tapes n tapes - THE loon

The Loon is an off-kilter quirky collection of low-fi tunes, that entice you in with the alt.folk-rock of Just Dreams. However you’re soon caught off guard with the world of influences and sounds that follow. The obvious ones are there; Pixies, Pavement, a touch of Arcade Fire - but they combine to create something comforting and familiar while simultaneously managing to sound fresh and distinctive. Debut single Insistor is still anthemic, with a galloping two-step rhythm and Josh Grier’s idiosyncratic whine. It brings to mind Pixies’ Vamos or Nimrod’s Son. Crazy Eights has a rockabilly feel, sleazy and gritty at first but later accompanied by a Beach Boys-esque ‘oooh oooh’. Like most of the tracks, you think you know what you’re listening to until you’re surprised with an unexpected twist. The Iliad is a folksy acoustic strum (cuckoo sounds and all) while Manitoba is simply dreamy with Hawaiian guitars. Cowbell is somewhere between country and post punk, with desperate vocals and an infectious clap-along hook. The album ends with grunge rock-out Jakov’s Suite. With its mellowed out vocals, it’d be the perfect soundtrack to any summer festival. There’s been a big gap left by slackers such as Truman’s Water and Pavement. The brilliance of The Loon makes me feel that Tapes n Tapes are the only contenders to finally fill it. They proclaim that their sound is “the illegitimate red headed step-child of Frank Black and Stephen Malkmus” - which proves they know it too.