VOTD 12/29/2022

 Tape Loop Orchestra: Interiors One (Bedroom Tapes [label?])

Purchased at The Government Center

In yesterday's blog post, I wrote of the importance of Thomas Dimuzio hearing me play a track from the first Faust LP on WRCT in 1983 or 4. One of those "this record changed my life" moments. I brought my original copy and gave it to him. He was, as one would expect, delighted . He said he'll frame it and hang it on his wall.

I want to return to the question of why I'm writing these blog posts in the first place. I suppose I mentioned this in the first of these, but it's largely about the discipline of sitting down and doing it. But given that, what should I even write? It seems a little silly to only write quickly created reviews of records for which I give very little editing. So why not write about myself? My relationship to the music, in music in general. That's a bit self-serving. These have been seen so far by almost nobody, and that's fine. Maybe there's something of a legacy project here, seeing my thoughts and internal voice extended into the future. Maybe there's a desire to increase my digital footprint.

Mike Shanley referenced me in his own blog (https://shanleyonmusic.blogspot.com/). He's writing a session-by-session review of Ivo Perlman's digital/virtual box set of reed duets, comparing it to my series of writings regarding Ennio Morricone on this page. It's nice of him to do so. He's a better writer than me, and I think there's a greater purpose to his blog posts than mine. If I've in any way inspired him or any other creative pursuit, that's a positive thing. It's like I discussed with Thomas last night, we often don't know when we do something that turns out to be very inspiring to someone else. 

So, the music. I'd seen other records by Tape Loop Orchestra at The Government Center, and I couldn't help but be intrigued by the name. It's a good name, not only for the sound of it, but suggests an approach to the music. This LP/CD/booklet came up used, slightly cheaper than the new issues, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Something of an aside: I was pondering last night that there was a time many years ago when I could look over a new or used record section and have a good idea if a record was something that interested me. I knew either by reputation, label, writings I had read about the artist, or often just by its appearance. Those days a long gone. Now, I often struggle to figure out who the artist is by lookin at the cover design. Hipster design, decreasing eyesight, and low light levels in some record stores, keep me from reading the information. 

Now I've had the chance to hear this project, from Manchester England. I haven't looked up much information, whether this is one person or several. It's not surprisingly an ambient music project. The booklet is of black and white photos of room interiors.

Brian Eno is credited with created the term ambient music. Like any categorization of genre, keep mean a certain range of possible outcomes. You've heard or said it: "This is pretty ambient." When I listen to this record, it sounds very Eno-ish to me. That's not something I'd say about all ambient music. It recalls vaguely Music for Airports and Apollo, though different from the latter because it's only two long tracks. 

It's perfectly pleasant to listen to. What I don't want to do is write, "I was expecting it to sound like this," and take what the artist has given me. That said, with a name like Tape Loop Orchestra, I was expecting something a little more analog-sounding. William Basinski's use (and breakdown) of analog tape loops, give a soft-edged, even slightly grungy sound to the results. This is cleaner. 

A note, and something I try not to complain about. I know I should probably probably replace my turntable stylus, but there seems to be a major pressing glitch on the second side. It sounds first like somebody bumping a microphone, then there's outright needle skating over a few grooves. That would be distracting under any circumstances, but it's seismic under these. Maybe it's why this turned up used.

Another aside: I have often been going to sleep while streaming ambient music stations on Radio Garden on my phone at very low volume levels. If you don't know Radio Garden, get hip! Its both a website and a mobile app that's absolutely worth your time. And when you do, try searching for SOMA FM Drone Zone or Ambient Sleeping Pill for some intentionally unobtrusive listening.