Not that it's the biggest new old industry in the world or anything, but there've definitely been a lot more musicians than usual putting their music on cassette lately. It's a good move for a specific subsection of people. Tapes are fragile and they degrade easily, but there's a homespun charm to them too. Brendan Codey is a Philadelphia-based musician who makes folky, vaguely sludgy rock. It's not difficult music, but Codey's intentions seem so pure and direct. When his fractured banjo rises from a simple repeating guitar riff on "Everyone Becomes a Martyr Carved in Stone," Codey's considerable songwriting talents are made clear. Casco as a whole is rough, but often beautiful. The sort of cassette you might find at a Salvation Army in a small California town and be pleasantly surprised by. Listening to it now, it feels like perfect fall listening. Small, unassuming and hermetically sealed in its own little world. Listen to the whole thing at the link below, and if you're into it, buy the tape here.
Stream: Brendan Codey, Casco