Plus Tapes

“Everybody wants to have a good time,” sings Netherfriends helmsman Shawn Rosenblatt at the climax of “Bloomington, IN,” a song off his latest thematic exploration for us here at Plustapes, Middle America. And boy, he sure sounds like it: Cruising breezily through the Heartland powered by mid-tempo jaunts and wistfully melodic vibes, Middle America paints a portrait of rich red sunsets and amber waves of grain with effortless choruses, jangly guitars, vibrant cymbal crashes, and a touch of reverb for added depth. From “Kalamazoo, MI” to “Fargo, ND” to our very own “Chicago, IL,” Netherfriends encourages more than a foot shuffle or a head-bob: These are arms-open-wide soundtracks a better tomorrow. Dare to dream.

Back in April 2010, Netherfriends (Shawn Rosenblatt) started a year long project where he wrote and recorded a song and performed in all 50 states. These songs are from the mid-west of the United States of America.