Tapes n Tapes - The Old Blue Last, London - 3/3/08
4/5
By: Chris O'Toole
The band is dead. Long live the band. In this showcase event for their new album - Walk it Off - Tapes 'n' Tapes revealed what can only be viewed as a radical change of direction. Gone are the short, concise pop numbers which characterised their debut, 'The Loon', and in their place the group have created a collection of foot-on-amp guitar solos and placed them a more formulaic rock setting.
Although it is difficult to judge this close to the coal face - it could be simply coal, or just maybe it's a diamond - Tapes 'n' Tapes appear to have moved dramatically away from what bought them acclaim a mere two years ago. Although they played a couple of fans' favourites - including The Insister - these were set alongside the majority of the up coming sophomore release - their first for XL Recordings.
Tonight new tracks, including 'The Dirty Dirty', seem new to the road. While obviously practiced in the studio, the group seem slightly less confident when trying out new numbers on even this modest. While they play faultlessly - with very little conversation with the crowd - there is less spark and spontaneity in their performance when covering new territory.
However, upcoming track 'George Michael' offers glimpses of what first won the admiration this hipster crowd. Fast, taught and informed the track crashes through a number of diamond shapes in its brief course before coming to an abrupt halt. Josh Grier sings with verve and passion - the whole band are clearly enjoying the experience of taking this material on the road, even if they are a little unsure of how it should sound - and for a few brief moments the crowd begins to move. As with so much in this part of town, the most forward looking people are staring at the past.
Yet, for most of the evening proceedings are a little more subdued. The crowd - apparently largely composed of journalists - are given plastic glasses because they cannot be trusted. It is obviously impossible to tell how the mob will react to the any change of direction, and the band is taking no chances.
On first impressions Tapes 'n' Tapes have broadened their appeal - aiming for the higher reaches. While they are sure to lose some of their dilettante fans en route, they are sure to win a whole legion more. The two hundred meter queue outside the venue hours before the event is testament to the band's evident appeal. Still a great band, just, on first-impressions, not the same band we all fell in love with those short months ago.
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