Take This To Heart Records – Release Date: 6/21/19
Milwaukee’s Telethon released their latest album and fourth overall last month, called Hard Pop. The record spotlights the band’s exceptional musicianship and their ability to seamlessly merge various styles and genres. At their core, Telethon is a power pop band, with influences ranging from The Hold Steady to Motion City Soundtrack, and a trace of classic rock extravagance. In short, Hard Pop is a great summertime album and one that finds the band further perfecting their sound.
The record opens with “Loser / That Old Private Hell,” a six-minute rock opera that even after dozens of listens only seems about half that long. It starts with the line, “The magic of being a loser is that nobody has to find out,” which really sets the tone for the rest of the album’s lyrics, (an ongoing discussion of what it’s like growing up in the Midwest). A subdued intro gives way to a huge, ‘70s stadium rock guitar lead, followed by piano accents and skillful drumming that recall Born to Run-era Springsteen. The song is filled with hooks, but also retains a significant amount of driving rock ‘n’ roll. Simply put, it’s as ambitious as it is catchy. It’s followed by “(I Guess You’d Call It) An Undertone,” a unique song that features a swing-like rhythm, a horn section and crunchy guitar riffs. There’s also an element of ‘80s pop and from a stylistic standpoint, this is just something that not a lot of bands are doing nowadays. Additionally, near the end of the song, a jaw-dropping guitar solo emerges that would likely impress anyone outside of maybe Slash or Eddie Van Halen.
“Chimney Rock” is one of the record’s faster tracks and includes a prominent keyboard lead. It boasts a notable guest vocal cameo from Willow Hawks, (singer of The Sonder Bombs) and yet another blistering guitar solo. It’s also an example of the band successfully experimenting with loud/soft dynamics, which only helps to emphasize the song’s finer moments. The album ends with “Manila,” a somber closer that evokes both The Beatles and The Get Up Kids. It flips between genres, but never sounds disjointed and even manages to incorporate a ska/punk breakdown. The song eventually finds its way back to melodic rock ‘n’ roll and sing-a-long vocals, appropriately ending on one final riff.
With Hard Pop, Telethon has streamlined their sound without sacrificing any of the distinctive traits that make them great. They remain quirky, diverse and unafraid to experiment, yet there’s now more of a focus on cohesion and overall execution. They’re currently one of the most underrated bands in independent rock, but with any luck Hard Pop will allow them to attract a wider audience.
