Todd Gautreau / Tear Ceremony / Tapes and Topographies

[cvac]

I don't know if anyone here was a fan of Tear Ceremony's albums during the 90s, but I thought I should share this since no one seems to have posted about it.

At any rate, Tear Ceremony released four albums of excellent ambient music and then the artist behind the project, Todd Gautreau, shifted his focus to other types of music under different names.

In late 2014, he released an album going back to a more ambient-flavored sound under the name Tapes and Topographies. I only found out about it when I ordered some CDs direct from him and he mentioned it. It's a good album IMHO, and seems to have gotten very little attention or promotion and that's a shame.

He has a Bandcamp page for the album up here:

https://tapesandtopographies.bandcamp.com/releases

I think some people here would dig this if they gave it a chance.

It also looks like a new Tapes and Topographies album is being released in late March/early April:

http://www.simulacrarecords.com/shop/z9v1oeighq3b7k3c2dizlt9plect7t

https://soundcloud.com/simulacra-records/sets/soft-decibels

[Poaalpina]

OMIGOD... The name of my favorite musician is mentioned here...

I have all four CDs of Tear Ceremony directly from Todd. And he sent me the first pressing of his "Film Decay " album ( I have remastered version but prefer the original one) for free. And also Todd found a last copy of "Substrates (Ambient Works 1995-1999)" for me.  I contacted him a couple of years ago and those were very intresting conversations with him.

Tear Ceremony's album "An Hourglass of Opals" is my best for all time. I typing this text now, mentally recalling tune of "You In Frost" track and get shivers on my spine... 

Thank you cvac for your post here.

[cvac]

I can't remember where I first found out about Tear Ceremony. It was probably the old Ambientrance review website (some of it still up) if anyone remembers that.

I like all four TC albums but Film Decay is probably my favorite. There is something about these albums that really grabs me, hard to say exactly what it is. I'd encourage anyone to check them out.

Admittedly I never really listened to Sonogram. From what I remember it was beat-oriented, melodic "idm" type stuff. I just added the last Sonogram album to my Bandcamp wantlist so I could check it out later.

Todd also has an indie rock band called Crushed Stars, which I am hearing for the first time right now through Bandcamp.

Anyway, the Tapes and Topographies s/t album is really good. Looking forward to the new one, which I didn't even know was coming out until just now.

[Poaalpina]

I listened to An Hourglass Of Opals in 1994 for the first time... And still it is my fav... The next three are great too but Opals is like mother duck for me :)
Film Decay is more darker then Resin and Emulsion and yes it grabs me too.

About Sonogram: yes, it was beat-oriented, melodic "idm" type stuff but if you like TC you need to listen to Heartbeat Submarines and Substrates (Ambient Works 1995-1999). My opinion is that these should be released as Tear Ceremony. Submarines is like Resin and Emulsion and Substrates is like Film Decay and Opals. If you check tracklist you will  see some familiar tracks that already were on Opals. I have a strong feeling that was Gautreau's marketing strategy to published them under another moniker.

[Poaalpina]

New  album of Tapes and Topographies just released --> https://tapesandtopographies.bandcamp.com/album/soft-decibels

[cvac]

Listening to the new T&T now, really good.

[Poaalpina]

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