Before I start this review, I want to take my hat off to Tapes ‘N Tapes. After naming their album Walk It Off it seems they decided it would be a good idea to have some interaction with their fans. As a result they have been asking people to take part in the ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ charity walks, with the intention of raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Walkers can register as Team Tapes ‘N Tapes, and once the walk has been completed they send their details and the amount raised to XL who will then choose one ‘winner’ per city to receive a personalised album and promo stuff. Sure, it’s a marketing ploy, but in the aid of a good cause- and for that, Tapes ‘N Tapes and XL, I salute you.It must be a tough job being an aspiring rock band in Minneapolis. Following in the footprints of the wake of the likes of Husker Du and The Replacements must be quite a challenge. Couple this with a critically acclaimed debut album, and the task facing Tapes ‘N Tapes becomes harder by the minute. Josh Grier’s has that on-the-verge-of-cracking vocal thing down pat, and a strong ear for pop-rock melody, in the Rivers Cuomo mould. Opener ‘La Ruse’ positively charges out of the blocks, with its pumping bass line,crashing cymbals and slinky octave guitar lines. Throw in a time change halfway through, and a joint vocal, and a crescendo of noise towards the end, and you have a song that would have been a highlight of either of the last two Weezer records. For second track ‘Time of Song’s’ Griers voiced becomes hushed, and his voice begins to waver in that trademark, overtly sincere way. However, the song doesn’t really go anywhere, and the delivery calls to mind the slower, more stripped down tracks of Arcade Fire’s hugely over-rated opus Neon Bible (although that might be the military style drumming). Sadly this is not the only time that the A****de F*re references blight the record. As for ‘Hang Them All’, with it’s funky riffing and machine gun tight drumming, the generous would say the influence of Minneapolis’ most famous purple son was at work. Sadly, if you were to suggest it was an outtake from the last Red Hot Chili Peppers record you would be closer to the mark.Where The Loon, came as a refreshing change, Tapes ‘N Tapes’ follow up seems content to tread water, and can’t seem to break free from the shackles of the bands influences. When they do struggle free, the likes of ‘Conquest’ and the swinging ‘Headshock’ are good fun, and demonstrate the bands nack for a chorus and building up to a triumphant end. Sadly those moments are few and far between, and as a result Walk It Off shows little to make it stand out from the crowd. 69%Links Tapes 'N Tapes [official site] [myspace]