Some of my earliest memories are listening to the Original Cast Recordings of Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, and The Phantom of the Opera while obsessing over the packaging. I loved being able to have an official piece of the show to interact with. A cassette felt different than a souvenir program or a t-shirt brandishing show art. A cassette was a living, breathing thing to me- show art that sang! Time has not been kind to my friend, the cassette. It was widely known that the sound quality paled in comparison to its forebearer The Vinyl and its descendant The CD, but I’ve always felt very romantic about that little piece of plastic.
At a time when music feels impalpable, I am so thrilled to announce a physical release of our Love in Hate Nation cast album. The show is a love story between two people who have been discarded by society, so I think it is only appropriate that our album is released on the red-headed stepchild of physical media: The Audio Cassette. Don’t have a tapedeck? You can enjoy the Love in Hate Nation tape without one. Stephanie Layton, Bailey Ford, and I have collaborated on packaging that features brand new art, laid out in a retro ‘zine style. The cassette will look great sitting on your bedroom shelf as you pine for your latest unrequited love. Or imagine getting picked up for a date and as you step into your suitor’s gleaming white Dodge Challenger, they’ve got a Love in Hate Nation cassette strewn on the passenger side floor. It’s a surefire sign that you’re gonna have a good night. Get in on the action now by preordering here: