Woodland is the name of Gillian Welch and David Rawling’s studio in Nashville, and it’s also the name of their new album. On Woodland, the duo continue to show their deep connection as collaborators. The album has a wide open sound that features their seemlessly blended and intimately recorded vocals, and the light touch of a backing band that includes drums, bass, pedal steel, banjo, and airy strings on tunes like "What We Had" and "Hashtag". "Lawman" and "The Bells and the Birds" have a lovely somberness, and the album as a whole has a "live off the floor" feeling to it that we hear less and less of these days. Woodland will stay in our "recently played" column for the forseeable future.
We interviewed Gillian and Dave back in 2001 for Tape Op #85.
Tape Op is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to the art of record making.
I recently wrote about Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Records, and their excellent vinyl (and CD) reissues. I have become a huge fan of their releases, especially the attention to detail and sonic quality of their pressings.
On December...
June 21st marked the release of a new Menahan Street Band EP, Tropical Man. We interviewed band member Tommy Brenneck for Tape Op issue #147. Tropical Man is a six song EP that has just two songs, but multiple versions/mixes of each. Both...
The Decemberists' ninth album, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, is out now. In 2003 I got a call from Colin Meloy about maybe recording his band, The Decemberists. Tape Op contributor, Adam Selzer, had already recorded some tracks for what...
Some Maybe Not-So-Obvious Items Every Studio Needs
In the past we've run a few columns about items every studio should have, like Sharpie pens and masking tape, but here I decided to look around me and think about all the items that aren't...
An Osees album with no guitars??? Yes, you heard that right, but fans of the band need not worry! SORCS 80 has all of the experimental punk rock attitude and delivery the band is known for, only on this album it's framed by heavy synths, bass,...
MFNW Music & Technology Panel Announced for Portland Digital eXperience
August 16, 2012 - Portland, OR -- The first year of Portland Digital eXperience at the 2012 MFNW will feature a special music and technology panel with some of...
Sick of this economy and its doom and gloom? Sick of bands saying they don’t have money to record? Sick of top 40 radio? I have the answer: do something about it.
Support independent musicians by going out and purchasing CDs from bands...