This can seem weird, but it happens. More and more often actually. Working in a music venue allows me to get to know new bands and in particular bands from the Pacific Northwest.
When I worked my first show in Seattle, The Walkmen – whom I only knew by name -this early September, I enjoyed much more the opener band, The Helio Sequence, Portland, Oregon. Ok, The Helio Sequence is already a big name for an opener band and many people came only to see them - the band has already released two albums with Sub Pop – and I really liked them better. Rather, I really enjoyed them.
Anyway, the show I wanted to focus on in this article happened two nights ago at the Showbox : Telekinesis, Teenage Fanclub and Superchunk. Maybe you know one, two or even all of these bands; I didn’t.
All signed on the same record label, Merge Records, based in North Carolina, Teenage Fanclub and Superchunk, indie bands from the 90s deliver the kind of same pop-rock songs which didn’t really convince me, while Telekinesis turned out to be a very good surprise for both M (who came for the show) and I!
Telekinesis is actually one man who does everything by himself. This man is Michael Lerner, a young smart, funny and easy-going chap from Seattle. After a bunch of LPs, he released his first album, Telekinesis! in 2009, produced by Chris Walla from Death Cab For Cutie, and on which he wrote the songs and played all the instruments.
Design by Julia Guther
On stage Lerner, who plays the drums and sings, is accompanied by a guitar player and a bass player. The trio gives an energetic and intense pop-rock performance, which cannot prevent you from dancing and beeing in a happy mood. If Lerner says that he his deeply influenced by the bands he is supporting (what I do understand after the end of the show), his music appears to me as more fresh and sparkling.
Most of the catchy songs Lerner and his buddies performed are on the album on which you can definitely find the Death Cab For Cutie influence and which reminds of Ben Kweller’s early work.
What M and I really enjoyed too, maybe because we are two French girls (let’s be cliché, we know you love it!) is that Lerner also gives importance to the visual side of his work. The covers and artwork of is CDs and vinyls as well as his super cool tshirts are colorful and happy, which changes from all this passion for music artwork about nature and animals (which I like but I think that it’s getting a bit repetitive among young folk rock bands).
In conclusion, in case you haven't understood yet, if you’re looking for something to listen to right now or if you feel a bit down (or both – sorry), check out this guy, he’s really worth it!
Note for European people: Telekinesis will be touring in Europe in November.
For Parisian people, he is going to play at La Flèche d’Or on the 18th… cool music in a cool place
=> NO REASON TO MISS IT!
A.C.
