We interviewed John Cale in issue #156 around the time of his previous release, Mercy. He has just released POPtical Illusion, a collection of synth and keyboard heavy tunes that carry a heavy, and at times angry message about the state of the world. That is not to say that that Cale has lost all hope and there is optimism that we can still bring about change. POPtical Illusion was produced by Cale along with longtime artistic collaborator Nita Scott.
I opened my commercial recording studio (Jackpot! Recording) in 1997, after years of simultaneously having a busy home studio while working day jobs to pay the rent. Making this leap to a full-time recording engineer/studio owner was terrifying. I...
Bay Area native Scott Hansen, a.k.a. Tycho (Tape Op #123), has just released his sixth album, Infinite Health on Mom+Pop Records/Ninja Tune.
Fans familiar with Tycho will hear Infinite Health as a logical progression in a sequence of...
Nilüfer Yanya’s LP Painless was one of my faves of 2022 with its blend of guitar based songwriting, her unique singing voice, and forward leaning production and arrangements. I’m pretty over the Roland Jazz Chorus guitar tones, but...
The 129th AES Convention takes place Nov 4-7, and the Exhibitor's Hall is open Nov 5-7, where we'll be sitting patiently at a table giving away Tape Op magazines to passers by and answering questions about where the bathrooms are located and...
We are witnessing the dawn of dramatic format changes for audio delivery. On the one hand, we now have streaming audio and, on the other hand, we have the movement away from compressed digital formats toward higher-resolution digital files. The CD...
It is often challenging within a review period to fully explore a piece of gear and integrate it into the daily workflow. It's not that reviewers won't use the feature set and put it to task in at least a few applications, but to truly get to know...
We interviewed Herb Alpert in Tape Op #140, and he hasn't slowed down since. He just released his 50th album, aptly titled 50.
It is yet another prime example of the lounge pop genre he all but invented with The Tijuana Brass starting in the...
Tape Op Magazine’s founder and editor, Larry Crane, has been mixing songs and albums for people from all over the United States and the world for over 20 years. Many of these sessions are unattended, and here’s a glimpse into his...
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...