The Telescopes Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
The Telescopes' long-awaited (and aptly titled) Third Wave arrives nine years after their second and last full-length album for Creation (the celebrated U.K. imprint also released three singles). The recordings for a third album failed, due to difficulties within the group's then-current lineup. There were lengthy delays, and finally the group splintered in 1995. Stephen Lawrie and Joanna Doran ("Jo") didn't stop making music together in those nine years. In 1996, he and Doran began collaborating with film composer Nick Hemming on film music, and soon the trio had formed a new group, Unisex. A few years later, Unisex's debut was released by New York-based Double Agent Records. In addition to collaborating with Füxa, Lawrie soon began writing new material that he imagined would work best for the Telescopes instead of Unisex. Even so, Third Wave in some ways picks up where Unisex's 1999 album, Stratosphere, left off. This time out, Lawrie and Doran are the only remaining members of the group's original lineup. Lawrie is clearly the one in charge, with downbeat electronics, soporific sound loops, and hypnotic grooves that loop over each other. The album has a dark intensity that builds as it progresses forward. There are occasional lighter moments, too. "Tesla Death Ray" features sound effects from the Space Invaders video game and is constructed entirely out of toys and gadgets (hand drills/stylophone/toy car) with vocoder vocals and abused electronic instruments. "A Good Place to Hide" is languid spy jazz, with braying brass instruments, similar to the jazzbo ambient textures that Isotope 217 and Tortoise have recorded. Another highlight is "When Nemo Sank the Nautilus," punctuated with a submarine's "ping" sonar sounds. The music is more experimental and electronic than previous recordings, interwoven with frigid space rock elements, then reconfigured and filtered through Teutonic post-rock noises that are aurally pleasing to the ear. ~ Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Telescopes began as a run-of-the-mill British shoegazer band fully under the thrall of noise and My Bloody Valentine. Perhaps a little angrier than most of that ilk but pretty unmemorable. At some point however they discovered subtlety and songcraft. They traded in most of their noise pedals for some that make the guitars go all spacey and phased-out. They also wrote a batch of songs with melodies and hooks reminiscent of Love or The Notorious Byrds Brothers-era Byrds. The songs on The Telescopes are built on acoustic guitars, then the aformentioned tricked-out electric guitars are laid on top and garnished with bongos, organs, pianos and all sort of classic instruments. Stephen Lawrie's vocals are restrained and semi-emotional and female backing vocals add a touch of sweetness to the record that might be missing other- wise as the overall atmosphere is very moody and introspective. A large chunk of the credit should be given to producer Guy Fixsen, who also helmed some great records with Moose & Rollerskate Skinny and is a member of Laika. Sadly, The Telescopes split soon after this album came out but the classic sound they came up with here lives on in bands like Mojave 3 and the Verve. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
If it weren't for the unfortunate loyalty to mawkish shoegazing mechanics, the Telescopes' debut was one of considerable promise. The band would actively self-destruct inside Hüsker Dü gusts of feedback and alternate between lumbering Chapterhouse tameness and screaming rock-star anguish, timing the sudden walls of noise with unusual precision. A decade on, Taste sounded like a flawed Psychocandy in full-testosterone mode as much as it did Aerial Love Feed or a less metal Cooper Temple Clause. ~ Dean Carlson, All Music Guide
