By Mitchell Sigman's own description: "Memory Banks is an all-original love letter celebrating the futuristic musical visions of ELO, Kraftwerk, The Alan Parsons Project, et al. No AI, no Suno, no loops." Yeah, there was a time where some music, especially stuff made by people using synths and looking to push the boundaries music creation, felt like it was a glimpse into the future. To my 16 year old ears back then, ELO's [Jeff...

Although the opening moments of The Black Keys' (Dan Auerbach [Tape Op#127] and Patrick Carney [#136]) new release, Peaches!, sounds like a Tinariwen record, it quickly settles in to a familiar, loose, bluesy, and reverb-soaked groove, and doesn't relent for the album's ten tracks. The influence of Hill Country blues masters Junior Kimborough and R.L. Burnside are evident throughout the hypnotic stomps of "Stop Arguing Over...

Visit this recent Reddit thread to follow an interesting conversation about YouTube recording influencers and Tape Op shout out. OMG. Larry has written a LOT of gear reviews over the years, by the way. Visit us on YouTube for plenty of actual information and good times.

I went to see I'm With Her [Podcast Ep. #106] at The Moore theater here in Seattle on their 2025 tour, and it was among the best performances I have seen in years. The trio of Sarah Jarosz [Tape Op#140], Aoife O'Donovan [#166], and Sara Watkins write well-crafted songs, sing flawless harmonies, and are all incredible instrumentalists. The performance felt like a celebration of music and community, and their on-stage chemistry is infectious....

I interviewed Steve Gunn in 2023 for Episode #80 of the Tape Op Podcast after coming across his 2019 album, The Unseen in Between. His 2025 release, Daylight, Daylight, was one of my favorite albums from last year, and is still in constant rotation. Gunn's new four song EP, Shape of a Wave, is a bit of a tease, but a welcome one. It opens with a new song, "Shape of a Wave," a mellow bossa nova-tinged track, complete with pastoral...

Weezer is back with a new album coming soon and they have released the single, “Shine Again,” which was produced by Kenny Blume and Klas Åhlund at Kenny’s Putnam Hill studio in L.A. The song was tracked to tape and it rocks!

Previously known as Kenny Beats, Mr. Blume produced last years Getting Killed by Geese as well as the last two IDLES [Podcast Ep.#98] LPs.

I had a chance to stop by Kenny’s studio a few months ago while he was tracking the Weezer...

How low can you go? Few bands today (too few?) can wear black cloaks, tune their instruments so low that the strings are in a state just above completely slack, turn the amps up as loud as they will go, and bathe the listener in the slowest, heaviest doom metal sound bath possible. Seattle's SUNN O)))'s new self-titled album delivers the sludge in spades. The album was produced and mixed by the band's Stephen O'Malley and...

In 2018 I was hired to record a Pathway to Paris event at The Masonic in San Francisco that featured Patti Smith, Bob Weir, and Flea, and was organized by Smith’s daughter, Jesse Paris Smith. Hearing Patti Smith and the assembled musicians sing “Power to the People” was pretty amazing, but the other highlight of the evening was the solo set by Flea. He played bass and trumpet, used a looping pedal and other effects, and his set was a collection of...

Our good friend and frequent contributor to Tape Op, Scott McDowell, was hit by a car last week. 

His friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help with his recovery if you are able to help. 

DONATE

I always look forward to new music from Courtney Barnett, and her new release, Creature of Habit, delivers more of the fun mix of surfy, punky, sometimes angular and sometimes groovy indie rock, capped with Courtney's signature vocal delivery. Barnett is joined by drummer and co-producer Stella Mozgawa [Tape Op#169 ], and Zach Dawes on bass. Guests include Waxahatchee on the Americana-tinged "Site Unseen".

A first listen might have...

If you've ever recorded in Nashville, you'll understand that countertop ice machines are ubiquitous here. The first time I walked into Blackbird Studio (years before I moved here), owner John McBride [Tape Op#97] showed me the new ice makers he had just installed. To this day, I smile whenever I set foot in any of Blackbird's lounges and remember that interaction with John. Same with my first visits with Dave Cobb [#122] and F. Reid...

Located in (yes) a former meat market, Pete Min calls Lucy's Meat Market in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, his two room recording studio and home. Artists such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Real Estate, Lake Street Dive, Orville Peck, Chris Dave, The Monkees and others have used his engineering skills and instrument-filled studio to capture some of their best work. Since 2021, Pete's also been running his Colorfield Records, as a way of exploring new...