Pitchfork: Tapes 'n Tapes Sign to XL

Tapes ‘n Tapes: sellouts! Kidding-- selling out is so early 90s. Rather, we extend our hearty congratulations to Tapes ‘n Tapes, who announced yesterday, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press, that they have abandoned the label they invented to self-release their acclaimed debut The Loon for an established label. That label? XL Recordings, home to Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Basement Jaxx, and the Prodigy, among others. XL will reissue The Loon worldwide this summer.

Although we don't quite see the connection between those people and the Minnesota band's Pixies-inspired sound, maybe Tapes 'n Tapes think XL has "a roster of people who are really creative and have a lot of creative freedom" and that they are "great people, too." It is even possible that the band sees the partnership as "the perfect match." Considering that singer/guitarist Josh Grier said all of these things to the Pioneer Press, it's more than possible.

Truth be told, XL is also home to Devendra Banhart and is part of the Beggars Group of labels in America, which distributes 4AD and Matador as well. So it's not such a strange fit after all. Welcome to the neighborhood, Tapes 'n Tapes!

Unfortunately, bassist Shawn Neary will not be making the move with the rest of the band, as he quit earlier this month. The Pioneer Press quotes band manager Keri Wiese as saying, "It's a bummer, Shawn is a great guy... It was just time for it to happen. It just didn't work out." The Loon producer Erik Appelwick will be filling in for Neary on the band's upcoming tour, which includes a stop at our very own Pitchfork Music Festival.

Looney Tunes:

04-28 Chicago, IL - Subterranean #
04-29 Chicago, IL - Schubas ^
05-05 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry @
05-07 Minneapolis, MN - Women's Club Theater %
05-18 London, England - Metro *
05-19 Nottingham, England - The Social *
05-20 Brighton, England - Great Escape *
05-22 London, England - Barfly *
05-23 Leeds, England - Faversham *
05-24 Glasgow, Scotland - Nice 'N' Sleazy *
05-25 Manchester, England - Music Box *+
06-01 Madison, WI - The Journey *
06-02 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub *
06-03 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop *
06-04 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *$
06-05 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Club *$
06-06 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *$
06-07 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *$
06-08 Baltimore, MD - Fletcher's *$
06-09 Atlanta, GA - The Drunken Unicorn *$
06-10 Nashville, TN - The Basement *$
06-12 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room *$
06-13 Austin, TX - Stubb's Barbeque *$
06-15 Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture *$
06-16 Los Angeles, CA - Echo *$
06-17 San Francisco, CA - Café du Nord *$
06-18 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan *$
06-19 Seattle, WA - Crocodile Café *$
06-22 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge *$
06-23 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground *$
07-29 Chicago, IL - Union Park (Pitchfork Music Festival) &

* with Cold War Kids
# with the Essex Green
^ with the Wrens
@ with the Future
% with the Brian Jonestown Massacre
+ with You Say Party We Say Die!
$ with Figurines
& with Os Mutantes, Spoon, Yo La Tengo, Devendra Banhart, Mission of Burma, Aesop Rock, the National, Jens Lekman, Chin Up Chin Up, Diplo, Tarantula A.D., Tyondai Braxton, Bondo Do Role, more TBA