Shamus McGroggan Co-Founder / Producer of Tape Swap Radio located right here in in the Lehigh Valley chats with us about What’s Spinning? In this record of the month series.
First of all, could you tell us a little about Tape Swap Radio?
Tape Swap Radio is a music series that I started with musician/recording engineer Matt Molchany. Our goal is to spotlight all the great DIY and independent music happening in the Lehigh Valley. We record live sessions with bands either at Matt's Bethlehem recording studio Shards or on the roof of the historic Cigar Factory building in Allentown. We then release the sessions on our bi-weekly radio show on WDIY 88.1 FM, along with putting audio and video online. Since launching Tape Swap on the air in 2013, we've expanded to include things like a concert series and an annual punk rock flea market.
Name of record/artist
Très Oui - Poised to Flourish
What emotion does this record invoke for you?
Surprise and anticipation. This album puts me in the mood to take whatever the world is going to throw at me. If you listen to it, right off the bat, it's bristling with energy. But it's not a break-neck erratic energy. It's more of a sustained steady burst. For that reason, it's a go-to choice for car rides. The lyrics also have a sense of figuring out your place in the world, so there's a bit of self-reflection wrapped up in there as well. But it's definitely a living in the present album.
What is your favorite instrumentation part on this album?
If I had to pick one part, it would be when the horns lightly creep in on "One Track Mind." Up until that point, you don't hear them at all, so they kind of catch you off guard. This is on song 4 out of 10, so it's still early enough in the album. It's the moment in the album that made me go, "OK, they aren't just sticking to the same formula on every song here. They're really creating their own world." Along with the lazy pace that the song takes, it creates an almost film noir-esque atmosphere.
Does this record bring back any memories for you?
Seeing them play most of these songs live comes to mind. We hosted the band at Lit Roastery in Bethlehem as part Tape Swap's concert series last year. They floored me and I immediately had to get the record. My only regret was that we didn't get to record a session with the band since they were on tour from Austin, TX and on a tight schedule.Since I've gotten the record, I've mostly come to associate it with driving around the Lehigh Valley. This is a perfect driving album.
What are the highlight tracks?
Since I've already mentioned "One Track Mind," I'll talk about "Red Wine & Dry Ice," the second song on the album. When they played this song live, I remember guitarist Nate Cardaci hitting his pedal for the start of the chorus, and a wall of sound just wrapped around me. It was an amazing feeling. It makes me want to listen to this song as loud as possible just to recreate it. "Red Wine & Dry Ice" is probably one of the catchiest moments on the album too, so it's an ideal starting point for anyone trying out the band. "Séance" is another ear worm that will stick with you. "Off the Rails" stands out for the interplay of instruments. The band members' dynamics are a lot of fun to follow. When they add in some keyboard to this song, it sounds like the most natural choice in the world. It's almost like they can do no wrong.
Describe the album artwork
From the liner notes, I know that the artwork was done by Russell Etchen who is a Los Angeles-based artist, I really don't know anything about him except this seems to be his signature style. The front cover is a red square enclosed in a deep blue blue border. Inside the red square are fragmented blue lines. It almost looks like when you tried to create a design out of text, so my mind goes to those old dot matrix printers or message boards in the early internet days. This is more abstract, though, like you're looking at a flowing river. It also vaguely reminds me of those Magic Eye designs.
RAPID WORD ASSOCIATION- what is the FIRST word that comes to your head when this album comes on?
Jangle. I mean, they do bring the jangle pop, and bring it well.
Why should WE listen to this record?
It's well made, has great songwriting, and has plenty of replay value. The band is based in Austin but some of the band members have a connection to the Lehigh Valley, so there is a local connection as well. Band members Nate Cardaci and Seth Whaland had previously played in the band Literature who was on Slumberland Records, so if you enjoyed that band, you'll definitely enjoy Très Oui. Even if you've listened to other Slumberland bands like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Weekend, or Veronica Falls, Poised to Flourish will be up your alley.