This is a strange one. I've got a mate in the US and we have worked out a deal due to the exorbitant cost of international shipping. I will get stuff in the UK that he's looking for - he will get stuff in the US that I am after, and then we'll ship it together when there's a bundle. Seems to be working well so far. Anyway, he sent me this tape from an American band called Gnawing. I think they are from Richomnd, Virginia, and I am guessing that we got the tape as a bundle with their LP, You Freak Me Out. Anyway - they're a pleasing throwback to that East Coast sound of the early 90s. The guitars speed in all the right places, and the vocals are undeniably redolent of J Mascis. But what of this tape ? Well, on bandcamp there is the following explanation : "we recently caught someone taping one of our live shows and jumped them and took their tape recorder and decided to put it on bandcamp for your listening pleasure! " - As far as I can tell, the digital version is the only one currently available, but mine is definitely a tape.
Guess what - it's brilliant. For me, it's another throwback to the days of live boots - it sounds great through my tape deck and i can only imagine it would sound great on headphones. Although the blurb up there suggests its an audience recording, there's little background noise apparent - I've listened to it twice already, I'll be listening to it again, and I reckon you should go to the link and give it a go.
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