{grate 2.5} If there was anything special about Tapes ’n Tapes debut The
Loon, it’s that the album was a fine exercise in homage, with the band paying
constant tribute to indie greats like the Pixies and Pavement. Despite being
unoriginal, the band never failed to be charming, constantly throwing formulaic
but catchy melodies and hooks when we least expected it. Unfortunately, given
the opportunity to craft a unique sound and identity for its sophomore effort,
the only thing the band really manages to do is strip away its charm, leaving
only the derivative.

To be honest, the album’s not bad; it’s just not all that
good either. The biggest problem with Walk It Off is that the album is
manufactured to produce a sound that’s nothing really special. Ironically,
while the increased production values certainly make the album more polished,
they also muddy its sound. For instance, on the track “Headshock,” if the
band’s intent was to shock its listeners by adding a sudden instrumental shift,
it certainly does the deed. The effect, however, only manages to disrupt the
song’s flow, leaving listeners disconnected. The same can be said of “George
Michael,” which incorporates sharp guitar riffs slicing through prevailing
melodies to create a similarly jarring instrumental interlude.

With that said, the album is certainly not without its high
points. “La Ruse” is a strong and
memorable opener that sets the album’s tone, and both “Anvil” and “Lines” never
cease to be soothing and sensible after a painful trip through “Demon’s Apple,”
a poorly calculated tonal shift that proves only to be boring and arbitrary.

Still, there aren’t enough memorable tracks to validate the
solidarity of the album. While I understand the difficulty of following up a
solid debut, the derivative nature of the band never serves a good enough
excuse to play Walk It Off more than once. If you’re itching for new music,
neither this album nor this band will help much in scratching it.