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Telethon – Swim Out Past the Breakers
Take This To Heart Records – Release Date: 8/20/21
For their latest full-length, Swim Out Past the Breakers, Telethon has crafted their most accessible album to date and also one that highlights the unique qualities of their songwriting. It captures the band mining a wide array of influences and exploring the intricacies of their arrangements, while simultaneously hitting their stride. Simply put, this record is peak Telethon. The first song, “Shit (Jansport),” features a frantic verse, a polka-esque breakdown and contributions from Franz Nicolay of The Hold Steady. The song’s structure is anything but conventional, yet it transitions from section to section in a seamless manner, and in that regard is similar to Jeff Rosenstock.
“Do You Know What I Mean (or Not)?” just might be the best song that Telethon has ever written. It has an exceedingly catchy intro riff, with the guitar and bass trading leads. Its bridge has somewhat of a marching rhythm and palm-muted chords, and cleverly eases into the chorus before returning to the exceptional intro riff. The song concludes with a head-bopping, shout-along section and would best be described as radio-friendly rock from a bygone era with a modern twist. “Checker Drive” is another standout track and includes prominent keyboard leads in both the intro and the chorus. Its verse has a definite late ‘90s alternative rock vibe, not unlike Fountains of Wayne, and the song closes with an extended outro that sounds strikingly similar to a theme song from an ‘80s sitcom.
“Cyan” is classic third wave ska/punk that boasts contributions from Devon Kay & The Solutions and is highly likely to induce a skank circle at a future Telethon show. “Travelator” is yet another bright spot, complete with power pop stylings, a distinctive vocal melody and a casual Northern Exposure reference. The song evokes shades of The Anniversary and also spotlights the abilities of the band’s rhythm section.
On Swim Out Past the Breakers, Telethon embraces their weirdness, but does so in a way that welcomes any and all listeners. It can’t be overstated how rare of an ability that is for a band. The album was recorded throughout 2020 and it’s interesting how its lyrics somewhat mirror the ups and downs of what was a very turbulent year for most everyone. In that sense, the record feels very topical. Ultimately, it’s clear that Telethon has really honed in on their writing and are more than capable of constructing whatever kind of song they want. Who’s to say where they’ll go from here, but rest assured that it will be exciting and unpredictable.
Kali Masi
In late March, Kali Masi released their second full-length, titled [laughs]. The album represents a major step forward for the band and showcases the significant growth they’ve experienced since the release of their last record. We recently caught up with singer/guitarist Sam Porter and bassist Anthony Elliott and discussed how the album was written and recorded. (The band’s lineup is fortified by guitarist Wes Moore and drummer John Garrison). We also talked about what inspired some of the lyrics, the record’s overall message, their plans for the rest of the year and more.
Continue Reading…Telethon – Hard Pop
Take This To Heart Records – Release Date: 6/21/19
Milwaukee’s Telethon released their latest album and fourth overall last month, called Hard Pop. The record spotlights the band’s exceptional musicianship and their ability to seamlessly merge various styles and genres. At their core, Telethon is a power pop band, with influences ranging from The Hold Steady to Motion City Soundtrack, and a trace of classic rock extravagance. In short, Hard Pop is a great summertime album and one that finds the band further perfecting their sound.
The record opens with “Loser / That Old Private Hell,” a six-minute rock opera that even after dozens of listens only seems about half that long. It starts with the line, “The magic of being a loser is that nobody has to find out,” which really sets the tone for the rest of the album’s lyrics, (an ongoing discussion of what it’s like growing up in the Midwest). A subdued intro gives way to a huge, ‘70s stadium rock guitar lead, followed by piano accents and skillful drumming that recall Born to Run-era Springsteen. The song is filled with hooks, but also retains a significant amount of driving rock ‘n’ roll. Simply put, it’s as ambitious as it is catchy. It’s followed by “(I Guess You’d Call It) An Undertone,” a unique song that features a swing-like rhythm, a horn section and crunchy guitar riffs. There’s also an element of ‘80s pop and from a stylistic standpoint, this is just something that not a lot of bands are doing nowadays. Additionally, near the end of the song, a jaw-dropping guitar solo emerges that would likely impress anyone outside of maybe Slash or Eddie Van Halen.
“Chimney Rock” is one of the record’s faster tracks and includes a prominent keyboard lead. It boasts a notable guest vocal cameo from Willow Hawks, (singer of The Sonder Bombs) and yet another blistering guitar solo. It’s also an example of the band successfully experimenting with loud/soft dynamics, which only helps to emphasize the song’s finer moments. The album ends with “Manila,” a somber closer that evokes both The Beatles and The Get Up Kids. It flips between genres, but never sounds disjointed and even manages to incorporate a ska/punk breakdown. The song eventually finds its way back to melodic rock ‘n’ roll and sing-a-long vocals, appropriately ending on one final riff.
With Hard Pop, Telethon has streamlined their sound without sacrificing any of the distinctive traits that make them great. They remain quirky, diverse and unafraid to experiment, yet there’s now more of a focus on cohesion and overall execution. They’re currently one of the most underrated bands in independent rock, but with any luck Hard Pop will allow them to attract a wider audience.
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