Monday 06/11/06 Tapes N' Tapes @ Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh

As the opening signs of gigs go, it would be hard to get one more ominous than Tapes N Tapes. The band casually arrived and then promptly stood around for a few minutes while trying to sort out various technical issues. One impromptu sound check later and they finally got started, easing into the jerky ‘Just Drums’, a track that sadly lived up to its name with a mini drum solo at the end.

At the same time vocalist/guitarist Josh Grier was inaudible, a problem that plagued the more laid back vibe of ‘The Iliad’ as well. Thankfully, after this inauspicious start the Minneapolis 4 piece began to justify the groundswell of hype that has surrounded them in the past few months.

They’re a tricky band to describe as nearly every song they play takes in a variety of twists and turns. Just when you think it has established a certain path, there’s a change of gear, perhaps a quickening of pace or a sudden interlude.  One thing certain is that live they’re a far more muscular band live than on record, nearly every song blessed with more urgency and intensity.

Take ‘In Houston’. A slow gentle lilting build up gives way to a juddering, sharp vocal before a full on barrage of whining guitar and clattering drums comes in then eventually ending up with a funk heavy ending. At times their songs often resemble 2 or 3 songs jammed together to create one hybrid. Some of their creations should be terrible yet their blend captures enough hooks that it hangs together well. ‘Insistor’ is the Shadows doing a country hoedown and manages to cause utter delirium in the crowd while set closer ‘Jakov’s Suite’ is exactly what you want from a concluding number, a huge towering mini epic, the band indulging in their rockier side to bring a furious thrashing finale.

The band also defy their, ahem, slightly nerdy look by charging about the stage, wooly hat wearing multi instrumentalist Matt Kretzman in particular taking off like a madman at every available opportunity. By the end of the night the earlier problems are but a distant memory.

For Tapes N Tapes the overall omens are certainly in their favour.