Written by: Rob McKenney
Photos by: Madison Boyce
One of the many challenges that bands face, especially early in their career, is establishing their musical identity and clearly cementing their place within the industry. This often comes at the cost of some creative freedom and leads bands to get pigeon-holed into a certain sound based on the genre that fans and press identify them with. Thus begins the tight rope act of balancing what the outside world expects with the pursuit of a unique and personal voice for the band as they develop in their career. Despite that exact kind of pressure, Richmond, VA pop-punk quartet Telltale shows they aren’t afraid to explore new sonic territory with their new single, What A Shame, available now via Sharptone Records.
Coming off a summer of touring in support of their latest EP, “Timeless Youth,” Telltale clearly are not a band that want to be confined by the restraints of genre tags or even their own catalog. As much as the EP was departure from and expansion on their previous work, What A Shame is another step toward establishing their own unique voice within a scene that tends toward the homogenous.
Guitarist Bryce Marshall sets the perfect stage for the single with a simple-yet-effective motif that’s dripping with delay, having an almost reggae/surf rock swagger to it. Reinforced with the tight rhythmic presence of bassist Tim Fogg and drummer Travis Slack, the vocal performance of singer John Carter lays perfectly over the track. Sultry and sensual, sometimes bordering on seductive, Carter weaves together a story of a one-sided love affair tinged with a potentially destructive sense of idealism. The winding and melodic verses lead the listener to an anthemic and declarative chorus that is sure to take up residence in the heads of listeners everywhere. With lines like “I wouldn’t mind if you broke my heart,” “the devil’s in the details, nothing comes easy,” and “everything takes time,” the song paints an all-too-familiar picture for some. One of justifying and continuing to pursue a relationship that serves only one party at the ultimate detriment of the other.
The band debuted the single live at Forget Me Not Fest in Wanaque, NJ over Labor Day weekend. The song served as a fantastic change of pace in their, generally, high-energy set and created a contrast in the atmosphere of the room. This made for an ebb and flow across the set that kept things interesting and the crowd engaged from beginning to end. This single is definitely live performance approved and listeners will most definitely enjoy the vibes that it brings during their set.
Be sure to catch Telltale on the Goodbye Paradise Tour with Broadside from 9/19-9/26 select US cities! For dates and tickets, visit www.telltalerva.com.
Comentarios