Tape/Off On Their Scathing New LP: ‘It’s Our Best Record, For Sure’

Brisbane outfit Tape/Off are set to return tomorrow (March 6) with their long-awaited third album Fort Sensible. Named after a moment in The Simpsons when the leader of a fort is handed over to invading forces so that the rest of the people can live, the LP is a scathing criticism of our current society, wrapped up in a high energy alt-rock exterior.

With their first two albums, Chipper (2014) and Broadcast Park (2018), both long-listed for the Australian Music Prize, Tape/Off believe their new album is their most accomplished yet.

“I think it’s our best record, for sure," frontman Nathan Pickels admits. “I think it’s probably our most sincere record - it’s not like we’re pouring our hearts out or anything like that, but it’s the closest so far we’ve got to what we want to do both sonically and lyrically. We had the luxury of a bit more time and really got the sounds we wanted."

So, to celebrate the impending release of Fort Sensible, Tape/Off are taking The Music through their album, track by track.

PIXELATED CONFETTI

Pixelated Confetti sets the thematic tone for the record. There’s a bit of back-and-forth about it as it lurches between frustration and resignation. It’s interesting that the cause of the frustration also shifts about during the song. A couple of us were making our way through the book Capitalism and Schizophrenia at the time, so we were wrestling with the idea that maybe we actually do desire our own oppression. 

ON THE VERGE

The second song On The Verge takes a more local look at this idea by highlighting the Great (read: small) Australian middle-manager. Where do these guys keep coming from? How is it the case that we have organised society in such a way that these chodes are the ones that get to dictate useless meeting after useless meeting as a circle jerk for their own fragile egos? The arse-licker and “wing defender” lines are favourites amongst the band. This track also marks the first appearance of guest Maddie Keinonen [Dumb Things, Renovator’s Delight]’s sublime voice and Ben Revi [Ghost Notes, Mousseline]’s immaculate keys on the record. 

CRYING ON THE KITCHEN BENCH

The third track Crying on the Kitchen Bench zooms in even further and constitutes probably the most personal aspect of the record. A year or so back, there was an interview on Landline with a woman who had just started a new dress-shop in her small community right before Covid hit. She talked about how she just completely broke down in her kitchen when lockdown was enforced. It’s messed up how a person wanting to build something for their community has to face this while other people get bonuses for tearing up the earth just down the road. 

FORT SENSIBLE

Track four is the title track. It’s a pretty straightforward barrage aimed at the banality of thinking we get from the higher-ups. We know the line about the National Gallery being underwater is factually incorrect - the point is that there would be some morons who would take this as a win so they have more space to drive their submarines around (if they ever eventuate, that is).

FLAT EARTHERS

Flat Earthers rounds out side one. It really draws all of the themes together. The question  is: who is on top of the world? If we can get started to build some confidence in the idea that it really is ridiculous to give up our decision-making capacities to the next naked emperor that rolls through, maybe we can be on top of the world together? Luke McCallum [Ghost Notes] is behind the Saints-esque horns that really bring this home (to Brisbane).

NIGHTSHIFT

Nightshift starts side B with a pretty decent blast of noise. If you get vibes of driving up Annerley Road at the witching hour, then you are picking up what we are putting down. Branko [Cosic - drums] and Cam [Smith - bass/vocals ] locked in harder than the trashing some young champs gave that clapped out Hyundai Excel with the ‘Police Aware’ sticker dumped near the KFC. 

ZZ POP

Track seven, ZZ Pop, is the greatest name we have ever given to a song. Ben [Green - guitar/vocals]’s wonky main line made its way into the practice room a long time before the song actually came together. We’re so glad it hung around. The chorus is probably the closest we’ve ever come to anthemic (in a 100pax room kind of way). Back pocket cunning in spades.

INTO THE OCEAN

Track eight, Into the Ocean, is a few personal memories mixed in with some other suburbanite gripes. Here is the guy standing out the front of his house on Saturday, running his leaf blower until the sun reaches its zenith. Here is the steady stream of mist evaporating before it heaps the driveway underneath his brand new Audi. It almost makes you hopeful for an AI future…

PARIS, TEXAS, QUEENSLAND

Penultimate track - yeah, we learnt some fancy words from Bruce McAvaney, what of it? - Paris, Texas, Queensland is fairly well regarded by the band as the best song we’ve written. The title is a reference to climate change confusion, and most of the lyrics circle somewhere around this vicinity. The Go-Betweens, Stefan, a few pollies and mining magnates all make an appearance in one way or another - basically just another day in Queensland.

MONDAY

Monday closes off the record. Nathan [Pickels - guitar/vocals] got to fulfil both his whistling and palm-muted wishes on this one - eat your heart out, Tom Petty! The intricate little guitar parts make way for a big finish and hopefully a good bit of vigorous head-nodding. It’s no secret that Tape/Off love a bit of post-rock, and the end sees us letting this loose. Turn this one up loud to get the best out of it. Shout out to the Beenleigh line.

Tape/Off’s third album, ‘Fort Sensible’, drops on all streaming services tomorrow. To celebrate its release, the band is going on tour.

TAPE/OFF’S ‘FORT SENSIBLE’ ALBUM TOUR

09 MAY - Iron & Resin Garage COOLANGATTA

10 MAY - Soapbox Beer BRISBANE

16 MAY - The Lansdowne Hotel SYDNEY

17 MAY - La La La’s WOLLONGONG

23 MAY - The Crown & Anchor ADELAIDE

24 MAY - The Gem MELBOURNE

Find tickets and more information here.