Local band to release new EP at Velour concert

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The band Book on Tape Worm will release their new EP, “Songbirds of North America”, after a concert performance of their new songs at Velour on March 11.

Lead singer and guitarist Scott Shepard said that when he started out, he never thought that his more mellow songs would take off, but they led him into creating Book on Tape Worm.

Jason Moffat
The band members of Book on Tapeworm release their new EP, which will be performed at Velour. (Jason Moffat)

“I was in rock bands at the time and really had no intention of these mellower tunes becoming anything, but Corey Fox (owner of the Velour) heard them and insisted I start playing shows. He booked them and it’s snowballed from there,” Shepard said.

The band released their first album, “All the World’s a Stage”, back in 2012 with songs like “To Mock a Killingbird” and “Paper Things.”

Caden Watts, BYU student and a big fan of the band, said he loves their more calm, acoustic sound.

“At their Slumber Party concert, (Shepard) called himself the ‘sad song guy’ which I loved,” Watts said. “It’s obvious that they’re focused on making the music that interests, drives, and inspires them instead of just ‘making it big.’ His lyrics are really moving and feel personal.”

Monica Painter, who first heard their music at a BYU dance performance for an EviDance concert, was so touched by the emotion of the music in connection with dance that she sought them out after the concert.

“It had really emotional choreography and it was so hard hitting, I sought out the song,” Painter said. “Turns out it was ‘Poltergeist’ by Book on Tape Worm. I listened to it… and fell in love. Their sound is unique and raw. I love it.”

In talking about the songs on the new EP, Shepard said they were “orphans,” or songs that they had scrapped but couldn’t part with.

“We started recording this EP in 2015 but scrapped it in favor of a batch of tunes we’d written for our next full length album,” Shepard said. “While working on that record we kept looking back at these orphans and feeling like we needed to give them a chance. Ultimately, we decided to hold off on the full length and finish what we started. It was a circuitous route but I think it worked out for the best and I’m excited to be giving these songs their due.”

Fans like Watts are glad that they did so. When Watts attended the band’s Slumber Party concert at Velour earlier this year, he said he heard a few of the new songs and was so excited to have more music. For him, Book on Tape Worm inspires the musicians in the audience as well.

Jared Dayley
Book on Tapeworm puts on a Slumber Party concert at Velour. (Jared Dayley)

“Even though I don’t feel nearly as talented going to their concerts makes me want to keep music a big part of my life, learning more guitar and piano and even trying to write my own songs,” Watts said.

When asked what inspired the new EP, Shepard said it was “the desire to be better to and for the people I love, to spend less time with my face buried in a screen, to remember that bad times make good times matter, and to note that sometimes it’s a good thing that beauty is fleeting.”

For Book on Tape Worm, it’s not just about the music, but about the experience for their fans and taking them on a journey through the lyrics and creativity.

The band’s first album “All the World’s a Stage” was full of creative tricks that brought interaction to their fans.

“We hid secrets in the booklet and songs,” Shepard said. “The album case itself is a pop up book, we wanted it to feel magical and special. We also wanted people to experience it as intended so we only sold physical copies for a long time.”

The band hopes to continue the trend and create an experience for their fans with their new EP.

Jared Dayley
Scott Shepard, lead singer of Book on Tapeworm, performs at a concert. (Jared Dayley)

“For the new EP, ‘Songbirds of North America’, we wanted to continue that magical feel so the packaging/artwork will be different and very exciting,” Shepard said.

To their fans, Shepard said the band “wants them to know we love them and we’re excited for them to have this new record.”

Book on Tape Worm will be performing songs from their new EP, Songbirds of North America at the Velour Saturday, March 11 at 8 p.m. in connection with Quiet House and Julianne Brough, and will be releasing information about their impending full length record later this year.

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