowbell (song)Cowbell is a song by the Tapes 'n Tapes. It is the seventh track on their album The Loon.-Track listing:# "Cowbell " - 2:34# "Omaha " - 5:25# "Cowbell Cowbell is a song by the Tapes 'n Tapes. It is the seventh track on their album The Loon.-Track listing:# "Cowbell (Album Version)" - 2:34# "Omaha...
" – (2006) XL RecordingsXL RecordingsXL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
(UK) Catalog Number: XLS240 - "Hang Them All" – (2008) XL RecordingsXL RecordingsXL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
(UK) Catalog Number: XLS348
Band members
The band has four members, each of whom is named after a word in the band's name; two members of the band share the same word for their name. The band members are:- Josh Grier (Tapes 1) – guitar, vocals
- Jeremy Hanson (Tapes 2) – drums
- Matt Kretzman ('n) – keyboards, multi-instruments
- Erik Appelwick ('n) – bass guitar
In April 2006, producer Erik Appelwick replaced previous bassist Shawn Neary. Drummer Jeremy Hanson replaced original Tapes drummer Karl Schweitz in 2005 while still a senior in high school.
External links
- Tapes 'n Tapes official website
- Tapes 'n Tapes Live Review
- Tapes 'N Tapes Hit the Pavement with Exclaim! magazine
- Tapes 'n Tapes interview at musicOMH.com
- Pitchfork Media's review of The Loon These should be used as references for writing The Loon.
- Interview with Josh Grier and Ashley Marie Sansotta with REAX Music Magazine
- [ Tapes 'N Tapes] bio from Allmusic
- Tapes 'n Tapes perform a new song, "SWM," on Radio Happy Hour
- a journal by Josh Grier on the recording of Outside from InDigest