Whatever line-up of The Telescopes that you've encountered has likely made you a fan of the band. Pegged shoegaze but predating the ubiquity of that term, the one-time Creation Records act is centered around Stephen Lawrie. The guy's a wizard of sorts, conjuruing up woozy soundscapes that scorch the soul, and sometimes soothe it. The 15th record from his Telescopes, Of Tomorrow, is out now via Tapete, and it's a real gem of a release.
Recorded entirely by just Stephen Lawrie, the vibe here is still varied and complex. Opener "Butterfly" is propulsive and hypnotic, while "Everything Belongs" is the collapse of pop. Intentionally run-down, the sound here suggests the worst of all possible realities even as it still wraps itself around a simple, central melodic hook. Elsewhere, "Only Lovers Know" brings a hint of country to things, enough that the tune compares favorably to one of those from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds where Nick tries to sound American. Still, the real highlight of Of Tomorrow is "The Other Side", a burly number that Lawrie nearly mumbles through. It's a drunk of a song, lurching along atop an organ riff and throbs of bass. It's not shoegaze by any means, but there's force and volume to get lost in with this selection. If Lawrie can do this all by himself, then he can keep The Telescopes going on his own as long as he lives, hopefully.
Of Tomorrow by The Telescopes is out now via Tapete.
[Photo: The Telescopes / Tapete]