I was sitting outside in the sun, playin’ marbles with my kids, when my coach-driven mailman came by with the post. You’ll imagine my surprise when I received a package containin’ a phonograph record with a picture pasted right on it! I also seemed to notice a basketball theme. “Holy crow,” I exclaimed.
“Say, Mr. Mailman, Where did this particular package come from?” I asked.
“Well son, looks like the godz are shining upon you today. This package floated down from the clouds like the eventual rapture, only diff’ence being we’re not all gonna die.”
I high-fived all within hand-shot and set to work listening/learning. I became frustrated when my record player didn’t seem to want to keep moving. Luckily my mailman was still standing right next to me for some reason:
“Don’t worry Grant, those are called locked grooves. They’re essentially closed loops, consisting of a few seconds of audio, that cycle through over and over until you move the needle. It’s a way of ensuring participation rather than just casual absorption.”
I had a few follow-up questions for this mail/man about life, love, and cholera, but that’s not important right now. What is? A track that stood out like a beacon amid the many songs of the basketball-themed 12-inch pic-disc Carpark Records is putting out for its sweet 16th anniversary July 24: Memory Tapes’ “Go Play Outside.”
Not only was I following the instructions of this number as it arrived at my house with its friends, I also found it to be an incredibly warm slice of mandarin computer-juice, with a distinct flavor of summer sloth and citrus. Signifying the fact that perhaps I’m behind the times when it comes to future-funk, my first thought was bands like BMSR and Wizardzz (remember? Lightning Bolt side project? C’MON PEEPZ), but that really doesn’t cut it, at all. Dayvy Hawk is more of a lofi songsmith in disguise, seemingly writing songs to (admittedly flimsy) guitar riffs then dressing them up in smooshy keys and smushy smears of sound. If you value songs that contain more than two or three chords and revel in rhythmic complications, you’ll want to call in sick on this one, but if you’ve got a hankerin’ for music that just feels good for the here-and-now, they don’t get much more goopy and/or sugary.
Feed the rainbow slurpy rush/avoid a comedown by checking out Memory Tapes at the following shows:
July 21st – Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
July 22nd – Toronto, ON – The Drake
July 24th – Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle
July 25th – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right
July 26th – Washington, D.C. – DC9
*all dates w/ Computer Magic
• Memory Tapes: http://weirdtapes.tumblr.com
• Carpark Records: http://carparkrecords.com
