The Fire Tapes/Dream Travel

Coming from down the road in Charlottesville, The Fire Tapes drop their new Dream Travel, produced by none other than the inestimable Kramer. Sporting a decidedly southern vibe, The Fire Tapes traffic in a dreamy and (pardon me) smokey pop with hazy psych traces wafting in and out of their rootsy melodies. Most of the cuts balance on the waking edge, some tugging on the loose tooth for some pangs of melancholy. Warm and easy rolling, Dream Travel has plenty of subtle textures and gently smoldering embers in the background. A lot of Dream Travel is about moderation, whether it’s in influences (VU, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo) or the balancing of indie rock with alt and off-kilter country detours. Delivering their tales with a Velvets glove that is sober and deceptively upbeat in how it disperses out, The Fire Tapes do away with a need to hit you over the head and for the most part, letting the actual songs do the talking. That’s not saying they don’t catch fire when needed, or required. Instrumentally there is a good deal more going on than you initially think, both up front and in the sonic washes and simmering soundscapes. Overall, The Fire Tapes have a knack for creating fuzzy framed snapshots with a gently sprawling widescreen scope…buzzy late night/early morning atmosphere that’s both familiar and slightly out of reach…where’s it’s the most interesting.

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