The Telescopes # Untitled Sound
 CD Review by Paul Walrus
2/2009
 
           
 

 

   The Telescopes new release on L.A.'s Bomp Records, "# Untitled Second" was originally released in 1994 in the U.K.

Stephen Laurie founded the band in 1987 and on tunes like "Tornado," "Ocean Drive," and "The Presence of Your Grace," his vocals along with amazing musicianship including exceptional drumming add to the moody, psychedelic, and dream-like journey.

We're not talking about commercial& Rolling Stone& national breakout on the college charts& or anything of the sort here. The tunes on this CD are minimal, yet built on layers of sound and music. Check out a lyric from "Spaceship": "What a great day for your warm smile/its shameful tragic lie/some kind of happiness is all we need to make ourselves worthwhile/ what a great day for your life." This CD is a work of art.

Since the sounds are so unique, comparison to other music is common. On this CD I hear a lot of late 60's San Francisco grooves. Imagine Jefferson Airplane if they were in their prime and were able to record in a 2009 state of the art facility. The Telescopes sound like that&sort of.

They come out of the Jesus & Mary Chain, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine school of sound&Shoegaze. That's what it was dubbed by Melody Maker and the New Musical Express. It is a ridiculous name and their reason for calling it that is even more asinine (you can look it up), but the sound that they were labeling featured vocals that offer indistinguishable meshing with layers of` rhythm guitar distortion&sort of.

It has to be experienced to be appreciated. There are thirteen drone/dream psych tracks here plus two bonus cuts. Here is a lyric from "Splashdown." If you get this then you should definitely purchase the CD: "Oh realizations come to nothing/More than all you've ever heard before/and again."
    
           
     

Track listing
1.

Splashdown
2.

High On Fire
3.

You Set My Soul
4.

Spaceships
5.

The Presence Of Your Grace
6.

And
7.

Flying
8.

Yeah
9.

Ocean Drive
10.

Please Tell Mother
11.
To The Shore
12.
Tornado
13.
High On Fire (EP Version)
14.
Sunspray
15.
The Sleepwalk (Sitar Version)
Label: Bomp Records / Release date: 1/20/2009