Music For Robots

January 10, 2006 | Posted by Blair at 9:11 AM

Won Over

Now I know Tapes 'n Tapes are on a lot of people's minds lately, and have been showing up all over this here internerd, but having seen them twice over the past few days, I can say for sure there is damn good reason for this. The reason is that they are a genuinely great band.

I don't think I have felt quite like this since the first time I heard MFR alumni the National's Alligator then saw them perform live - it left me feeling simply awestruck at the power in the songs, and in the performance. This is exactly how I felt when I saw the brothers Tapes play on Saturday night at the Delancey, and again how I felt seeing them last night at Mercury Lounge. The sound at the Merc approaches legendary in its stellar, loud and clear quality, and Tapes really proved themselves last night. This video is the set-closer - I shot it with my digital camera, so it is dark, and the sound isn't as good as it would have been on a DV camera, BUT I still think it is worth seeing and hearing.

The set consisted of almost all of their full-length The Loon (with a song I recognized from their EP), which is great because the record is solid through and through - you can buy it at a handful of local indie stores in Minneapolis-St. Paul (where they're from), or direct from the band for ten bucks (a steal!). I highly recommend trying to catch them playing live, as it is really a very special thing. They've got a handful of dates left on their Drunk Loon's Fly East tour, including a show in Philly tonight (at the Fire), Baltimore tomorrow (at Talking Head club), then back here in NYC at Rothko, and finally at Schuba's in Chicago.

Comments

I still don't 'get' this band.

Posted by: Seab at January 10, 2006 9:32 AM

You bet I will be there tomorrow night in baltimore.

Posted by: Ryan97ou at January 10, 2006 9:56 AM

I still don't 'get' this band.
Posted by: Seab at January 10, 2006 09:32 AM

I agree, but I'm still giving them a fighting chance...

Posted by: Justin at January 10, 2006 1:20 PM

Sean + Justin:

I'm not sure what there is to "get," really. Their album is just loads of fun with great production and lyrical twists. It's a great indie rock record, and from the looks of it a great show too.

different strokes and all that.

Posted by: robot mark at January 10, 2006 2:02 PM

Broken link, Blair-kun.

Why is this band following me around, also? The hell.

Posted by: Cameron at January 10, 2006 2:20 PM

...and is amazing. This band rocks.

Posted by: Link is up at January 10, 2006 4:06 PM

just an fyi, you can get it at insound.com as well.

Posted by: sliceoflime at January 10, 2006 9:28 PM

Based on your November post, I made sure to see them when I last went to Minnesota, and they were truly great. Despite being much better (imho) than the other two bands playing that night, they opened, and had the smallest audience. Don't worry, Sean and Justin, you're not alone in your disinterest, the locals don't seem to be huge fans either!

Posted by: Charlie at January 11, 2006 2:18 PM

RE: Charlie - yeah man, the boys told me on Saturday night that they were so excited to have so many folks there in the audience (the place was totally packed) because back home it was "hard to get so many people to [one of their] shows", even if they "called all of [their] friends" - but I have hope for them and can see them going places, and fast.

Posted by: robot blair at January 11, 2006 2:28 PM

i saw 'em at the varsity in MN; they had a good-sized crowd there (they were the headlining band). this song played live was probably one of my favorites.

Posted by: becky at January 12, 2006 12:45 AM