Releases from John Russell’s cass_et_tape_records label can be unpredictable. While you know you’re gonna get some great handmade artwork, the musical quotient of the product can be a crapshoot. It can range from the genius pop strains of Desmond Reed to the so-improvisational-it’s-barely-listenable-for-some sound of the Chaotic Formula Orchestra. But hey, the label focuses on art for art’s sake, and it’s not always gonna make sense. If you’re not down with taking chances on allegiances to handmade labels, CETR probably isn’t for you. And in that case, I’m not even sure why you’re reading RetroLowFi. We champion the underdog, and Russell’s little label that could always puts out a piece of art that has something to offer even those with the largest aversions to DIY a little something they’ve never seen before.

In the case of the new split CD between Wabash and Cartoon Monster, you’ve got a mostly mellow, keyboard heavy slab of lo-fi listening. It’s really nice, and both artists go together quite well. Wabash tends to be the more downbeat of the two, with a keyboard that alternates between chirpy vibraphone and organ settings and a pleasant voice that’s often drenched in enough reverb to make the early Low records sound positively dry in comparison. Cartoon Monster ups the pace a bit, and tends to be a bit more beat and hook heavy. The latter also seems a bit more prone to experimenting with the odd bit of noise or static, but always to an interesting effect.

And of course, you can’t really talk CETR without discussing the packaging, and as one might expect… CETR#005 doesn’t disappoint in that department. My copy is put together from a mixture of coloring books and hand drawn artwork. The most creative aspect is that the tracklist is hand written on a page from a calendar. Looks great, and it’s certainly a memorable way to go about such a standard part of record packaging.

What’s hardest to shake about the releases on cass_et_tape_records is that these are all part of a series, and none of them have yet felt like definitive artistic statements by the musicians involved. Heck, I don’t think that CTER has even come close to what they’re capable of. Not that John Russell is far off from making that masterpiece that all future CETR releases will be judged by, but one is reminded at every turn that this is in fact a project in its infancy. I have a feeling that when the ultimate CETR release drops, heads will explode across the globe, and many will be left wondering why they hadn’t been following the label all along. Until then, it’s nice to know that each release is handled with the same amount of care, and every CETR album has been more enjoyable than the last.

Cartoon Monster - Save Yourself.mp3
Wabash - Lightning Where I Stand.mp3

Get more info about Wabash, Cartoon Monster and how to pick up CETR releases at the official cass_et_tape_records website!