Telescopes are usually used to see into the distance or further deep into space (or into the heavens if you’re a creationist). Telescopes the band focuses more within the world of singer/guitarist Arik Blum. He has recounted that he “wrote many of these songs during a particularly dark time”, which, yes is quite common, but it’s the mellow and brutal honesty to himself that really stands out in the music. Look no further than the lyrics to Grow Lonely; “I never wanna grow lonely like my father/ I just want to dance to the end like my mother”.
Melbourne’s Telescopes take their grunge influences and give it a fresh spin on their long gestating debut effort EP 001.
The band hails from Melbourne town and has been together since 2011. In their formative years they had always talked about recording a grunge album as teenagers, but spent seven or eight years in other projects, which included soul bands, RnB producing, trombone playing, and a band called The Incredible Dead Goons. After several long years since their formation in 2011, Telescopes unveiled their first release EP 001 on March 17 this year. There’s a real sense of care to the EP, a clear focus and passion to the writing and producing side of music. Not one’s to let things cool off, the band have already begun recording their follow up release.
Tell Me is the opening track on the EP and it wastes no time in setting the tone. It’s sad, melodic and pleads for acceptance on “Lay me down nice and easy, it’s the end of the line”. Its chorus is catchy as hell. Grow Lonely is the song touched on earlier in the introduction and is the dark post-hardcore anthem of the EP. It’s accompanied with a music video, beautifully and artistically shot in the dark empty streets of Melbourne by close friend Ash Coek (who went to film school with Arik). Overall the album is ‘grungesque’, if you’ll allow the coining of such a word, as the boys had originally intended in their younger days.
Something that wasn’t expected is the variety of styles EP 001 displays flowing from their various influences. It keeps things relevant as they explore avenues and areas that keep Telescopes’ sound away from being boxed into the label of grunge. Considering how much promise the band shows on their debut EP it wouldn’t be too farfetched to see this band go far as they continue to push their songwriting exploring new and innovative sounds.
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