out this week 7/5 & 7/12...memory tapes...sons & daughters...washed out... at the Amoeblog

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posted on July 14, 2011 at 1:55pm

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posted on July 14, 2011 at 7:00pm

out this week 7/5 & 7/12...memory tapes...sons & daughters...washed out...

Posted by Brad Schelden, July 14, 2011 02:08pm | Post a Comment

I first heard Seek Magic by Memory Tapes at the end of 2009. I was immediately hooked. I suddenly couldn't imagine how I had lived my life without Memory Tapes. The album was that good. At least I thought so. Combining all my favorite elements of dream pop and shoegaze and electronica. This guy knew the way to my heart. Memory Tapes created some amazingly catchy pop songs for this album. He captured an early 90s sound but somehow made it refreshing and like nothing I had ever heard. I was in love with Memory Tapes. All you need to do is listen to the song "Bicycle." You will immediately fall in love with this song. There seriously must be something wrong with you if you don't like this song. Memory Tapes is Dayve Hawke of New Jersey. He had also released music as Memory Cassette and Weird Tapes. He decided to combine the two into Memory Tapes. His new album is called Player Piano. The second album is always risky undertaking. Especially when you really like the first album. When that first album plays a big part of your life and is listened to over and over again. It is sort of scary to first check out that second album. I worry that I will not like it. I really want to like it. I respect the artist and want to like where they are going with the second album. But it doesn't always work out. Sometimes you are just never going to have that same experience with a second album. The new Memory Tapes album does not disappoint. Another one of my favorites from the last couple of years is Washed Out. I really loved that first album. But the jury is still out on the new album released this week. I like it. But not sure if I am ready to fall in love. But I am not giving up on it yet. I fell in love with the new Memory Tapes album immediately. This new is worth your valuable time.

You should of course start with Seek Magic if you are new to Memory Tapes. However sometimes it works better the opposite way. I know I have said this

before. But sometimes it is good to start with that second album. If you end up liking the new album then you are guaranteed to love the first one. Sort of like reading a book before you see the movie. If the book is really good, then you may not end up liking the movie. Rarely can a movie be as good as a book. But if you love the movie first. You can often end up going back and loving the book second. But it is a great feeling to read a book for the first time. To be learning everything for the first time as you turn the pages. "Wait in the Dark" is one of my favorite tracks from the new album. It is the first real song on the album following a short instrumental introduction. My favorite track on the album is probably "Trance Sisters." The album flows together perfectly. It is all very dream like and could easily put you under its spell.

There have already been a ton of great albums this year. It is really turning out to be a great year for music. I hope you feel the same way. Maybe it is just me. But I feel like all of my favorite bands are putting out great albums this year. The year got off to a great start with awesome new albums from Wanda Jackson, Puro Instinct, and Adele. I am still loving the new albums from PJ Harvey, The Kills, Raveonettes, Explosions in the Sky, Okkervil River, Gang Gang Dance, Black Lips, Zombi and TV on the Radio. Many of these albums will be competing in my top ten at the end of the year. Craft Spells,

Holy Ghost, Cold Cave, Kurt Vile, Det Vackra Livet, Acid House Kings, Bon Iver, and John Maus are all close to the top. The albums keep coming out too. The new Sons & Daughters album is awesome. I still think they are a very under-appreciated band. I really like that last album but this new one is really working for me. Mirror Mirror is out this week on Domino. Domestic versions of Tame Impala and Hercules and Love Affair are finally being

released in the next couple of months. I am also liking the new albums by Zomby and SBTRKT. They are both new electronica albums released in the last couple of weeks. The new Crystal Antlers album is out next week on July 19th. And I don't like them just because they are from Long Beach. This new album is fantastic. And they just filmed an episode of What's In My Bag. So be on the lookout for that! New albums by The Horrors and Little Dragon are out July 26th. New Dom album 8/9. New Active Child & Stephen Malkmus albums out 8/23. New Beirut and CSS album out 8/30. New album by The Rapture out 9/6. New St. Vincent, Wooden Shjips, Teen Daze, and Wild Flag out 9/13. New Dum Dum Girls and Bjork out 9/27. There will be something for everyone. New M83 and Girls albums are also out this year! But what I am most looking forward to are those new albums that I don't even know about. They are just lurking around the corner waiting for us to discover. I can't wait...

Watch the video for "Bicycle" by Memory Tapes from the album Seek Magic...

Listen to Wait in the Dark by Memory Tapes from the new album Player Piano...

also out 7/5...