The voice of Natalie Ribbons gives the music of Tele Novella a haunting quality. The Austin band's newest, Poet's Tooth, is out now via Kill Rock Stars, and it's an entrancing affair. Fans of Mazzy Star, for an easy reference point, may find this up their alley, though Jason Chronis provides a more broad array of instruments behind the vocals.
"Hard-hearted Way" has a precise progression, with a sharp melody behind it. There's enough of a country vibe here to mention, though the tune is about as country as the tunes of Sparklehorse were, you know? The music on Poet's Tooth makes me go further back for references: Tarnation, Lisa Germano, Kendra Smith's solo album, etc. "Broomhorse", for example, is built upon a wealth of sounds, such that there's a layered vibe here worthy of those 4AD-label points of comparison above. Still, it's Ribbons' voice that carries all of this forward.
There's a nice interplay here between Natalie Ribbons' vocals and the varied instruments Jason Chronis has assembled around it. "Eggs in One Basket" adds in a hint of Broadcast to the English folk-like melodic line, while "Vampire Cowgirl" and a few other numbers here reveal an obvious debt owed to the traditions of the duo's Texan background. Drummer and producer Danny Reisch deserves credit too for giving this such depth. Natalie Ribbons has a voice that's rich and affecting enough on its own that she could pretty much render anything interesting. That said, the sounds arrayed by Jason Chronis and Reisch create a swirling, complex backdrop for the vocal performances. Far more varied than one might expect for material that could be billed as alt-country, the vibe here is boldly its own.
Poet's Tooth by Tele Novella is out now via Kill Rock Stars.
[Photo: Tele Novella Bandcamp]