Geoff Stanfield

Wait, what??? The Ramones first album just turned 50! A record made by four young men from the Forest Hills neighborhood in Queens, NY, has gone on to be one of the greatest punk rock records of...

For years, the Sony MDR-7506 headphones were in studios everywhere. I found them to be incredibly bright, but many of my friends used them regularly...

I have been fortunate to spend significant time using mics from Earthworks Audio. From their QTC omni line, the budget-friendly ICON USB mic [Tape...

Although the opening moments of The Black Keys' (Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney ) new release, Peaches!, sounds like a Tinariwen record, it quickly settles in to a familiar...

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...

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...

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...

March 20, 2026, marks the digital release of Hurray For The Riff Raff's new live album, Live Forever. There will be a physical release of the album on May 8, 2026, via Nonesuch Records. Live...

AKG has just released a new line of microphones that are aimed at the first-time mic buyer. You may ask yourself: Would these mics stand up to daily...

Royer Labs has been making quality ribbon mics for decades. They are no-compromise products that meet the demands of everyday use. The newer R-12 is...

The Chicago-based band, Brigitte Calls Me Baby, has just released Irreversible, produced by Yves Rothman and Lawrence Rothman . The pairing showcases the premium placed on songwriting...

As a music creator and fan, I am always interested in the transformation from the seed of a song, the demo stage, and the version that was released as the definitive version. It's a peek behind...

It's a good week for new music!

Jacob Collier released Something Heavy, an EP with three versions of "Something Heavy." It straddles the world between a Coldplay ballad...

I appreciate a reissue of an album I have not listened to in years. In the case of Rhino High Fidelity's new vinyl version of The Stooges' 1970 release, Fun House, it is a opportunity to...

Photographer Stephen Jess has created an in-depth project of images and overview histories of historic New York City recording studios titled "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?"

From the...

My first listen to the Grateful Dead was a cassette of Reckoning that I got from the Columbia House Record Club. I thought the cover that had the skull on it looked heavy. It is, of course, a live...

At any given party or get-together we've all been asked "What's your favorite album?" For me it's an impossible question, but honestly, if I truly had to choose ten records...

England's post-punk duo Sleaford Mods, who we interviewed for Ep. 82 of the Tape Op Podcast, are perhaps the most punk band I have heard in years. Frontman Jason Williamson's lyrics and...

My studio space sounds pretty good. I have worked toward a balanced listening experience by utilizing space-specific sound treatments such as...

As part of their new line of very affordable C Series microphones – aimed at both first-time buyers and seasoned engineers who want solid utility...