2 Tapes, 2 Albums, 2 Shows // Diptych #30
a sci-fi double feature, a very dumb sneak peek, and a bunch of photographs from local shows
This week we’re breaking format a little so I can share a ton of cool stuff with y’all. Spring is here and even though it’s still freezing temperatures most days here, the days are getting longer and the leaves are coming back. I hope everyone is doing well and getting to spend a little more time outside!
Over the course of the past month, I’ve been gathering some really interesting tapes to archive here, and while I was out, I came across a couple subtitled movies from a Korean rental shop. On top of that, I’ve been going to more shows and spending more time making my own music, all of which I will be documenting here in this article.
화성 미션 (2000) & 연락하다 (1997)
First up, we’ve got these two South Korean movie releases for Mission to Mars (2000) and Contact (1997). I came across these in a free bin in Knoxville, Tennessee along with a few new, old stock blank Sony tapes. I wasn’t sure if they were dubbed in Korean or subtitled, but of course I had to grab them. Turns out they are subtitled, which makes both movies still very watchable! I’m already a sucker for rental shop copies of tapes, especially those from small stores (places other than Blockbuster) or shops I can remember being in, and these are some of my favorites I’ve ever found.
These aren’t just copies of the movies, however; both tapes have something very special at the beginning. Being a Warner Bros. release, Contact has trailers in dubbed Korean for home video releases of Batman: The Animated Series and Looney Tunes, and Mission to Mars has what appears to be a advertisement for laser-based media (CDs and DVDs) and the benefits to using those formats along with some wonderful trailers for other Touchstone and Disney pictures.
If you’re looking for full translations of the covers of these tapes, they are available on Archive.org with the videos below.
Let’s watch some movies!
화성 미션 (2000)
연락하다 (1997)
April Fool’s Day
This year, lowercase books is hosting a set of shows running parallel, but unaffiliated with, Big Ears Festival called Counter Programming. If you’re local to the area, please check out lowercase’s website to see who all is playing over the long weekend (March 30th - April 2nd). I’ll be playing the 1st of April with a few friends in support of my new double album, being release just a few days prior! Come out and check out Milan Mastan and Recovered Media!
This time around, I’ve put together 30 tracks spread across two albums that have been split by genre. Tiny House is a low fidelity, four-on-the-floor dance album with a ton of dusty synths and some cringy samples, while Dumb Beats Vol. 7 is exactly what you think it is: 14 of my dumbest beats on a Bandcamp page that you can press play on and then leave the room.
It won’t be too long before these are out and ready to listen to exclusively on my Bandcamp page, but until then please enjoy a little preview, two tracks from each album!
track list: “free guys on main” and “take me”
track list: “how long” and “fadein2 time”
Jorden Albright / Work Wife / Yer Flowers
3-8-23 at lowercase books
No real thoughts on this show, I just want to say this is my favorite show of the year so far. Work Wife’s overdriven guitars combined with soft vocals and harmonies won me over immediately, and I’ve been giving their Quitting Season EP a listen nearly every day since. Jorden Albright continues to cement herself in the local scene as one of the most talented songwriters and performers this side of the Mississippi, and Yer Flowers played one of their twangiest and tightest sets ever with a couple new covers and a beautiful acoustic solo ballad by front man, David Webb.
Meob / Paperwork / Zach and Cory and Kevin
3-4-23 at The Pilot Light
Lastly, I’d like to highlight a wonderful album release show I had the honor of DJing earlier this month! Meob’s newest album, Stevie Joe, is an absolute ripper. Americana and math influences intertwine their way through this three-piece’s sophomore full length album, and every track brings something fun and new to the table. With intricate drums, smooth bass lines, dark guitars and perfect vocal harmonies, this is already a modern classic in my book.
Check it out, streaming everywhere now, and maybe if you’re lucky enough (like me!), you can see them live or pick up a cassette!
Paperwork and Zach and Cory and Kevin both assured me that they have music on the way, and both bands played great sets. I saw a ton of familiar faces from my time spent following the band Lions around the local scene pre-2018, and it was great to catch up with so many people!
Well, that’s it for this week! I hope you enjoyed this edition of Diptych Newsletter! If you’re looking for more, please check out my page on Archive.org for the full list of digitized media. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message right here or drop a comment below. If you haven’t already, please check out this video of Yer Flowers performing a-still-unreleased song called “Kiss It” at a previous show or any of my other previous posts here.
See you soon!
—Forrest
Your show photographs are always on point!
👍👍👍