Emily A. Sprague may be best known as the primary songwriter and vocalist for the band Florist, who have released five albums since 2016. But she also composes and records ambient-adjacent electronic music, primarily using modular synthesizers, and is about to release her fourth instrumental album, Cloud Time. I'm a big fan of her music, and we had chatted previously about our shared love for surfing, so I wanted to talk more about her process...
Interviews
Ratboys and Chris Walla
By John Baccigaluppi and Marcus Nuccio
A short introduction and the making of Singin’ To An Empty Chair
I first heard the Chicago-based band Ratboys via their track “Black Earth, WI,” and if you haven't heard them that’s a great place to start. The eight and half minute song takes its time but never feels like you need to get anywhere in particular any sooner than where and when the band is taking you. That song is on their 2023 album The Window that was produced by former Death Cab for Cutie guitarist and producer, and longtime friend to Tape Op, Chris Walla [Tape Op#19,#111]. It was nice to hear a four piece band playing together again in 2023, as the pandemic was winding down. The band has a new LP out, Singin’ To An Empty Chair, also produced by Chris. Both albums sound great, but …Empty Chair feels like both the band and Chris have settled into a very solid working relationship, and this new LP could open the band up to a bigger audience. They deserve it, as they’ve been...


